The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-12

less than you used in February. With
the accuracy Of the gas meter admit
ted, consumers are often disappointed
In their efforts to economic, and the
result Is that they honestly believe that
1t makes but little difference how they
burn it, the bills for gas will grow.
For instance, Jones pays on the 10th
day of November for 1000 feet of gas.
used during the month of October.
That being larger than he expected, he
resolves to try just once, if possible,
to reduce the bill. He has heretofore
used six burners from 6 to 8 o'clock
He now cuts the number down to
three. He formerly used about five
and half feet to burner per hour,
or about siXty-siX feet per day. Time
rolls around and December is ushered
IN. He goes to the gas office feeling
that for once in his life he has proba-
bly, succeeded in reducing his gas bill.
The clerk presents him a bill for 1900
feet of gas, just 10 per cent larger than
IL was before. Now, no one could
blame the man for refusing to pay tho
bill. All faith in the gas meter and in
the officers of the company has fled
from his mind. But let us look at the
other side of the question. We find
upon investigation that Jones paid his
previous bill on Nov. 10, and that his
meter was read on Oct %, so that at
MIXING, eighteen out of the thirty daya
had gone by. Upon further investiga-
ton for the gas company keeps a
daily record of the weather. we find
that the weather for the month of Oc-
tober. as usual, had been fine up to
the 10th. After that date and during
November the atmosphere was smoky;
rather dark mornings and evenings,
and the sun shining through a hazy
Dtn1OSnhnrn no AP Ia
day. We find that this change in the
weather, together with the shortening
of the days, makes it necessary to light
up for half an hour in the morning
and also to light a half hour earlier in
the evening. Now. with the rate of
consumption per burner per hour the
same as in October, you will find by
calculating that he actually must have
used between the date of the reading
of his meter, 300 feet more gas than
he did during the previous thirty days,
Notwithstanding his efforts to- econo-
mize. Again, meter readers record
only full hundreds. They have no tens,
Now, Brown is using a very limited
quantity of gas. He commenced on
the first day of the month. About the
10th of the next month he goes up
to the desk and pays for a hundred
feet He then concludes that he will
test this question of the honesty OF
the gas companies, so he quietly puts
In his oil lamp and says nothing. He
goes up to the office early next month /;
he is anxious to solve the problem. The
clerk presents him with a bill for a
hundred feet. He is amazed Is not
dishonesty clearly established? But
give the gas man another chance. Upon
investigation it is found that Brown
used $50 feet the first month, or exact
ly fifty feet every ten days. The
company charged him with only 1OC
feet. Between the first and tenth OF
the second month he used fifty feet
This added to the fifty feet not paid
for of the previous month gave him
100 feet to pay for-same quantity as
for the first month-though he put in
his lamps the day he paid his first bill.
We have all heard of the man who
shut off for an entire month, to see If
there was any justice in the gas COM
pany; and, sure enough, the bill came
In for as large an amount as beforei