New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-06
PART Ii.
FOUR PAGES.
COMPLAIN OF POOR GAS.
EXPERT SAYS HAS DETERIoRATED
FROM A YEAR AGO.

Complaints about the miserable quality of gas be-
ing furnished to householders in different parts Of
the city multiplying. and there is longer any
doubt IN the minds Of many people that the
fare OF rates between the Consolidated company
and its rivals has resulted IN the quality gas be-
ing made poorer. William H. Bradley. chief
sineer of the Consolidated company, yesterday de-
MED that HIS company was cheapenng its product
but opposed his assertion is the positive state
rnent Of DR. Edward G. Love, city inspector OF
twenty-three years experience who says that the
quality Of now being furnished by the Con-
solidated Gas Company is greatly inferior 10 that
furnished by the Same company a year ago.
Coupled with the discomfort arising from the use
from asphyxiation when gas the quality of which
has eeteriorated through cheapening process of
manufacture is turned down low. The large num-
her of asphyxaton reported In the last three
weeks is believed to be due TO extent to the
fact that the burners have In some cases been
turned down low. and the gas. because of uneven
pressure inferior quality and the extreme cold. has
Tlonentariy ceased flowing. The miserable quality
OF the gas furnished by some of the companies has
driven many people to the use of electricity. and
there is no doubt that thousands of houses will
speedny be equipped with electricity for lighting
purposes unless the quality Of gas is improved.
Dr. Edward G. Love at his laboratory.
No. 70 Bowery, yesterday. BIZ a Tribune reporter
Il have no hesitation whatever" he said, lin
saving that the furnished by the Consolidated
company Is inferior in quality TO that furnished
~ he
reg1latIons concerning the inspection of gas GER
-ainly favor the gas companies at the present
time We formerly required TO make an in
spection and test of the gas every day, but now
ory one test week is required. and gas has to be
below the standard for three consecutive weeks
before the city do anything about it. 1 do
rot saw that any of the companies furnishing
gas below the 2-candle power test, but l do
saw that the Consolidated companys gas is in
ferior to that furnished by the same company
a year ago. 1t is that cheapening the
quality of the gas lessons the odor, thus making
asphyxiation easier 1t is possible to make an
Illuminating gas poor that it will hardly afford
any light at all, and at the same time 1t will be
as odorous a better quality
What about the quality of gas furnished by
the New-Amsterdam company"
1T is better than ever since they went back to
the old rate of 81 TO- My house is supplied with
the Consolidated companys gas. at IS cents thou
sand. but 1 would cheerfully pay the higher rate
and have it of better quality, and so would most
of the folk I have talked with about the poor
quality of gas"
When William H. Bradley, chief engineer of the
Consolidated company, was seen at the companys
Office, Irving Place and Ffteenth-st, yesterday he
said:
this COMPANY has apparently deteriorated in the
last two three weeks, but SO it has with the
weather The cold weather always affects the
Certain elements in the gas. and reduces its il
Eliminating power. There is nothing new in that,
however and DR. Love knows il as well as any
one / know what / am talking about when L say
that there has been no lowering OF the quality OF
the gas furnished by this company during the
last three years. The cold snap affected the now,
but it was not owing to any cheapening process
in the manufacture
An assistant engineer Of the New-Annsterdam
company said:
we know that the Consolidated is furnishing an
inferior quality of gas, because a large NUMBER
OF its customers coming TO US, ana they say
they are perfectly willing to pay nearly double
for our gas on account of its superior quality
Gas can be cheapened in its manufacture by fore
ing q works beyond its proper limit, and reducing
.he amount OF oil introduced into the decomposeo
steam in its manufacture. 1t may be that the
consolidated Is oYerstraining its plants That
would account for the quality of its product de-
tertorating.
Where people gather there is only one opinion
expressed as to the result of forcing an inferior
quality Of gas on the public, and that opinion is
mat II will increase the use of electricity.