NATURAL GAS. 
43 
6. Low gas pressure does not increase or decrease the rate of regis- 
tration of the gas meter. 
7. It is impossible for a gas meter to register- twice. When the gas 
has passed through the meter it can not pass through the second time. 
8. Meters do not always register fast. There are just as many times 
when they register slow, and this is to the detriment of the gas 
company. 
DISTINCTION BETWEEN LUXURY AND NECESSITY IN NATURAL GAS SERVICE. 
To the average family for cooking, hot water boiler heating, light- 
ing, and incidental house heating service, natural gas is a necessity, 
but when used in larger quantities- or for house-heating furnace work 
it becomes a luxury. Furthermore, the peak load characteristics of 
house heating furnace service make this- service cost more to the 
natural gas company. An equitable schedule of rates ought, there- 
fore, to provide for a fixed net price per thousand cubic feet for a 
large enough monthly consumption to permit of the cooking, hot 
water boiler heating, lighting, and incidental house heatiug service 
necessary in the average family. If this' fixed consumption is ex- 
ceeded, then the price of a thousand cubic feet for such excess con- 
sumption ought to be increased so as to make the consumer pay for 
the higher priced service he is receiving. 
It is a trite observation that the luxuries of one day tend to become 
the necessities of the next. Most complaints for inadequate service 
during the few peak load hours, usually less than 1 per cent of the 
total 8,760 hours in the year, 1 are based on the fallacy that a service 
that is purely a privilege has become a prerogative ; that is, natural 
gas consumers as compared with other fuel users who have to use 
solid fuel or manufactured gas are a privileged class enjoying a 
luxury that is seldom appreciated until it becomes* difficult to obtain, 
and on account of the limitations fixed by nature they do not possess 
and can not ask any inalienable rights of service, under conditions 
that are physically impossible to meet. 
CONSUMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ECONOMIC USE OF GAS. 
The consumer’s use of gas has an important bearing on the effi- 
ciency of results that may be obtained, as discussed on page 40. Few. 
people appreciate that even in an ordinary frying operation effective 
results can not be obtained unless the vessel position is olose enough 
to the flame so that the tip of the flame can deliver the heat generated 
in an effective manner. Even with high pressure and long flames, 
if a strong draft should deflect the flame the cooking .service will be 
unsatisfactory. 
1 Few people appreciate that even if the service averages below normal 5 hours a day 
for 17 days, the total period of normal service is still more than 99 per cent. 
