False Gas Meters

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In a communication to the New York. Daily Times, Robert Prince, of Brooklyn, N. Y., asserts that all the meter made in this city, for the gas companies, are designedly constructed to indicate a consumption of about; fifteen per cent of gas greater than the real1, amount. Some years since, he became interested with a manufacturer of gas meters,, which were made with indexes that truly indicated the amount consumed, but the gas companies would not purchase them, consequently the manufacturer referred to was obliged to give up the business or attach falsa indexes to his meters ; he now works to the order of these companies. As gas companies provide their own meters, the persons who consume the gas are nol; able to tell whether they are deceived or not,, Mr. Prince recommends that all gas meter.'i be placed under a competent public " Meteir Inspector," and that those who use the gas be permitted to purchase stamped meters where they please. He also asserts that no gas company can prosecute for debt, as they cannot prove by law the correctness of any gas bill, and for this reason they never prosecute, but cut off the supply of gas from debtors. This is a question which deserves to be probed to its very core. If the gas meters are made as alleged by Mr. Prince, of course the public must be greatly wronged by the gas companies.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 13 Issue 24This article was published with the title “False Gas Meters” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 13 No. 24 (), p. 189
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican02201858-189d

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