The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-10-30

Commissioner Mcfarland today receiv-
ed call from s, Calvert Ford, United
| States Inspector of Gas and Meters for the
District of Columbia. to talk over the ques-
tons recently raised relative to the quality
Of the gas served by the Washington Gas
Company. Commissioner Mcfarland had
written TO Mr.. Ford asking about the pos
sihiIity of Mr.. Ford's Office looking after
the complaints received by the Commits
sioaers relative to the gas.
Mr.. Ford informed the Commissioner
that the duties of the Inspector of Gas
and Meters as laid down by law are TO
test and examine the Illuminating power
Of the gas furnished for consumption, and
to test and 10 seal all meters to be used
in the distribution of the gas. He stated
tc TIE Commissioner that the testing of
the gas occupied his entire time from 9
o'clock a. m. to O'Clock Z. N. He further
stated that the time of the assistant in
spectorS was taken up in testing and seal
ing meters and that there was no one in
his office who could be detailed solely to
look after complaints. For the present
Mr.. Ford said that he had divided the du-
ties OF enc of the inspectors so that he
now was looking after the complaints
which came from the Commissioners This
Mr.. Ford said was done as a matter of
courtesy and not because it was required
by law.
Commissioner Macfarlard said in speak
ing OF the matter to a Times reporter to-
day. that the statement of Mr.. Ford made
it plain that there was no way TO inaugu-
rate investigation into the complaints re-
garding the gas service, as they had no one
to set ut it. and Mr.. Ford has ne one
ay Of he egi=4 .4A
Until Congress should make an appropria-
ticn for the pay Of someone to do this
work, Mr.. Macfarland thought that it could
not be done. except Ii the manner de-
scribed.
Mr.. Ford stated to the Commissioner
that in his opinion the Washington Gas
Company is doicS al lnol. is l,Uss.,.e for
SO ialae q manufacturing concern to obey
the law and to keep its product up to the
standard required by law He stated that
the principal difficulty was with the for
nation Of naphthaline in the pipes and the
meters, and Mr. Ford Informed the Com
missioner that this could not be wholly
avoided in the manufacture OF coal OF
water gas. Mr., Ford stated that every
notice sent to the company by his Office
was promptly attended TO; that the super
intendent always set about correcting any
defect, and usually accomplished it within
three days The Inspector said that in the
course OF several years ii had been neces-
*ary to proceed against the company in
the courts but once, and then the District
was defeated
Commissioner Maefarland stated TO he
reporter that he had been asked why The
Commissioners did not take up the mat
ter in earnest and enforce a better gas
service by eXacting the penalty from the
company authorized by law H said that
the Inspector of Gas and Meters was ap-
pointed by the President, and was in no
way, except by courtesy subject to the
commissioners. They were with ut au-
thorlty TO direct him TO take action, and
any action that would be taken against
the company must necessarily find It's in
itiatiye with the Inspector In the mat
ter of complaints, he said the best he
could do would be to send them through
Inspector Ford TO the company to be
acted upon there.
Mr.. Faefarland stated with reference to
the complaints that had come from Six
teenth Street northwest that the diff Guilty
experienced was due to the fact that the
building up of that section had proceeded
more rapidly than had been expected
and that the gas mains were not now
large enough to carry the amount of gas
required for street and house Ii h ing.
He said the company had made applica-
tfon some time ago for a permit to lay
additional mains, and that the Commits
sioners were waiting on the court for the
right Of way in Sixteenth Street extend
ed before Issuing the permit. He said he
expected that the decision of the court
would be forthcoming. when the matter
would be adjusted by the extens on CT the
gas main through Sixteenth Street