The San Francisco call., 1897-12-19
IS WATER GAS
DANGEROUS?
Learned Opinions by Eminent
Professors on the
Subject.
What J. B. Crockett, the President OF
the San Francisco Gas Company,
Has to Say About 1t.

In answer to the numerous articles
recently published in the daily press
regarding the quality and purity ofthe
gas furnished by this company have
this to say:
Water gas was first used in the
United States in the latter part of the
'70's and at the time of its introduction
was vigorously fought by the COM
panies operating coal-gas plants. One
of the objections raised by the gas
companies was that the gas contained
a large proportion of carbonic oxide,
which was detrimental to the health
of the general public. The argument
became fierce and bitter and the serv-
ices of some of the most expert
chemists and toxicologists of the world
were called into requisition to deter
mine the point, and their decision was
that all gases that are made either
from bituminous coal or by the So
called water process are more or less
poisonous in themselves, but if used
with ordinary precaution are not dan
gerous to the life or health of the peo-
pie generally.
The only State in the United States
which had any law prohibiting in any
way the manufacture of water gas was
the commonwealth of Massachusetts,
which prohibited the manufacture of
any gas containing over 10 per cent of
carbonic oxide. All of the large cities
in the United States, except in the
State Of Massachusetts, had in the
meantime adopted the new method of
making gas for two reasons-one being
that it gave a greater candle power
than the old method, and the other be-
ing the cheapness of its manufacture
compared with that of coal gas. This
enables these cities to sell gas at a very
much lower rate than it had ever been
sold before, and also gave them an il
Iuminant of a much higher candle
power than had been possible to
obtain in any other way. This caused
dissatisfaction in Massachusetts. par
tlcuIarly in the city of Boston, because
the inhabitants soon perceived that
they We're paying higher prices than
tne residents of neighboring cities. so
lhey got up petition requesting the
legislature TO expunge that statute
from the statute books and permit the
iil@Hu4dctufe or water gas. This peti-
tIoh was presented to the Senate and
lHey referred 1t to the committee on
manufactures, which, after a long and
patent investigation, covering a period
o. over Two years time and before
WHICH committee were summoned the
most noted chemists of the TTnitad
states ana where the matter was gone
lIlto most thoroughly and minutelv if
was hnaIly resolved that there was no
reason why that statute should remain
III force and the committee voted RI
recommend to the Senate the ahoIieb-
Heht OF the section, and upon its re-
port 1t was abolished, and TODAY +ba
city OF Boston is almost entirely SIM
plled by water gas which contains q
greater proportion of carbonic oxide
lhan that found in the gas of the San
FRANCISCO Gas and Electric COMPANY.
Ihis matter has been discussed over
ana over again, and the reports of
some OF the most eminent chemists
which are here quoted, will show thai
our gas is not the frightful death-dea1-
ing substance which the papers are now
trying to make it appear to the nAo-
pie Of San Francisco.
PROFESSOR Henry Wurtz, who is one
OF the best known authorities on gas
analysis, makes the following state
meht: No accumulation of citations
OF vague and crude opinions. stereo-
typed through generations of school,
DOCKS, as to the danger of small Der
centages Of carbonic oxide in air should
nave any influence on reasonable
inlhds, when 1t is only by rare accident
or stupidity that even these small ner
centa8es can be communicated TO the
ar OF a close room. am confirmed in
my conclusions that whatever dangers
10 lie and health may or do arise from
lhe use Cor rather abuse) of illuminat-
ing gases these will not be enhanced
IN any way by an increase in its pro-
portion Of carbonic OXIDE
Ihe Municipal Gas Company of New
York, which is manufacturing nothing
but water gas, sent the reports of sew
eral experts to London to DR.. z
Frankland of the Royal College of
Chemistry and to DR.. Adolphe Wurtz
OF Paris, whose reports are as follows:
Dr. Frankland says: "In compliance
with your request I have read the re-
ports of DR.. Henry Wurtz, dated jan
uary l, 1878, and March 4, 1878, on the
composition and properties Of the gas
OF the Municipal Gaslight Company of
New York, and also the articles pub
lished by Professor Henry Morton in
the American Gaslight Journal of
March 2 and 16, 1873; and having been
called upon to express my opinion as
to the adaptability of water gas for
lighting and heating purposes 1 have
no hesitation in saying that it may be
used with safety both in public build
ings and private houses. / should be
delighted to substitute this pure and
powerful illuminant for the gas with
which my house in London is at pres
ent supplied, although it is used in all
the bedrooms
DR.. Adolphe Wurtz says: "I have
read with attention and interest the
documents concerning the gas of the
Municipal Gas Light Company of New
York, which you have forwarded to
me. 1 have acquainted myself with
the extensive and exact work which
DR.. Henry Wurtz has published about
composition and use of the gas.
Produced by the decomposition of
steam on incandescent carbon and
saturated with very volatile hv-
ont al