Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-12-13
ABOUT GAS METERS.
WHY THESE ERRATlc INSTRUMENTS
DO NOT EXPLODE.

Such an Accident Is No More Likely
to Happen to Them Than to Milk
bottles or Salt Bags-What Does
Happen In Case of Fire.
The proneness of the average news
paper reporter to attribute cellar con-
flagrations to the explosion of gas me-
ters represents what appears to be an
ineradicable race trait. No amount of
contradiction and no accumulation of
proof that such an accident Is an i'm
possibility seems to reach the news
gatherers, who go on reporting the ex-
plosion of gas meters, doubtless be-
cause the firemen have tradition that
meters are explosive and give this ex-
PLANTATION of every fire which they can
not otherwise account for.
For the reinsurance OF nervous peo-
pie it gives us pleasure to say that no
gas meter ever exploded since the
world began, and until they are made
on very different plans, and contain
gas of very different composition from
that now used for Illuminating pur-
poses such an accident Is no more like
ly to happen to them than to milk bot
ties or salt bags
The domestic gas meter has more
or less well deserved reputation for
habitual mendacity. though as likely
to lie against the gas company as for
1t; but 1t has never done anything to
warrant the suspicion that 1t Is liable
to 20 off with bang. 1t is tin box
Of little less than one cubic foot
capacity. put together with soldered
seams and japanned.
Into and through 1t passes the gas.
which enters through the service pipe
connecting the main with the house,
usually Of half an inch diameter. 1t
has very little capacity for gas storage.
and is not strong enough to carry gas
under greater compression than, say,
half pound per square inch. More
than this would bulge it's sides. In
point Of fact the pressure of gas in
meters Is rarely more than enough to
balance a column Of water two or three
Inches high.
If a gas meter Is exposed to great
heat from external fire, nothing very
serious happens. The soldered seams
will probably melt allowing the gas
20 escape. This gas is not explosive,
however. 1t becomes SO only when
mixed with air in certain definite pro-
portions.
Should this admixture exist In a
meter, which is almost impossible, Its
shell is not strong enough to offer any
great resistance. and should an ex-
plosion occur by reason Of fire reach
ing this ndmixture of gas and air the
meter would be wrecked. but 1t Is
doubtful of any other damage would
result. None has been wrecked from
this cause.
If the seams Of the meter are opened
by the melting of the solder or by frac
ture from accident, the gas within II
would escape, and, IL 1t had the chance
burn. Outside the meter 1t might have
opportunity to form the explosive mix
ture with air and do some damage.
What actually happens in the cast
of fires attributed to the explosion OF
gas meters is usually this: Gas which
has leaked from defective pipes ol
worked into the cellar from broken Of
defective street mains accumulates II
pockets formed by rafters and else
where and remains there until 1t come
In contact with an accidental tir'
Of some sort. A fire starts in the Gel
lar and the temperature gradually rise
until the smolderlng rubbish bursts IN
to flame. This reaches the mixture
!: gas and air along the ceiling and al
explosion follows.
The meter, naturally enough, u
thrown down and probably torn frop
its connections, and the conclusion i
reached that. instead of being the vic
, tim of the accident, the inoffensive me
ter is the cause of all the trouble an
, has indulged Its inherent propensity {
set the house aflre after lifting Il fror
Its foundations.
1t Is perfectly safe generalizatio