Smyrna times., 1901-12-11
ABOUT GAS METERS.
WHY THESE ERRATIC INSTRUMENTS DO
NOT EXPLODE.

The proneness of the average news
paper reporter to attribute cellar con-
hagrations to the explosion of gas me-
tiers 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 1t 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
" to happen to them than to milk bot
ties or salt bags.
The domestic gas meter has a more
or less we'll deserved reputation for
to lie against the gas company as for
1t; but it has never done anything to
warrant the suspicion that it is liable
to go off with a bang. 1t is a tin box
Of a little less than one cubic foot
capacity. put together with soldered
seams and japanned.
Into and through it passes the gas.
x-bfoI, opforS fhrOY,Uh tho corvi0o nine
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 a greater compression than, say,
half a pound per square inch. More
than this would bulge its 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
to 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 admixture of gas and air the
meter would be wrecked. but it 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-
tufe from accident. the gas within it
would escape. and. if it had the chance,
burn. Outside the meter it might have
opportunity to form the explosive mix
ture with air and do some damage.
What actually happens in the case
of fires attributed to the explosion of
gas meters is usually this: Gas which
has leaked from defective pipes or
worked into the cellar from broken or
defective street mains accumulates in
pockets formed by rafters and else
where and remains there until it comes
of some sort. A fire starts in the eel
lar and the temperature gradually rises
until the smoldering rubbish bursts in
to flame. This reaches the mixture ot
gas and air along the ceiling and al
explosion follows.
The meter naturally enough. Is
thrown down and probably torn from
its connections. and the conclusion il
reached that. instead of being the vic
tim of the accident. the inoffensive me
ter is the cause of all the trouble ant
has INDUCED its inherent propensity t
set the house afire after lifting it fror
its foundations.
1t is a perfectly safe generalizatio
that the gas which makes trouble !
cellars is wholly outside the meter an
never inside of it. Grindstones some
times explode with fatal results in sa'
factories. but the excellent old lad
who, after reading of such an accideI
and recalling that there was an ol
grindstone in one corner of the cells
which had been there twenty year
hired a couple of tramps to carry it
the extreme corner of the garden ar
pour water on it for an hour. mea
while giving thanks that it had II
blown herself and family into eterni
"unbeknOwnst to any of u.s." was
the type Of those who. through fear
gas meter explosions. are all their lif
time subject to nervous chills.
There IS not gas meter in use und
wu.cH would not be perfectly sa
to yu..u bonfire. provided. of cour!
there was not a quantity of gas oil
side of it which the same fire cou
reach.-New York Times.
Why Snow Is Not Black or Red.
Why is the snow white? is gu
ton frequently asked. Because bla