8 BEGINNINGS OF THE METER BUSINESS 



system, or the ones where there was greatest uncertainty as to 

 the amount of water drawn. 



Many water works superintendents desired to use more 

 meters, but were reluctant to do so because of their high first 

 cost and the trouble and expense of taking care of them, and 

 because they were not satisfied as to the accuracy of the measure- 

 ment. 



The art of meter construction was not so far advanced, and 

 the art of testing, and keeping meters in repair in water works 

 shops had not reached its present state of development. 



It must also be taken into account that at that time the 

 waters commonly supplied in American cities were not of nearly 

 as good quality as those supplied at the present time. Many 

 of them carried turbidity and sediment and floating matters 

 in quantities which either wore out the moving parts of the 

 meters or tended to cover them with slime and to choke them 

 and in all cases reduced the accuracy of measurement. 



An able manufacturer of meters, John Thomson, presented 

 an admirable paper to the American Society of Civil Engineers, 

 describing the types of meters in use at that time and the dif- 

 ficulties of making a meter of a satisfactory degree of accuracy 

 and, at the same time, at a price low enough to make it at- 

 tractive to American water works men. He urged a lowering 

 of the standards of test. 



For all practical purposes, in ordinary public service, a meter which would 

 register to within 5 to 7 per cent of accuracy, between fair minimum and 

 maximum rates of discharge, is, in the writer's judgment, as in that of many 

 others, amply accurate to effect the desired purpose. And when our water 

 works officials will have arrived at the same conclusion, meters may then 

 be purchased at a discount from present net prices of from 20 to 25 per cent. 

 Furthermore such a standard of accuracy would, in ordinary practice, 

 result in decreased cost of maintenance and increased life of the meter, 

 because of the practical conditions of service under which meters are 

 frequently set. Trans. Am. Soc. C.E., Vol. XXV, 1891, p. 58. 



This suggestion was forcibly met at the time by Mr. Emil 

 Kuichling of the Rochester water works, who stated: 



While it may be conceded that the only rational way of charging and 

 paying for water consumed by individuals or corporations is by meter meas- 



