The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-08
CITY WILL TEST
GAS AND ELECTRIC
METERS FOR CONSUMERS
ALDERMAN GARFUNKEL INTRO
DUCED METER ORDINANCE.

Upon the Payment of a Fee of One
Dollar Any Consumer May Have
His Meter Tested-If the Meter Is
Is Wrong the Money Is Returned,
and the Company Owning the Me-
ter Is Made to Pay.
An ordinance, providing for the in
spection, testing, proving and regula-
tion of gas and electric meters in the
city of Savannah, prescribing proper
punishment for infractions of this ordi-
nance, creating the office of inspector
of meters in this city, defining and fix
ing his duties and for other purposes
connected herewith
Such is the caption of an ordinance
introduced in Council by Alderman A
j. Garkunkel, and read for the first
time last night. There is to be only
one more regular meeting of Council
this year, so the ordinance will be
put upon its passage just in time to
become operative at the beginning of
the new year.
1t was announced in the Morning
News some time ago that the ordi-
nance would be introduced at last
nights session of Council. All the
provisions of the ordinance had not
then been fully determined and they
are now made public for the first time
Inspector of Meters.
The first section of the ordinance
n
in the city in use at the time the ordi-
nance is passed, or which may there
after be used, shall be subject to test
ing and regulation, to the end that
quantity of gas or electricity used
may be accurately registered.
Sections 2 and provide for the Gre
alton of the office of inspector of met
ers. The inspector is to be appointed
by the Water Committee. subject to
the approval of the Mayor, and may
be removed at any time by the COM
mittee. The salary of the Office is to
be fixed by the Water Committee.
The inspector is to have an office in
the water department and will be I'M
der the superintendent of that depart
ment. The superintendent may as
sign him other duties in addition to
the inspection and testing of meters.
How 1t VIII Work.
Any consumer desiring to have his
meter tested must present a written
request to that effect to the city treas
urer, and must pay a fee of ST. The
treasurer will turn the request over to
the inspector who will test the meter
in the presence of the consumer, if
the consumer so desires. and also in
the presence of representative of the
gas or electric company. as the case
may be, if the company so desires.
If the meter is found to be correct
it will be so marked by the inspector
and the fee that has been paid by the
consumer to the city will be retained
If, however, the meter is found to be
incorrect the 81 paid by the consumer
will be returned to him, the inspector
giving him an order on the city treas
urer, and the company owning the
meter will be made to pay the city the
fee within five days.
Right to Condemn.
If meter can be regulated this may
be done, but if it is found to be so worn
as to make this impossible the in
spector is given the right to condemn
it. A condemned meter must be re-
placed by a new one by the company
and the new meter, before being put
in, must be inspected and stamped as
correct by the meter inspector. For ex-
aiming these new meters the city
will charge the companies fee of 25
cents each.
Section makes it unlawful for
either a gas or electric company to.
charge for more gas or electricity than
is registered by the meter. Section 6
provides that any official of a gas or
electric company failing to comply
with the ordinance may, upon convic-
tion be fined not more than $50, or
imprisoned not more than thirty days,
either or both in the discretion of the
officer presiding in Police Court.