The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-10
ADVERTISEMENT
JUST HOW FAST Do
GAS METERS RUN ?
DO THEY ACTUALLY SPIN FAST
Err WHEN THE PRESSURE
Is LOW?
A Topeka Business Man Does a Sher-
lock Holmes Stunt and Finds
Chrnf

Tell me something new" said a Cap
ttal reporter to local business man yes
terday while earning his daily bread by
the usual process of digging up news.
We'll inasmuch as the weather is an all
important subject of conversation just
now I might tell you rather novel ex-
pertinent 1 conducted yesterday" was
the reply Let's have it" said the re-
well I had heard a number of people
remark that their gas meters worked
overtime when the pressure was low. in
fact they were supposed to go at a mile
a minute clip whenever there was a gas
shortage. I didn't want to pay for some
thing / wasn't getting SO l thought Id
find out If this condition was an actual
fact. After studying awhile, I worked
out this plan 1 got up early yesterday
morning while the gas pressure was still
good before Notwithstanding time, light
ed one burner in my gas heating stove
and two in my gas range turned them
on full force, then took out my watch
and stood by my gas meter until the little
hand on the upper dial had made one
complete revolution I made note of
the time required for this
Then along about noon when the pres
sure was way down, repeated the per
ormance-lighted the same three burn
ers, one IN my heating stove and two in
ny range, opened them wide and again
did sentinel duty by the meter, watch in
hand while the hand on the upper dial
made one circumference of the circle
Il was much surprised to note that 1t
took just about three times as long for
the meter hand to traverse the same dis
lance in the second instance when the
gas was low as when it was merely nor
no" he smiled. It may yell pretty
loudly because I'm not getting enough
gas at times, but hereafter I'll not think
that the gas people are charging me more
or that my gas meter is doing a hun
dred yard dash when the pressure is
low, than when it Is normal And I'm
sure that IL others tried this simple ex-
pertinent they'd have the same result
that I did"
After getting the above story the re-
porter called on Manager Treleaven Of
the local gas company and asked him if
he considered the result of this mans ex-
pertinent unusual He replied that 1t was
the only possible result which could have
Asked why, in his opinion, there seemed
to be such a general belief to the con-
frary he stated that it was due to
lack of information on the part Of those
holding an opposite view.
There has been a great deal said in
times Of low gas pressure, said Mr.
yTrelevan, about the meters registering
IS fast. or even faster some would
under normal conditions This belief,
Shfnk is merely the result of a failure
on the part of those holding this belief
10 properly inform themselves as to the
actual facts. After twenty-five years
scent in the gas business / still have
every confidence in the fairness Of a
great majority Of the people-and 1t has
been my experience that where they take
4 wrong position 1t is due to lack of in
formation rather than any intention TO
be unfair, even though the subject OF con-
troversy be a gas meter
ssAnd I might add that If every GUS
toner of ours in Topeka would go to his
gas meter tomorrow when the pressure
Il low and make a note OF the time re-
CURED for the small hand at the top of
fhe dial to make a complete revolution
with a certain number OF burners wide
oDen, noting down the result, and then
II some later time when the pressure
was normal, repeat the operation. being
careful that the same burners be used
ana that they be wide open, am sure
that 1t would be hard TO find anyone
who would still hold to the old belief.
sIt would be worth great deal to our
company not in dollars and cents but
ia good will, If all of our customers
would do this-and I sincerely hope that
everyone who might have any intention
Of raising this question will avail them
selves of the opportunity now at hand
to find cut just what a meter wiz do
under these conditions Topeka Daily
capital, Sunday. January 2. 1912