Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-08-12
COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCE DE
cISION ON GAS AND ELEc-
TRICAL STANDARDS.
METERS MUST BE CHECKED
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CAN TEST SERVICE.
Madison, aug. )


enacted at the session of 1907, the
railroad commission mas rendered its
first decision to establish standards
and rules for gas and electric service
IN Wisconsin. A set Of rules are an
nounced in the form of a decision,
they apply to all the companies i'll
the state, public or otherwise, and
three months is allowed in which the
companies must adjust themselves
to these new rules. The standard OF
OF gas is fixed at 600 British thermal
units and the minimum requirement is
$50 British thermal units Gas meters
must be checked for accuracy at least
once in three years. There must not
be allowed in the gas more than a
trace of sulphur. Consumers are given
an avenue through which to test the
quality of service, being given the
privilege of having samples of the
gas examined by the experts of the
commission on payment of a fee
for So. Electric meters must be testeG
annually, and the companies are ad-
monished to reduce to the minimum
fluctuations of voltage which are found
to be a great cause of trouble anG
complaint.
The commission lays down Is rules
and discusses the points which sug-
gest such rules. These rules are de-
clared to be subject to modification
and change if they impose too greaL
hardship upon any company The
rules are as follows:
Rules Are Announced.
Rule 1. A meter may be con-
sidered as correct if, when passing gas
at the rate of six cubic feet per hour
per light capacity, it shows, in
comparison with a standard gas
proven, an error which is not greater
than two per cent.
Rule 2. No gas company shall al
low a gas meter to remain in service
for a period longer than three years
without checking it for accuracy and
readjusting it if found to be inaccur-
ate.
Rule 3. Each company snail keep
a record of tests made on meters be-
fore installation and upon receiving
them from the services.
Rule 4. Each gas company shall
provide itself with equipment neces-
sary for testing meters, such equip
ment to consist of a standard meter
proven with suitable accessories.
Rule 5. Each gas company shall
make a test of the accuracy of a
meter upon request of a consumer,
provided such consumer does not
make a request for test more fire.
quently than once in six months. A
report giving the results of such
tests shall be made TO the consumer,
and a complete record of such tests
shall be kept on file in the Office Of
the company.
Rule 6. Upon formal application OF
any consumer to the railroad com
mission a test shall be made upol
the consumers meter by an inspector
employed by the railroad commits
sion, such test to be made as soon as
practicable after receipt of the ap-
pIication. For such test a fee of two
dollars $4,000 shall be paid by the
consumer making application for the
test if the meter is found to be slow
or correct within the allowable limits,
and by the company owning the
meter if the meter is found to be fast
beyond the allowable limit
Rule Z. Meter dials shall be read
directly in cubic feet of gas and bills
rendered periodically by the company
shall designate the readings o.
the meter at the beginning and end
of the time for which the bill is rem
dered, and give the dates at which
the readings were taken.
Rule 8. The company furnishing
gas, which, within a one mile radius
from the distribution center, gives a
monthly average total heating value
of not less than 600 B. T. u, may be
considered as giving adequate service
as far as the heating value Of the gas
is concerned.
Rule g. Each gas company, whose
output exceeds twenty million cubic
feet year, shall equip itself with a
standard calorimeter outfit, with
which periodic tests upon the gas shall
be made. A record of these tests
shall be made and kept open for pub
lie inspection.
Rule 10. Gas pressure, as meas
ured at meter inlets, shall never be
less than 1 IL inches nor more than
6 inches of water pressure; and the
daily variation Of pressure at the in
let of any one meter on the system
shall never be greater than 100 per
cent Of the minimum pressure.
Rule II. Each company shall make
measurements of the press
lre variations, and these shall be kept
On record and open for public in
spection.
Rule -. In no case shall the gas