Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-08
LOWER GAS RATE
THAN PUBLIC PAYS
URGEDFORU.S. HERE
Bureau of Standards Says
DifferentiaI of 10 Cents Per
1000 Feet Would Be Fair.
REPORTS TO CONGRESS
ON EXHAUSTIVE INQUIRY
Investigators FirS Quality Of
Product Served Here Good.
Plant Operated Economically,

Plant Operated Economically.
The bureau OF standards, reporting
to Congress today on the cost of gas
in the District of Columbia, suggested
that differential of 10 cents per
cubic thousand feet of gas supplied
to the government would be fair,
At present the rdxe charged for gas
is $1.32 per thounsnd cubic feet to
the private consumer. with reductions
after the first 100000 feet have been
consumed. The federal government
and the government OF the District
OF Columbia under existing law only
pay 70 cents per thousand cubic feet.
In other words, the bureau recon.
mends that each government depart
ment be supplied with gas at 10 cents
less per thousand cubic feet than q
private concern usinS the same
amount Of gas month would pay.
me bureau estimated the cost Of
manufacturing, distribution and the
various services at $1.24 per thousand
cubic feet 1t estimated the cost OF
supplying gas to the government de-
partments and the District Of Colum.
bia at $1.15, saying that this seemed
fair final figure for the price Of
gas to the federal and District gov
ernments
Information Wanted BY Congress.
The report of the bureau asserts
that the problem laid before the bu-
reau for determination by Congress
in the sundry civil act was to de-
termine whether the cost Of serving
the average cost Of serving gas In
the District Of Columbia, and, If 20,
Eow much leSs
It contends that the public may be
$1.25 per Thousand cubic feet. and
the average price Of gas for all win
be $1.24. II the differential for the
government recommended by the bu.
reau ID adopted
The sundry civil bill called upon
standard. quality and cost of pfoduc-
ton and distribution Of gas furnished
to the government and private con-
sumers in the District OF Columbia.
the first Monday In Deeember."
The bureau construed the dtrectton
Of Congress to cover the heAftpg val
ue and purity Of gas SUPPLIED, the
suficiehcy Of operation OF The plant
various Glasses Of cons6mer. particu-
1arly In relation to the rates fxed by
Congress tor gas Furnished the gov
eminent and the rate charged private
CONSUMERS.
Quality Of Gas Closely st.aleA.
Discussing frs the quality OF gas.
the report says that the Public Util-
files Commission maintains q gas in
spection bureau for tests of meters,
quality and pressure Of gas. ana also
q test for. heating value.
s~T6A 1Sssra hac 40 oh
tests at each of the three stations"
said the report, land obtained results
which agree satisfactorily with the
result obtained by the gas inspection
bureau"
The average is very satisfactory,
the report continues. but the varia-
tions in heating value are somewhat
z xcessive, as shown by the records
by month for 1920. The presence of
hydrogen sulphide was reported every
day since the first of 1920. This 10
not desirable condition" says the
report, 'and should be remedied rs
soon az possible by increasing the
purifier capacity"
With regard to the efficiency Of
operation of the gas company. the re-
port said that two years ago the bu-
reau of standards made thorough
study Of the operation OF the Wash
ington Gas Light Company, at the re-
quest of the Public Utilities Commis-
sion. submitting its report January l.
1919.
"It was found" said the report to
Congress, "that the amount of coal
and oil consumed was as small as rea-
sonably could be expected. and that
they were being efficiently utilized.
being operated economically. Fur
thermore, the expenditures for puri-
fication, supplies and miscellaneous
work and distribution all appeared to
be normal and reasonable charges.
The only charge found to be higher
than normal was that for labor, a re-
suit of the higher rates of wages
prevailing"
Holds to Former Report.
The net result showed efficiency and
careful management on the part of
the company, said the report, and the
engineers Of the bureau had recently
visited both plants Of the Washington
Gas Company, and, after an inspection
and study of operating figures. 'the
bureau sees no reason to modify the
opinion previously expressed"
there have been increases in operating
expenses since January, 1919, due to
the increased cost of material.
The report to Congress shows that
there have been increases in operating
expenses since January, 1919, due to
the increased cost of material
The high cost Of construction of a
coal gas plant, the report says. might
make the net cost of production as
high as under the existing water gas
plant. This suggestion is made in
view of possible recommendations for
a change in the method Of making the
gas.
In estimating the cost of gas the
report takes into consideration the
cost of manufacture, Of distribution,
of meters and services and of the
customers. including the reading of
meters and the collecting Of bills. It
added these together and divided
them by the total quantity of gas
sold in order to obtain the average
cost per thousand cubic feet. The re-
port shows that 92.8 per cent Of the gas
IS sold to private consumers at $1.30 per
thousand cubic feet; az per cent to the
government at 70 and per cent at -
for street lighting.
Discussing the cost of production.
the report shows that the cost of coal
and oil has risen more than 200 Der
cent in the last four years and that
abor also is up, and other causes.
PLAN NEW SOCIALIST PARTY.
DEDN nacaphor4 7-Tha tn<e.~.