1. Standard power and purity of gas in District of Columbia, &c. Penalty for supplying gas of less power, &c. 2. Inspector of gas and meters to be appointed; his salary and duties. Assistant inspector. 3. Laboratory for inspectors to be provided by Washington Gas-Light Company. 4. Companies and persons furnishing gas may be represented at each testing. 5. Inspection, record, and publication. 6. Bills to state power and be reduced if gas below standard. 7. Meters, how tested, &c. Standard foot, &c. Record of meters. 8. Meters now in use to be tested on request. Meters to be first inspected, proved, scaled, &c. Application of fees. Be it enacted, &c. SECTION June 23, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 277. Standard power [SECTION 1], That from and after the thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and seventy-four, the illuminating power of the gas furnished and purity of gas by any gas-light company, person, or persons, in the District of Colum- in District of Columbia, &c. bia, shall be equal to sixteen candles by the Bunsen photometer, using the English parliamentary standard Argand-burner, having fifteen holes and a seven-inch chimney, consuming five cubic feet of gas per hour, and such gas shall not contain more than twenty grains of sulphur in any form in one hundred cublic feet, nor more than five grains of ammonia in any form in one hundred cubic feet. Penalty for sup When the illuminating gas supplied by any company, person, or persons in the District of Columbia, shall at any one time be of less illumi- plying gas of less nating power or of less purity than according to the standard just here- power, &c. tofore given, it shall be so reported by the inspector of gas and meters to the company, person, or persons supplying the same, who shall be subject to a penalty of one hundred dollars, to be recovered before the proper tribunal and paid into the treasury of the District of Columbia aforesaid, for each and every day during which such violation shall continue: Provided, however, That if it shall appear that such deviation from the above-named standards could not have been prevented by ordinary care and prudence, but was occasioned by some unavoidable cause, then the said penalty shall not be enforced. ary and duties. SEC. 2. That a suitable and impartial person, competent as a chemist, Inspector of gas who is not a stockholder or employee in any gas-works, shall be ap- and meters to be pointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice appointed; his saland consent of the Senate to be designated and known as inspector of gas and meters, whose compensation shall be a salary of two thousand dollars per annum, and whose duties shall be to test and determine the illuminating power and purity of the gas furnished by any company, person, or persons in the District of Columbia; and to test, prove, and seal all meters that may be hereafter used by them; Assistant in And that a suitable person, who shall be a gas-fitter by trade, shall be appointed by the President, as aforesaid, on the recommendation of spector. the inspector of gas and meters, as an assistant inspector, at a salary of one thousand dollars per annum, who shall assist in the duties speci fied under the direction of the inspector of gas and meters. SEC. 3. That a laboratory shall be provided and fitted up by the Laboratory for Washington Gas-Light Company, subject to the approval of the in- inspectors to be spector, in the central part of the city of Washington, at a distance as provided by Washington Gas-Light near as may be, of two thousand feet from any gas works, and furnished Company. with suitable apparatus for the transaction of the business of the inspector and assistant inspector, for which it is intended, and the labora tory shall be kept open on all business-days between the hours of eight o'clock in the forenoon and five o'clock in the afternoon : Provided, That the cost of fitting up said laboratory shall be paid for by each Gas Company in the District of Columbia in proportion to their sale of gas for the year eighteen hundred and seventy-three. Companies and SEC. 4. That the company, person or persons furnishing the gas may, persons furnishing if they see fit, on each occasion of the testing of the gas by the inspector gas may be represented at each test- or assistant inspector, be represented by some officer, but such officer ing. shall not interfere in the testing. tion. Inspection, rec- SEC. 5. That daily inspections, Sundays excepted, shall be made in ord and publica- conformity to the intent of this act between the hours of five and eleven o'clock in the afternoon, and a record shall be kept of each inspection, giving the illuminating power and purity, which shall be open to the public, and a copy of the daily inspection shall be furnished the following day to the company, person, or persons furnishing the gas, Saturday's inspection to be furnished on Monday, and a full report for the month to be furnished, upon request, to any daily paper printed in the city of Washington on the day of their publication, next after the twenty-fourth day of each month, to include each day's test from the date of previous publication, and giving the average illuminating power for the month. Bills to state power and be reduced if gas below standard. Meters, how tested, &c. Standard foot, &c. Record of meters. Meters now in request. SEC. 6. That all bills for gas furnished by any company, person, or persons shall state the average illuminating power for the month; and if the same shall fall below sixteen candles, as in this act prescribed, then the amount of the bill shall be reduced pro rata. SEC. 7. That in testing meters, the inspector or assistant inspector shall ascertain whether the meter is of proper construction, and requires only the pressure of a column of water indicated by the water-guage, commonly used for such tests, of one-fourth of an inch high to work it, and whether it works regularly and correctly, and registers exactly the amount of gas passing through it, first, at the rate the meter is marked to supply; secondly, at one-third its rate; thirdly, at twice its rate. The standard foot shall be one cubic foot, containing sixty-two and three hundred and twenty-one one-thousandths pounds, avoirdupois weight, of distilled water at the temperature of sixty-two degrees Fahrenheit, and with a barometrical pressure of thirty inches; and meters registering within two per centum either way of the exact number of such feet passing through them at the first-named rate, and within three per centum at the second and third rates, and no others shall be deemed accurate and be stamped by the inspector. The inspector shall keep at the laboratory a correct record of all meters inspected by him, with their proof at the time of inspection, which record shall be open at all times to the public for any reasonable examination by any company, person, or persons having any interest therein. SEC. 8. That any gas-meters now in use shall be proved and tested on use to be tested on the written request of the consumer of gas on whose premises it may be, and in his presence, if he requires, upon the payment in advance to the inspector or assistant inspector of fifty cents for each and every meter inspected, proved, and sealed, and if any such meter, on being tested, shall be found to register inaccurately to the injury of the consumer to an extent exceeding two per centum, the fee of fifty cents shall be re turned to the person applying for said inspection and be paid to the inspector by the company, person, or persons supplying the gas; and every such meter shall be considered correct, and sealed accordingly, which shall register quantities varying from the true standard measure of gas of not more than two per centum, and a record shall be kept of the same and of all fees so collected. Meters to be first and sealed. And all meters hereafter used by any gas-company, person, or perinspected, proved, sons shall be first inspected, proved, and sealed at the laboratory provided for by this act; and for such inspection, proving, and sealing the company, in the first instance, and thereafter the company, person, or persons applying to have the meter inspected, shall pay fifty cents for each meter, a record of which shall be kept and of the fees so collected; And all fees shall be applied to the payment of the expenses for maintaining and keeping in good order and repair the laboratory and apparatus. test and return same. SEC. 9. That each company, person, or persons manufacturing illu- Companies to reminating gas in the District of Columbia, shall, when required, in writ- move meters for ing, by the inspector of gas and meters, bring to the laboratory any meter that may have been required to be inspected, proved, and sealed, and to return the same to its proper place after such inspection; and it shall not be lawful for any other party or person to remove and return meters. SEC. 10. That the inspector and assistant inspector of gas and meters shall each give bonds to the extent of double his annual salary, and shall each take an oath or affirmation, before some officer legally qualified to administer the same, that he will faithfully, diligently, and im. partially discharge the duties of his office. SEC. 11. That the Washington Gas-Light Company shall be authorized, on and after the passage of this act, to charge and receive for illuminating gas furnished to and paid for by the Government of the United States, at the rate of two dollars and fifty cents per one thousand cubic feet; and when furnished and paid for by other parties, or by the inhabitants of the city of Washington, at the rate of two dollars and seventy-five cents per one thousand cubic feet: Inspector and assistant to give bond and take oath. Price for gas. Discount for Advance or re Provided, That if the party or inhabitants so furnished shall pay monthly any bill within seven days after the same shall have been pre- prompt payment. sented, said party shall be entitled to a discount upon the amount of such bill at the rate of twenty-five cents per one thousand cubic feet. And all laws authorizing any higher rates are hereby repealed: Provided, That when the price of gas coals delivered at the works of the Washington Gas-Light Company shall advance to eight dollars and duction of price fifty cents per ton the price of gas to consumers may be advanced ten according to price cents per thousand cubic feet and an additional ten cents per thousand feet for each additional dollar per ton that gas coals may advance in price and in like manner a reduction of ten cents per thousand feet shall be made for each and every dollar per ton that gas coals may fall in price below seven dollars per ton. of coal. Gas-Light Com And for that purpose the Washington Gas-Light Company shall in the month of May in each year furnish the Secretary of the Interior pany to furnish with a statement of all their coal contracts or purchases for the ensuing statement to Secyear excepting the Ritchie mineral and the Richmond coal, the cost of retary of Interior. which shall not enter into any calculation in making an average, which statement shall be sworn to before a Justice of the Peace by their Engineer and Secretary, and the advance or reduction of price shall take place on the first of July ensuing. same rate as to SEC. 12. That the Washington Gas-Light Company shall be author- Gas to be furized and required to furnish illuminating gas to the government of the nished to District District of Columbia within the distance of fifty yards from any of their government at mains, on the same terms as to the Government of the United States, United States. and in case of the non-payment of any monthly bills by the said District beyond the period of ten days from the time of presentation, the company shall be entitled to demand and receive interest thereon from date until paid. And the said company shall light, extinguish, keep clean, and repair Rate for light, the Washington City street-lamps at the uniform price of forty dollars cleaning and refor each lamp per annum, to burn two thousand two hundred hours pair, &c., of streetper lamps. annum, with a six-foot burner on each lamp, subject to any regulation that may be prescribed by the city authorities as to the time of lighting and extinguishing the same, and any extra number of hours to be charged and paid for at the same rate: Provided, That the city of Washington shall furnish, when necessary, new lanterns to replace old ones, and shall furnish and pay for the reasonable expense of erecting new lampposts to replace such as are old, damaged, and unfit for use. Stoppage of gas SEC. 13. That if any person or persons, supplied with gas, neglect or for non-payment of refuse to pay the amount due for the same, such company may stop the bills, and restricIn no case tion on removal of gas from entering the premises of such person or persons. shall the officers, servants, or workmen of the company remove a meter from premises supplied by the company, unless by consent of the consumer, without first giving forty-eight hours' notice in writing by leav ing the same at the premises of the consumer; and said removal shall take place only between the hours of eight o'clock in the forenoon and two o'clock in the afternoon. meters. Act may be amended or repealed. Penalty for fraudulently obtaining gas. SEC. 14. That it shall be lawful for Congress at any time hereafter to alter, amend, or repeal this act, and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. SEC. 15. That any person who, with intent to injure or defraud any gas company in the District of Columbia, shall make or cause to be made any pipe, tube or other instrument or contrivance, or connect the same, or cause it to be connected with any main service pipe or other pipe for conducting or supplying illuminating gas in such manner as to connect with and be calculated to supply illuminating gas to any burner or orifice by which illuminating gas is consumed, around or without passing through the meter provided for the measuring and registering of the quantity of gas there consumed, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment not exceeding six months or by fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars. SEC. 16. That the price which may be charged for gas by any Gasform to all con- Light Company in the District of Columbia shall be uniform and the same to all consumers and any reduction made in the price or cost to any person or persons, except to officers of the company, shall furnish a legal right on the part of any other person or persons to demand gas at the same cost or price. [June 23, 1874.] Price to be uni sumers. CHAPTER 486. AN ACT TO FIX THE SALARIES OF THE CLERKS AT THE UNITED STATES ARMORY IN Salaries of clerks at Springfield armory. Be it enacted, &c., That on and after the passage of this act, in lieu of the compensation now allowed to the clerks at the United States armory in Springfield, Massachusetts, including fuel and quarters, there shall be paid to each of said clerks an annual salary of one thousand six hundred and fifty dollars. [June 23, 1874.] June 23, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 283. Settlers on Osage Indian lands al CHAPTER 488. AN ACT TO EXTEND THE TIME FOR COMPLETING ENTRIES OF OSAGE INDIAN LANDS Settlers on Osage Indian lands allowed till June 23, 1875, to make proof and payment. Be it enacted, &c., That all actual settlers upon the Osage Indian trust lowed till June 23, and diminished reserve lands in the State of Kansas shall be allowed one 1875, to make proof year from the passage of this act in which to make proof and payment: and payment. Provided, That all purchasers who avail themselves of the provisions of this act shall pay interest on the purchase price of their lands at the rate of five per centum from the date when payment was required by previous laws to date of actual payment: 2284. R. S., §§ 2283, 1876, Aug. 11, ch. 259. 1880, May 28, ch. 107. And provided further, That no further extension of payment shall be granted than that provided for in this act, and that all occupants now upon said Osage lands shall file their application to purchase the lands occupied by them within three months after the passage of this act, or forfeit all right or claim to the same. [June 23, 1874.] 1ST SESS.] 1874.-JUNE 23; Cп. 490; RES. JAN. 8, MARCH 24, JUNE 20, 1, 6, 12. 117 CHAPTER 490. AN ACT TO FURTHER DEFINE AND ENLARGE THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD Board of Health to secure record of vital statistics, &c. June 23, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 283. Board of Health Be it enacted, &c., That it shall be the duty of the Board of Health of the District of Columbia to make and enforce regulations to secure a to secure record of full and correct record of vital statistics, including the registration of deaths and the interment of the dead in said District. [June 23, 1874.] vital statistics, &c. Dist. Col., §§ 72, 73. R. S., Vol. 2, 1878, June 11, ch. 180, § 8. 1880, Resolution, April 24, No. 25, p. 574. RESOLUTIONS. NUMBER 1. JOINT RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR A CHANGE IN THE NAME AND TITLE OF THE AGENT Agent and consul-general at Cairo, title of. Resolved, &c., That the name and title of the agent and consul-general of the United States at Alexandria shall, from the passage of this joint resolution, be "agent and consul-general of the United States at Cairo." [January 8, 1874.] NUMBER 6. JOINT RESOLUTION EXPLANATORY OF RESOLUTION APPROVED JANUARY 31, 1868, EN- Limitation of certain contracts of departments to supplies of one year not to apply to mail bags, locks, postal cards, &c. March 24, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 286. Resolved, &c., That the resolution approved January thirty-first, eight- Limitation of een hundred and sixty-eight, entitled (1) "A resolution limiting con- certain contracts tracts for stationery and other supplies in the Executive Departments of Departments to supplies of one to one year," shall not be held, or construed, to apply to, or include, year not to apply mail-bags, mail locks and keys, postal cards, postage stamps, newspaper to mail bags, locks, wrappers, or stamped envelopes. [March 24, 1874.] postal cards, &c. R. S., § 3735. NOTE. (1) The resolution of 1868, No. 8 (15 Stat. L., p. 246), here referred to, is incorporated into Revised Statutes, § 3735. NUMBER 12. JOINT RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PUBLIC PRINTER TO KEEP AN ACCOUNT OF ALL Public Printer to keep and report to Congress separate account of expenses of Congressional Record. June 20, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 288. Public Printer to Resolved, &c., That the Congressional Printer be, and he is hereby, keep and report to directed to keep a separate and exact account in detail of all expenditures Congress separato for printing, mailing, and binding the Congressional Records, including account of expense specific statements of the cost of all machinery and material which may |