Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-09
GAS IS POORER NOW
Illuminating Power Reduced
eighth.
AN EFFORT TO SAVE
PROVISION IN DISTRICT APPRo-
PRIATIoN BILL.
Claim Made by the Gas Company
Does Not Appear to Hold
Good.
AN EFFORT TO SAVE

Complaint is being heard because Of
provision placed in the District OF Colum-
bia appropriation bill during the last DAYS
of Congress- and which went into effect on
the LIST instant. This provision has allowed
the gas company to reduce the illuminating
power of all the gas it furnishes in the
District one-eiShth, or from - to 22-candle
power. The provision relates only to the
fiscal year 1908, so that if it is extended to
cover another year it viii have to be re-
enacted. 1t is as follows:
THAT during the fiscal year 1903 the
Illuminating power Of the gas furnished by
any gaslighting company, person or persons
in the District of Columbia shall be equal
to - candles. Notwithstanding the require
ments as to candle power prescribed by sec
tion Of the act regulating the sale Of gas
in the District of Columbia, approved June
G, 1896
This lowering OF the standard of illum-
mating power will not, It is said. affect the
gas bills of consumers. The standard II
Illumination is lowered by curtaiing the
use of enriching oils, which adds a bril-
liancy to the flame. 1t is the quality and
not the quantity of gas that will be
changed. and the poorer gas will cost as
much as did the 25-candle power iIlumi-
nant.
An Effort to Save Money.
This change in the quality Of gas WAS
brought about in connection with an ef-
fort on the part of the committees on ap-
preparations to save money for the District
in the item Of street lighting. The House
fixed SIS per annum for each street lamp
as the amount that should be paid for gas
lighting, and provided that this should
cover the expense Of purchasing and eX-
penses of erecting and maintaining new
lampposts street designations, lanterns and
fixtures. The Senate increased the price
to $40 and cut the accompanying provision
from the bill, as it involves a large eN-
pense.
In conference il was agreed to retain it
together with a Senate amendment cutting
down the standard Of Illumination from
twenty-five to twenty-five candles. by this
arrangement there WAS SAVING # expense
TO the District and p-opurtiunatc decrease
in the quantity Of light shed upon the
streets of the District. As an independent
proposition this was "A satisfactory arrange
ment if the saving was r, gardod as equal
to the loss Of light on the streets, but there
was another side to the qUt stion.
The Price Raised.
When the gas company proceeded to cut
down the Illuminating power OF gas used in
the street lamps they nece essarily cut down
the Illuminating power Of all the gas fur
nished the city the street lamps are sup
piled from the same mains that give light
to the houses. Cutting down the i.uminat-
ing power of gas ouo-t iEnth is said to be
more than equivalent to increasing the
price Of gas one-eghth so far the
change between the gas company and the
consumer is concerned. The Gciit onal one
eighth in the uumina ting power OF the
gas was secured by the use of cnriching
oils, the expense Of which is said to be
more than one-eighth Of the entire cost OF
manufacturing the gas. few years ago
Congress reduced the price Of gas from
$1.25 to 81 per thousand feet. The lerlsia-
ton of the last Congress practically in
H.
is taken into consideration. about l2Ia cents
per thousand feet or onc-half a much as
Congress formerly decreased il by direct
legislative action.
The Gas Company's Claim.
When the question was before the Senate
committee and later before the conferees
of both houses Mr. John Lestch. repre-
senting the gas company stated. il is un-
derstood, that the cutting down of the
candle power from % TO - would result in
furnishing the District with a cleaner gas
and would not reduce fits Illuminating quail
tiles, but would tend to give a better light.
The senators and representatives who
agreed to the provision did under the
belief that there would be no deterioration
in the quality of the gas. In order that
this statement might be put to a practical
test the reduction in the candle power was
made to apply only to the fiscal year end
ing June 80 1903, and the representative OF
the gas company said that if his statement
was not verified by experience he would
make no effort to have the provision re-
enacted next year.
1t has been suggested that this matter can
be definitely settled by investigation to
be conducted by the District Commissioners
through the proper officials under them to
determine exactly what the effect on the
gas furnished to the city has been by the
cutting down Of the candle power
Another statement that was influential
with the senators and representatives, con-
senting to this reduction in the candle pow
er was to the effect that the candle power
that has prevailed in the District has been
inordinately high Ii was declared that