Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-12
Exceptions Taken to ReguIa-
tons Proposed by Public
Utilities Commission.
DISTRICT CORPORATIONS
FILE THEIR OBJECTIONS
Hearing Given on Suggested
Changes Relating to Heat Units
and Candlepower.

New regulations recently proposed by
the public utilities commission Of the Dis
trict of Columbia for the two gas COM
panies Of the District were discussed at
hearing before the commission today. at
which representatives Of the Washington
Gas Light Company and the Georgetown
Gas Company, experts from the bureau
Of standards and a Philadelphia gas ex-
pert presented their views.
The regulations as adopted by the public
utilities commission would provide, in
brief. for the practical abandonment of
the present candlepower requirements in
the District of Columbia and base the
standard of manufactured gas on the
British thermal unit system. Under the
proposed regulations the gas made and
sold in the District Of Columbia would
have a heat value of coo British thermal
units per cubic foot Of gas. the candle
power of the gas being reduced from the
present requirement Of twenty-five can
dlepower to sixteen candlepoWer.
Requirements as to testing meters, as
provided in the proposed regulations. are
that q variation of more than per cent
Of error shall not be permitted; that
meters shall not be used for more than
four years: that tests Of meters snail pc
patron of the gas companies, and that
the gas companies shall have all OF their
meters officially tested and sealed by the
gas inspection bureau, such bureau pc
ing provided for in the suggested regula-
uonSs
Washington Company's Objections.
John B. Hump of Philadelphia,
chairman of the committee on public re-
lations OF the American Gas Institute,
presented the objections of the Wash
ington Gas Light Company to the regula-
tons under consideration. Mr.. Klumpv
has for a number Of years co-operated
with the gas experts of the bureau or
standards in matters pertaining to regu-
Iation of gas companies and the estao-
lishment of definite standards 1or gas.
Mr.. Klumpp stated that the requirement
of no more than per cent of error in
gas meters was too stringent, as records
of a large number Of meter tests snow
that the average is between and per
cent error, the latter figure being sug-
gested as proper.
Testing Of all meters by the gas In
spection bureau was declared to be
duplication of work, as it was asserted
that inspection work done IN the meter
shops Of the companies, under the super
vision of a gas inspector, would be 1ully
as accurate. The provision in the regu-
lations limiting the length OF service
Of a meter to four years was declared
to be unreasonable. as 1t was stated
meters which had been in use as long
as seven years had been proved to pc
as accurate as those used for much
shorter period. Suggestion was made
that the length of service Of meters
should be extended to six years.
Heat Value Discussed.
Touching on the heat value Of gas
it was asserted, by witnesses that a
requirement of $40 British thermal
units per cubic foot of gas would be
more generally satisfactory than the
proposed standard Of 600 B. t. u. The
higher requirement it was stated.
would prevent the use of unenriched
coal gas and the use Of cheaper grades
of coal in making the gas.
Those present at the hearing, besides
President Reside and Mr.. Klumpp. in
cluded William B. Orme and James Nc
Ilhenny, secretary and chief engineer, re-
spectively, of the Washington Gas Light
Company; Robert Weaver, president;
Charles F. Williams, secretary, and Thorn
as F. Holden, chief engineer. of the
GEORGETOWN Gas Company, and Russell
s. Mcbride, gas expert Of the bureau of
I'd