Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-11
EXPERT TESTIMONY ON GAS PROBLEMS
President Humphreys of Stevens Institute Makes
- a Statement Before Congress
siona1 Committee


Mr.. Cary-There is quite a difference,
| isn't there?
| Mr.. Humphreys-Yes. there is quite a
difference. 1t will depend upon the tenn
| perature between the cold and the warm
| climates, and 1t would also depend upon
| the temperature OF the gas as registered
at the station meter. and the average
| temperature of the gas as registered at
| the consumers meter. II is an extremely
difficult thing to average and it is always
a source of loss TO the company. The
company has to stand that loss. and not
! the consumer.
| Mr. Cary-There would he more con-
| denSat1on in your city, Buffalo, or in my
! city. Milwaukee. as compared with Wash
ington, Buffalo and Milwaukee being
colder climates?
Mr.. Humphreys-Yes, sir.
| Mr.. Cary-You state that the bills have
not increased since the reduction in the
| price of gas in Washington?
| Mr.. Humphreys-I did not so state.
| Mr.. Cary-Well, what did you state?
! You stated that there was reduction
| in price. and did you say that the bills
| are less?
Mr.. Humphreys-I was probably speak
| ing about an entirely different matter
| from what you have in mind. 1 was talk
| ing of the average sales per meter. and /
showed that for the years 1907 and 1903
the sales per meter in dollars and cents,
We're very nearly alike. l gave that COM
parison which l think you probably have
| in mind.
Mr.. Cary-What 1 want to get at is
this. A great many of the people come
to me, and they say that their gas bills
are higher now than when the price was
| $1.2J.
Mr.. Humphreys-I have no doubt that
some of them say so.
Mr.. Cary-And they also state that they
have not used particle more gas; not
burning any more jets. | want to ask
You this question: Is it possible to make
tnh or oln m
faster?
MIR. MISUNDERSTANDING: yes sir.
Mr.. Cary-The same mechanism is in
the meters as you would find in a clock,
is il not?
Mr.. Humphreys-No. sir: that is an en-
tirey different proposition.
Mr. Cary-You can make it run faster,
can you not?
Mr.. Humphreys-You can deliberately.
but l never knew of a company that
thought of doing so. The meters here
are all tested and sealed by govern
ment inspector.
Mr.. Cary-You can put on pressure
and nj. force the meter to 60 faster?
sure beyond an adequate pressure would
hardly make any difference in the regis
try, but would lead to less economical
results in the burning. 1t is to the
company's interest to keep the pressure
at such point as will give the consumer
the best results in burning. Beyond that
point 1t is uneconomical to the company,
as it increases the leakage. / don't be-
more misunderstood than this question OF
the effect Of pressure on the meters reg
istration, and also this other question
that you speak about. the increased con-
sumption. due to what they think is the
company trying to compensate themselves
for the reduction in price by making
them burn more gas. l have investigated
great many cases personally. and !
have been known in the gas business for
thirty years as a man who has been de-
rermined that the consumer shall have
the benefit of all the service that he
pays for: and / have disciplined many
q man for not attending to the COM
plants properly. AS 1 say. I have in
If the price is reduced it is the natural
impulse OF the consumer Ito burn more:
of the gas. He does not do so deliber-
ately, but there is a let-up on the pres
sure Of himself and his wife to keep down
the bill. which undoubtedly leads to ;
greater consumption.
I Now as to complaints: have al
reay spoken Of two or three that did
not stand analysis. but if the committee
will bear with me let me give an ex-
| IRENE case. 1 will allow. but as good an
example as probably can be found. Let
me say that. 1 have paid special atten-
| ton to this business for nearly forty
years, and in my first company for ten
years, did everything. 1t was small
place and small company, but 1 at
tended to every branch of. the business.
and l stayed there quite a long time be-
cause for four years of that time I was
staying for my degrees at the Stevens
| Institute. During that time 1 came in
contact with nearly every consumer: !
managed each department myself. Now.
let me give you one case which came
| along later, when l was president of
the Syracuse Gas Company. / visited
there one morning and was met by the
superintendent, who said to me that he
had case that he did not want to settle
himself. and that If / felt like it he
would like to have me undertake it. A
man was walking up and down his office,
| using language that l would not attempt
to repeat before this august body, and
when I asked him what his complaint
was, he said. with many Intersections OF
remarks that cannot repeat, that his
bills were Just double what they were
last year. T. asked him to show me the
bills. He only had a few with him, SO l
asked him If he would not wait for
little while. read newspaper or some
thing. until I had statement prepared,
giving the twelve bills for each year
side by side. The statement when pre-
pared, showed that the bills for the two
periods of which he had complained we're
! month by month almost exactly the same.
He looked at the statement. walked up
and down the ROOM and, after taking
time to recover. he said: you cannot
make me DeneNc tHc consumption
could be so nearly alike in the two years
| unless the statements were faxed He
| first complained because his bills were
doubled, and when it was proved to him
| that they were almost the same month
| by month he changed his complaint to
| suit the exactly opposite conditions.
| Now. ] do not say that the people, as
| a rule, are trying to make these COM
plants with view Of practicing an In
! justice upon the companies. but they are
made, l believe, without due considera-
, ton. Many of us are inclined to COM
plain hastily and without due considera-
ton. Taking Buffalo, for instance. got
a letter not a great while ago from a
minister o. the gospel who In so many
words stated that we were all cutthroats
and thieves because of our gas charges
| ! Investigated the complaint and proved
that his complaint was not justified. 1t
4 is the habit Of many gas consumers to
complain of the gas company when they
| would complain of nothing else. So say
THAT ii is not fair to takesthese statements
| without investigation. Now. as to put
will try to show you what will happen.
| IL you will permit me for just moment
| II ] have gas at atmospheric pressure
and l put on. say, 14.7 pounds more pres
sure: in other words. If double the pres
sure then I have put just twice as much
gas In the same volume. Now, what hap
| pens? You get a larger amount of gas In
the meter for every additional fraction
that YOU put on the pressure more than Is
| required YOU are increasing the amount
! OF gas compressed into a meter, and you
are delivering the consumer that much
more gas than he is paying for at at