The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-05-30
GOOD GAS REQUIRED
IN BUT FEW STATES
Department Of Commerce and
Labor Submits Report On
Legislation.
INSPECTION Is IMPORTANT
In But Seven States Is There Specific
Provision for This 49, Standard
Of tho candIepower Re-
quired Is High.

quired Is High.
Washington.-Speclal: The pres
err tendency toward state control of
the public utilities has led to the enact
fnent Of q considerable number of state
laws regulating the operation of gas
companies. The National Bureau OF
Standards, department of commerce
n labor, a attempted to make a
complete compilation of all such legis-
lation as relates to the candlepower,
heating value, purity, n pressure of
the gas and the testing of gas meters.
In a report now In press there are
given practically complete data, up to
October, 1911, regarding those states or
the particular subjects to which they
refer. These data are compiled mainly
from the laws furnished by the various
secretaries OF state in reply to the bu-
reals request for a copy of the laws
now In force which relate to the sub
Jects OF the manufacture n testing of
Illuminating gas, its distribution, anG
the testing of gas meters" but the in
formation as to the inspection practice
OF the various commissions has been
furnished in each case by the commits
sion itself.
States Lacking Gas Laws.
The following 81 states report that
they have no laws upon the subjects
discussed In the report:
Alabama Missouri.
Arizona Montana.
Arkansas. Nebraska.
Colorado. New Mexico.
Delaware. North Carolina.
Florida. North Dakota.
Idaho. Oregon.
Illinois, Pennsylvania.
Indiana. Rhode Island.
iowa. South Carolina.
z kentucky. South Dakota.
Louisiana. Tennessee.
Maine. Texas.
Michigan. Utah.
Minnesota. West Virginia.
Mississippi. Wyoming.
Under certain conditions the Michi-
gan railroad commission has authority
to inspect gas companies operations.
or the following 16 states. which have
more or less complete provisions as to
the quality OF gas and gas service and
the accuracy OF meters, the nine
marked with an asterisk have laws
making provision for state gas regula-
ton, but the commissions which are
provided for carrying on this work have
nes yet actively taken up the inspection
OF gas. E~ '
California. New Jersey,
sConneticVt. New York,
eGeorgia.N sOhio.
sKansas, "Oklahoma.
Maryland. Vermont,
Massachusetts,. virginia.
Eswaoa rWashington.
Form OF Inspection Provided.
OF the seven states actively enforcing
technical gas requirements, the form OF
inspection service provided is as fol-
lows: ..~.
ECalifornia-The state inspector Of
meters is in charge of all meter tests.
Municipal inspectors Of gas are re-
Qaired I'm all cities OF over 100000 popu-
lation, and these cities are required to
make provisions as to certain qualities
Of the gas distributed. = This latter re-
quirement at the present time affects
only Los Angeles, Oakland and San
Francisco.
rMaryland-The public service COM
mission has charge Of all gas and gas
meter inspection. All parts of the state
are subject to any regulations which
may be adopted by action OF the COM
mission: such rulings. however, may
not be a in such form as to nullify
q local or previously existing state law.
Rules are now under consideration by
the commission.
MISUNDERSTANDING state has a gas
n electric commission of three mem
bers. with considerable executive and
judicial authority and certain limited
legislative powers. However, the work
OF this commission has been mainly ju-
dicial and executive in character. They
are actively exercising their powers OF
testing and inspection.
Nevada-The public service commits
sion Of this state has recently issued
rules and instructions for gas inspec-
ton and is beginning the enforcement
OF these regulations. g
New ~Jersey--A public utilities CON-
mission was established In 1910 with
full power OF fixing the character of
service and quality of gas which shah
be considered safe and Adequate Al
set OF rules has been issued recently, to
be In force after November is, 1911.
New York-The two commissions of
this state are making active inspections
OF. meters, and the second district COM
mission also tests the quality OF gas