Evening star., 1901-07-27
OUR SUPPLY OF GAS
Quality of the nluminant Used in
the District.
ANNUAL REPORT OF INSPECTOR FORD
New System Of Manufacture in
Georgetown Commended.
JUST REBATES URG ED


8. Calvert Ford, the United States in
spector of gas and meters for the District
of Columbia, has submitted to the District
Commissioners his yearly report showing
the pressure, Illuminating power and pu-
rity of the gas supplied by the Washington
Gaslight Company and the Georgetown
Gaslight Company and the state Of meters
tested. Reports are made Of the observa-
tions made at the central laboratory, the
southeast laboratory. northwest laboratory
and Georgetown laboratory.
The Illuminating power of the gas sup
piled by the Washington Gaslight Com
pany during the year ending June %, 1901,
was eleven one-hundredths OF one candle
more than during the year 1900.
The mean average Illuminating power de-
termined at the three laboratories was
found equal to 26.02 standard candles. The
maximum average illuminating power was
found to equal 3O.1f standard candles. The
minimum average Illuminating power was
found to equal 2231 standard candles.
Georgetown Had Best Gas.
1t is interesting to note that the highest
mean Illuminating power was registered In
Georgetown, the average being 27.S9 in
sperm candles. The highest power at
tanned there was "a 16 candles and the low
est 21.36 candles. The second best aver
age Illuminating power was shown at the
southeast laboratory, corner 9TH and D
streets southeast, the mean being 26.44 can
dies, the highest 80 Sc candles and the low
est 22.21 candles. At the northwest labo-
ratory, 1895 18th street, the average for
the year was 2614 candles, the highest
2979 candles and the lowest %. 6S candles.
AT the central laboratory, corner 10th and
D streets northwest, the lowest average
Illuminating power was observed, it being
54S candles. the highest $500 candles and
the lowest 21.05 candles. The Illuminating
power required by law Is twenty-five can
dies.
On fifteen occasions during the year am
monia was found to exceed the hve grains
allowed by law, but the excess was con-
fined to one of the Washington Gaslight
Companys inspection stations namely, the
southeast station.
In excess of the maximum amount allowed
by law.
Defaults in Candle Power.
TT was the practice Of this Office" says
the report, from the time Of the establish
ment Of it's two additional inspection lab
oratories in accordance with the provisions
Of the act of Congress of March 8. 1893.
to ascertain defaults in the candle power or
the gas supplied by the Washington Gas
Of the inspections determined at the three
laboratories. If this average equaled twen-
ty-five candles or more the gas was report
ed as standard: If less, then as in default.
The daily reports made by this Office, how
ever, showed not only this average. but
also the separate results of inspections at
each laboratory. The foregoing method
was changed by order Of Commissioner
instructed to report the gas as in default
whenever the candle power fell below
twenty five candles at any one Of the In
spection laboratories without regard to the
average candle power obtained from the
inspections at the three laboratories.
Between June "a, 1900, and January rs.
1901 the company was in default In candle
power on six occasions. From January 70,
1901, to June %, 1901. the company was In
default in candle power on thirty occasions.
though by average the defaults were but
two. The total defaults in candle power
during the entire year thus numbered
thirty-six.
''sulphureted hydrogen was present on
two occasions during the year and was
confined to one of the Washington Gaslight
Company's inspection stations, namely, the
southeast station.
Conditions in West Warrington.
''The average Illuminating power of the
gas supplied by the Georgetown Gaslight
Company during the year ending June %.
1901, was thirty-nine one-hundredths of one
candle more than during the year 1900.
"On nine occasions during the year this
company was in default in candepower.
Sulphureted hydrogen was not present In
the gas during the entire year. On four
teen occasions during the year ammonia
was found to exceed the five grains allowed
year was sulphur In excess of the maxi
mum amount allowed by law. The illunina-
ting gas supplied by this company Is of
very fine quality being a product OF coal
to travel well and does not occasion much,
If any, trouble from condensation in the
mains, service pipes or meters. This COM
pany has had considerable trouble in keep
ing the ammonia within the lawful limits.
"The Illuminating gas supplied in the
District of Columbia during the year end
ing June 23 1901 by the Washington and
Georgetown gaslight companies was In
keeping with the requirements of the law,
except as hereinbefore appears.
Experiment That Improved Quality.
1.-The photogenic power Of the gas fur
nished in Georgetown Is Of very superior
quality, and could not well be better with
out giving serious trouble, due to condensa-
tion in the pipes and meters, thus causing
service pipes to choke and other evils re-
sulting from a too large per cent of naph-
tha in combination with the gas.
For several months during the year the
Washington Gaslight Company at its
southeast works has been using the meth
cd of manufacturing gas adopted by Mr..
Robert L. Middleton. superintendent of the
Georgetown Gaslight Company; that is.
making the gas from coal and enriching 1t
with a smaller per cent Of naphtha than Is
employed by the company In the water gas
method In use at Its northwest works. The
gas thus made is OF very fine quality. and
gives satisfaction to many consumers. It
contains much smaller per cent Of car
bonic oxide than gas made after the water
gas method, and is in other ways less OBJ
jectionable."
Tests of Meters.
Inspector Ford has also submitted a re-
port showing that during the year ending
June % last 1908 meters were tested for
the Washington Gaslight Company and
consumers of gas in Washington. OF this
number 284 registered fast" the average
Of the error being 4.03 per cent. There
were 56S meters registering "slow." the av-
erage error being 1887 per cent. There
were 2947 meters registering within the
limits allowed by law, namely, per cent
either way. and 2o4 did not register the
gas flowing through them. Mr.. Ford states
that four meters were inspected for the
Alexandria gas works and three registered
g. kl