Evening journal., 1903-02-26
SOME INTERESTING
FACTS GIVEN ABOUT CAS-
Z. J. Curley, of Local Com
pany, Writes on Impor-
tant Matter

p. J. Curley, superintendent of the
wilmington Gas and Electric Conn
pany, writes the following letter to
the editor the Mornings News:
Sir: j do not wish, nor shall | ALLOW
myself, ever, to he drawn into anv com
troversy. but deem it proper and most
fitting to make a few remarks in. renlv
TO the misleading statements that have
both appeared in our newspapers and
on the street.
The meters used in wilmington are
Identical with those used in every
city i'm the world, where gas is con-
sumed.
No meter in existence will register
unless gas passes through it. Let the
consumers read their meters daily or
weekly, in the meantime bearing in
mind-or better still-make notes of
how they are using gas-and they will
md mo cause for complaint when their
bill is received.
/ Very few people have had their
meters take nOut on account of so-call-
ed excessive bills and recOursed to
OIL, for a little ciphering will prove to
them that gas is the cheaper. even at
Sl25 per thousand cubic feet. than oil.
In regard to what "a well-known gas
man from another city" said. l wish
| TO. impress upon you that this is about
as untruthful statement as ever an
peared in local print No gas man
ana by gas man | mean one who has a
thoroughly practical knowledge of the
business-from any city in the country.
could truthfully make a statement that
the quality Of our gas is the laughing
stock of other cities. For the follow
ing reasons:
The same apparatus that manufac-
tured the good. clear light under the
old company is still making the same
good, clear light for the new company.
and will continue to do So The gas
made and delivered to the people of
Wilmington all comes from one main
distributing holder is of a uniform
quality, and its candle power and
calorific value will compare most ia
vorably with-and exceed a great por-
tion of-the gas sent out from any
other plant in the United States.
The methods employed for testing
meters, and for ascertaining the COM
mercial and heat unit value Of our gas
are precisely the same as used in the
largest plants in the country. and the
men in charge of these things are ca
pable men. and who occupy their pres
ent responsible positions through
lstudy and merit.
All our gas-making apparatus is
modern and up to date, thus enabling
us to send out. as we have always
done good, clean gas. Eminent gas
engineers from different parts OF the
/ country have visited our plant, in fact
on many occasions, and were immense
ly pleased with our manufacturing
! plant
= The anthracite coal strike started
May Is, and work was resumed October
p 2S The purchase of coal to cook. heat
p and iron by, was out of the question
p Gas, compared to the price then asked
for coal, was. fg far, the cheaper. That
it was so used is attested to by the fact
: of our having to make 30,00O,000 cubic
. feet more Of gas to supply this demand
Now, one with any reason whatever
knows that these extra cubic feet oi
gas were not inhaled, and if the peopl,
would only stop to think of the fac
that they had no coal and did resort L
gas. there wiuld be few, if any, com
plants. have personal knowledge
; that some of the so-called kickers die
use plenty OF gas and are using con
: siderable now.
"The old trick of gas companies fOi
running up the meters during the day
, reported as coming from another out
/ of-town gas man." is another concoc
tiOn, and certainly must have emanatet
from the brain of some igncramus. II
the first place no engines are used t.
force the gas through the city. an,
there were never any usd. The onl,
pressure given the gas comes from tn
holder itself. and the full pressure o
l. this holder-egual to a column o
h water As inches high, or 2.65 ounce
n per square inch-is cut down to /.
z inches by the aid Of a governor. iron
rl z a. m. to p. M and % inches from
j. 8 p. m. to 10 p. m, or LOG and L.
l. ounces respectively.
ISL This proves conclusively that tn
r. meters are not bombarded iby pressure
r Once the gas has passed through tn
IS meters and been registrd. It is who'll.
n impossible for it to return to the main
e again. "a little thought will convinc
" one of the absurdity of the gas return
d ing to the mains. Might just as wei
v say that the water is being registere
,e by the water meter, and then goin
Al back to the water mains.
Ia The number Of gas stoves sold fc
"A heating and cooking last year exceede
= lany previous year. These stoves wer
n -