Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-09-19
FIX RULES FOR
SALE OF GAS
Utility Commission
Makes Announcement at
Hearing in Trenton Today.
MANY ARE PRESENT
Practically All Gas Companies
in State Have Representa-
tives on Hand.
Special to the EVENING NEWS.

Special to the EVENING NEWS.
Trenton, Sept. 19.-There was held
today before the state Public Utility
Commission a conference of represen-
tatives of gas companies of the state
on the question of the adoption by
the commission of new regulations
for the production of gas. Represen-
tatives were present from nearly all
the gas companies in the state.
Inspector Philander Belts opened
the discussion by stating hal the
proposed new rules were based on
the Wisconsin standards for gas. He
then spoke in support of the rules.
The Proposed Rules.
The proposed rules drafted by the
Public Utility Commission to regulate
the service supplied by all the gas
companies of the state are as follows:
Rule 1. A meter may be consid-
cred correct If, when passing gas at
the rate of six cubic feet per hour,
per light capacity, it shows, in COM
p~arison 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 ser
vice for a period longer than four
years without checking it for accur-
acy and ~readjusting 1t If found to
be inaccurate.
Rule 3. Each company shall keep
a record of tegts made on meters be-
fore installation and upon receiving
them from the services. The original
of such record shall be kept in the
meter shop, and available for exam
nation at any time by the inspectors
of the Board. A report shall be made
up from such record book and sent
to the Office of the Board at stated
periods. Each company having over
500 meters shall report monthly;
each company having less than 500
meters shall report quarterly. Blank
forms will be furnished by the Board
on which reports are to be made.
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.
Each proven will be inspected by the
Board and furnished with an inspec-
ton tag or plate. After January LIST,
bbfRddf2e r t sRa1. m nat ~ with d51- an qneertifed
tive. Provers are to be shipped to
Stevens Institute, Hoboken, N. j.,
for c~ertihcation, and as the entire
work will cover a period of three
months, ZACH company will be noti-
fed of the proper time to ship each
proven, in order that they may be
returned without delay.
Rule 5. Each gas company shall,
without charge, 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 frequently 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
by any consumer to the Board of
Public Utility Commissioners, a test
shall be made upon the consumers
meter by an inspector employed by
the Board, such test to be made as
soon as practicable after receipt of
the application. For such test a fee
of one dollar G1.00) shall be paid
by the consumer making application
for the tests if the meter is found to
be slow or correct within the allow
able limits, and by the company own
ing the meter If the meter is found
to be fast beyond the allowable limit.
Each meter to be SO tested Is to be
removed and sen by the company
owning the same.to Stevens Institute,
Hoboken N. j., for test.
Rule 7. Meter dials shall read
directly in cubic feet of gas, and bills
rendered periodically by the COM
pany shall designate the readings of
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; bills shall
also show the gross amount charged
and the net amount after deducting
any rebate, II any, allowed for
prompt payment. Where prepayment
meters are in use, the meter reader,
at the time of reading same, shall
leave with the customer a slip show
ing the reading as well as the amount
of money which has been collected
from the meter.
Rule s. No company shall make
any charge for changing a meter
found defective or where test is to
be made; and nc charge shall be
made for changing a meter of one
type for a meter of another type I'M
less the first meter referred to has
been In use less than one year, in
which cas- a charge may be made to
cover the actual expense of making
the change.
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 500 BTU, with a
minimum which shall never fall be-
low $50 BTU, may be considered as
giving adequate service as Tar as the
heating value of the gas is concerned.
Rule 10. Each gas company whose
output exceeds twenty million cubic
feet a year shall equip itself with a
standard calori-meter 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 II. Gas pressure, as meas
ured at meter inlets, shall W. be
less than two CD inches nor more
than six 60 inches of water pres
sure; and the daily variation of pres
sure at the inlet of any one meter
on the system shall never be greater
than n hundred per cent. of the
minimum pressure.
Rule IL. Each company shall
make frequent measurements of the
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