The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-04-10

Job. If it > not for the day2
Mr. HZBphreys-It depends upon the
services. sir. which, j doTrt know in ad-
vince NJ bill is made OsIt after ] get
through, and in iris case II viii be the
same.
Mr- GARLAND you don't-esre to state
Mr. umphreys-Certsinlv not: that is
my private business I do not know yet
what I am going 10 charge this COM
pany Tor my services. and viii not know
Il until I get through
Mr. Cary-SuppOsinE yOEI were called
20 Philadelphia tomorrow 10 appear be
fore an investigating committee there, L
presume YOU would take along with YOU
about the papers that you have here
Mr. Humphreys-No. sir: I would take
along very different papers I would
take my Philadelphia papers / have a
great many more papers IN connection
with them than 7 have in this case.
M Cary-Wouid you tell the commit
tee what The percentage Of condensation
between cold and warm climates is2
Ar Humphreys-No sir ] could not
tell that. because no man living can an
swer the question as YOU state it,
Mr. Sary-There Is quite a difference,
isn't theTe7
Shows ? Difference
Ar Humphreys-Yes there is quite a
difference II viii depend upon the tenn
persJure between the cold and the warm
climates. and II would also depend upon
the temperature OF the gas as registered
at the station meter, and the avers &c
temperature OF the gas as registered At
the consumers meter. II 3 an extremely
difficult thing TO average. and it is al
ways a source Of loss 20 the company
The company has 10 stand that loss
and not the consume
Mr.. Cary-There would be more con
denSaJton in your city. Buffalo. or in nv
city Milwaukee. as compared Fith
Washington Buffalo and Milwaukee be
ing colder climates
Mr. HumphreyS-Ye sir
Ar Cary-YOu state that the bills have
not increased since the reduCIiOu in the
price of gas in Washington
Mr. Humphreys did not so state
Nr. Cary-WeH, what did you state2
You stated that there was a reduction IN
price. and did you say that the bills are
less2
NJ Humphrey was probably speak
ing about an entirely different matter
from what YOU have in mind I was
talking OF the average sales per meter.
and I showed that for the years 1907 and
1909 the sales per meter In dollars and
cents we're very nearly alike I gave
that comparison which think YOU pros
ably have in mind,
Mr.. Cary-What ] want 20 get at Is
this. A great many o. the people come
20 me. and th5y say that their gas bills
are higher now than when the price was
BIS
Mr. Humphreys have no doubt that
some Of them say So
Mr. GARLAND they also state that
they have not used 4 particle more gas;
not burning any more Jets ] want 10
ask YOU this question Is II possible 10
make a watch run faster or a clock run
faSter2
ATr HumphreyS-C-e rta inly- YES, sir.
Mr. Cary-The same mechanism is IN
the meters as you would find in clock,
IS Il uot2
Different Proposition.
M Humuhreys-No. sir: that IS an
entirely different proposition
M Csry-YOU can make IT. run faster
can goa nOt2
Mr. Humphreys-To can deliberately.
bur I never knew Of 2 company that
thought Of doing So The meters here
are all tested and sealed by g govern
Nj. Cary-You can put on pressure
and force the meter 20 90 faster2
Mt. Humphreys-T increase IN pres
sure beyond an adequate pressure
the registry. but would lead 10 less
economical results in the burning L
Is TO the cOmpany-s interest 10 keep
the pressure at such point as will
give the consumer the best results IN
burning Beyond that point Il IS uu-
economical to the company. as Il in
Creases the leakage 7 don't believe
that there is any question much more
misunderstood than this question OF
the effect OF pressure on the meters
registration. and also this other oUes-
ton that you speak about. the inCreas-
eu consumption due 10 what they think
Is the company trying 10 compensate
themselves for the reduction In price
by making them burn more gas
nave Investigated great many cases
personally aI3T I have been known I'm
lile Eas business for % years as a man
who has been determined that the con
sumner shah have the benefit OF al the
service that ne pays for and have
disciplined many a man FOR not at
tending to the complaints properly As
7 say have Investigated many cases
and as I state z II the price Is reduced
It is the natU al impulse OF the con-
sumer 10 burn more OF the gas He
does not do so deliberately, but there
Is a let-up on the pressure Of himself
and his wife TO keep down the bill.
consumption.
Gives Extreme Case
Now. as 10 complaints: I have already
spoken OF two or three that did not
stand analysis. but II the committee viii
bear with me. let me give an extreme
case. I viii allow. but as good an ex-
ample as probably can be found Let
me say that I have paid special atten-
lion TO this business Tor nearly forty
years, and IN my first company. for ten
q
place and q small COMPANY but I at
tended 10 every branch Of the business. I
and ] stayed there quite & long time
because for four years Of that time I
was staying for my degrees at the Stew
ems institute During that time 7 came
in contact with nearly every consumer
7 managed each department. myself. l
Now let me give YOU one case which
came along later. when 7 was president
OF the Syracuse Gas COMPANY I visited
there one morning. and was met by the
superintendent. who said to me that he
hsd case that he did not want TO settle
himself. and that If I felt like IL ne
would like to have me undertake 1T A
man was walking u and down his Of
ice. using language that I would not /
to repeat before this august
body, and when asked him what hts
complaint was he said, with many inter
1eCtions Of remarks that 7 cannot repeat. |
that his bills were just double what they
were last year I ask ed him TO show me /
the bills He only had few with him.
SO asked MIN If ne would not wait for
q little while. read a newspaper or some
thing, until 7 had q. statement prepared. !
giving the twelve bills for each year side /
by side The statement. when DreDared /
showed that the bills for the two periods
Of which he had compla ined were month
by month almost exactly the same He /
looked at the statement. walked I'D and
7orvTf the ~0nrn and