The Washington times., 1907-12-15
These Outrageous Gas Bills The Inspection
System.

Did you get your gas meter inspected and tested
under the regulations and laws prescribed in the District
of Coumbia2 If not it would be nstructing experience
You file request for inspection with the Inspector of
Gas and Meters You explain that your meter works day
and night; works when every light is turned off; mees
fuller when your house is closed during vacation
than when you at home You indicate dsaection and
intimate impression that the Gas Monopoly is robbing
you. And you pay 80 cents Then what?
The inspector notifies the Gas Monopoly disconnect
that meter and bring it to his Office for examination
The Gas Monopoly sends for the suspected meter and
takes to the Gas Monopoys Office 1t investigate the
contrapton if it likes; it fix the gears any way it
chooses; it cool off the bearings or tighten up the
joints or do anything else
When the Gas Monopoly has had plenty of time to FIX
up the meter the little machine is turned to the
spector! Not sooner
Is it any wonder that by the time he gets hold of it.
the inspector is just apt to find the meter fasti
Do You, reader, gas consumer who has had expert
ence with this Gas Monopoly think inspection of that kind
is better than farcel Do you honestly think the Gas Mo-
nopoy is worthy to be trusted? Do you think is above
running FAST meter in your house. and then when you
complain, slowing it down before Juggling it around to be
tested?
Why should concern which would be guilty of grand
larceny hesitate at petit larceny And what less than
grand larceny is the proposition to add million dollars
to the capitalization of the Gas Monopoly
But this isn't all the cheerful story of how you get film
TANNED when you pay 80 cents have your meter tested
You would think that the inspector might himself come
and take the meter away from your house, guarantee
that it wouldn't be manipulated Instead the gas company
takes it away and has possession of it for indefinite
period before the inspector gets it. But that is only be-
ginning After the Gas Monopoy's employees have had
chance to fix the thing up and then the inspector has sat
it and judicaly decided that it is all rght-what thenl
Do you get this tested and accredited meter put back
in your house? After having paid so cents for the fun
having the Gas Monopoly fix up and the inspector GER
ty to its good characterize you then get the certified
meter put into your basement7
No, indeed You get any old meter the Gas Monopoly
chooses to give you You don't get the for whose test
you paid.
How do you like that sort of an inspection system?
If you were buying sugar from grocer and discover
ed him selling eleven to the pound would you ex
pect to catch him in the crime by sending him word to
bring those scales around to Inspector for testq Do
you think he would be innocent enough to bring them
without first readjustng the balanced
But if that grocer had public franchise and was the
only grocer in town. if it of starving or buying
his grOcereshen he would be permitted work that
way Of course he would The Gas Monopoly is allowed
to do it that way; why not the hypothetical grocery
monopoly7