Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01
FINES THREATENED
TO ENFORCE RULES
Public Utilities Commission
Warns Gas Company in
Regulating Pressure.
fcontinued PROM First page.l

CONTINUED From First Page.)
eace of abnormal gas pressure. con-
cluded his services at the commission
yesterday. and tomorrow becomes an
assistant to George A. @. Wood, presi-
dent of the washington Gas Light Co
Gen. Patrick, in his comprehensive
analysis of the complaints over abnor-
NAL gas bills, declared that in num-
Der Of cases there Is little doubt that
q contributing cause may be higher
pressures in the mains" Persons &C
customed to using gas at lower pressure
he said, may have wasted gas, but the
exercise of care in cooking will result
in lesser meter readings and smaller
bills.
In cases where the appliances are
automatically operated, he pointed out
the apparatus should be regulated tc
conform to the higher pressure read
inRs. This is not dificult," he said
"but in his own interest, each consume
should see that the proper changes are
made"
Gen. Patrick's Statement,
Gen. Patrick's statement follows:
Recently the commission has had
many complaints from consumers oil
gas as to the bills rendered them by
the two supplying companies.
Generally speaking, most of the
complaints fall into two categories:
I'D House heating, where consumers
were induced to use gas by reason OF
an estimate of the total cost for the
heating season made to them by rep
ressrtativeS of the companies. The
amounts Of the monthly bills rendered
have alarmed some users who fear that
the said estimates will be exceeded
Others claim that they understood the
total charge would be based upon the
amount of gas at sixty cents (60c) per
one thousand 10000 cubic feet. while
the average cost of this gas, the demand
charg. included, is over seventy cents
(70c) per one thousand Q,o00) cubic
feet.
IAN that this Commission did or
could do was to fix the house heating
rates, which do include a demand
charge, originally suggested by the COM
pany, and commodity charge, so much
per one thousand 1,000) cubic fest OF
gas consumed The commission under
stands that each gas house heating
customer was given guarantee that
II the company's estimate was exceeded
and the user so required, the apparatus
would be removed, the amount paid for
It refunded, and the users hating in
stallation restored to the condition
which existed before the said apparatus
was installed.
Had No Control in Matter.
''This is a business arrangement be-
tween the companies and their Gus
toners. This commission exercised, and
could exercise. no control over it. The
customers apparently accepted the ar
rangement and 1t is assumed that the
companies in good faith. will carry
out their part of the agreement
az A very considerable number of
complaints are directed to the amounts
of bills rendered for what may be called
ordinary domestic use, that is. cooking
and water heating. A number Of these
came to the commission after the bills
rendered in the latter part of January
had been received by the compliments.
Apparently, the meter readers in De-
cember fastened and finished their
work prior to the Christmas holidays.
The result was that many of these
January bills covered an unusual period
Of about IS days, where bills normally
were for not exceeding 80, and in the
case Of December, % days. Many con-
sumerg failed to note that this was at
least partially responsible for the
amounts Of the bills they received. In
some Of these cases, when due allowance
was made for this longer period, the
bills were fairly comparable with those
rendered in January OF 1880, or De-
cember, 1880.
SIN q number of cases, however, it
q complained that there has been an
abnormal increase in the amounts of
gas nietered and, consequently, larger
bills rendered.
Pressure Partially Blamed.
'"The commission has been diligently
seeking the causes which may be re-
sponsihle for these conditions There
Is little doubt that q contributing cause
may be higher pressures in the mains.
Owing to the increased use of gas, espe-
cialIy for house heating, in order to
supply the demand. the companies found
IL necessary to increase this pressure.
The transmission mains have been in
place, in some localities for many years.
The growtlF-of the city, the greatly in
creased use of gas were not foreseen
and these mains, while large enough
when laid. do not have the capacity to
meet the present conditions satisfactor-
ny.
attention of the companies, and IL Is
understood that steps are being taken
TO cure the deficiencies in question.
The commission means to insist that
this work be prosecuted with the ut
most possible expedition. Meanwhile
the commission has authorized tenn
porary increased pressure which. how
ever, must not exceed eight (8") inches,
and which, II proper care is exercised.
should result in little or no increased
consumption of gas, provided the con-
sumer's appliances are readjusted for
the new conditions.
prior TO now, the users Of gas have
had IT delivered to them. under pres
sures Of approximately six inches (6")
maximum and two inches (2") mini
mum. Their bills were based upon
meter readings at these pressures.
Will Hasten Heating.
at is a fact that with the same yalve
opening higher pressure will deliver
through a given oriflce or through the
gas burner a larger amount Of gas in
Q given time. 1t is also a fact. how
ever, that this increased flow of gas
makes available a larger number Of
heat units than would be delivered In
the same time by the gas at lower
pressure. But on the other hand, ex-
perfInents have shown that as the total
b T. U. cheat units) delivered during q
| Standard