GAS AND GAS METERS. 179 



GAS AND GAS METEES. 



By HI/BEKT S. WYNKooP, M. E. 



WHAT is the matter with our illuminating gas? Why is its qual- 

 ity so poor? Why is it that our bills are creeping up, in spite 

 of the fact that the rate per thousand cubic feet is going down? These 

 are questions that periodically recur to the mind of every householder. 



Just why the public has not been educated into a correct under- 

 standing of the gas situation is hard to say, unless it be that an inbred 

 prejudice against believing the word of any corporation has led to an 

 utter repudiation of such explanatory statements as may emanate from 

 time to time from the gas office. And it must be admitted that many 

 of the explanations are misleading, either through the intention of the 

 superior officials or by reason of the ignorance of their subordinates. 



Hardly has the chill of shortening days driven us indoors in the 

 early twilight before complaints of poor gas become epidemic. Now, 

 what is 'poor' gas? Is the gas deficient in light-giving constituents, 

 or is it merely burned in such a manner as not to afford a satisfactory 

 illumination? 



The charter of Greater New York requires that the illuminating 

 gas supplied throughout the city shall be of at least twenty candle 

 power, or illuminating quality, or richness — that is to say, if we burn 

 this gas in a standard burner at the standard pressure (or at as near 

 this pressure as may be), so that the rate of consumption is five cubic 

 feet an hour, the flame thus produced shall be equivalent to twenty 

 standard sperm candles, each burning at the rate of one hundred and 

 twenty grains of sperm per hour, and all bunched — if such a thing 

 were possible. There can be hardly any doubt but that all the gas sent 

 out from modern gas works fulfills the above requirement. Indeed, my 

 own tents give results ranging from twenty-two to twenty-eight candles, 

 with an average of about twenty-four. Manifestly, the gas sent out is 

 not "'poor.' 



Nevertheless, the fact that the gas as manufactured is of the re- 

 quired candle power is no indication that the product as delivered 

 to the consumer will give a similarly satisfactory test. Distribution 

 of gas is attended with many perplexities, not the least of which is con- 

 densation. The illuminating hydrocarbons, or light-giving constitu- 

 ents held in suspension in the gas. are not so firmly fixed therein as 

 to be unaffected by the size of the pipe, the character of the internal 



