Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-29
USE OF GAS0LINE
HEARING ON PROPOSED REGULA-
TIoN RESTRICTING IT'S USE.
Objections Stated Vigorously-Call It
the Poor Woman's FULFILLED
for Opinion.

The District Commissioners this morning
granted O hearing to the representatives OF
several local association relative to the
proposed regulation prohibiting the storage
sale and use of gasoline and kindred pro-
ducts in buildings occupied wholly or IN
part as dwellings, in the District of Column
bia. The regulation was proposed TO the
Commissioners by A. Nj. Lawson. inspector
of elevators and fire escapes: Sidney Bieber.
fire marshal of the District: A. N. Hamil-
ton, compact manager. and John Hender-
son. jr.. chief Inspector of risks of the board
of fire underwriters. 1t was also approved
by Chief Belt of the fire department and
Snowden Ashford inspector of buildings.
The various associations were represented
at the hearing this morning as follows:
Grocers' Protective Association, A. r.
Rowe A. H Gregory. A. 8. Clarke. w. s..
Brown and c. F, Diggs. counsel for the
association: Independent Oil Company by
II. c. Baughman. manager: board of fire
underwriters by A. N. Hamilton and John
Henderson. 5r. Others present were A. Left
wieh Sinclair. assistant corporation counsel:
Sidney Bieber fire marshal and w. 8. Du-
vail. attorney for the Automobile Storage
and Repair Company
The proposed regulation reads as follows:
mo refined petroleum. Kerosene. naphtha,
benzine. gasoline or any burning fluids. be
they designated by Whatsoever name, which
will flash or give of an9fEfia mmable vapor
at a temperature below ql2e degrees Fahren-
heit. shall be stored. sold kept or offered
for sale or permitted tetbeIused as an illu-
minator or for heating Or 1oekfng or clean
ing purposes within any building Or struc-
ture occupied whoilyIor in part for dwell
ing purposes within helcorporate limits OF
the Destrict of Columbiatff
The Arguments.
1t was pointed out that kerosene for use
In lamps and stoves tfoessffot come within
the scope of the regulation., since it win not
flash at temperature less than I'D de-
grees. 37.,y1u,: -r.. ..
Mr.. Clarke was Spokesman for the Gro
GERS Association. He declared that most
all the fires attributed ttt. gasoline occur
where oil Is consumed and not where 1t liz
stored or offered for sale He said that
gasoline should not be kept in a close brick
building. but in an open frame structure,
so that the vapor from the oil would have
a chance to escape into the air. The pro-
posed regulation he declared would operate
to place the Oil business entirely in the
hands OF the tank wagons and prevent the
grocers or the city from handling 1t at ali.
Mr.. Baughman said that ne mas found by
investigation that in the pesS mine years
but one accident has occurred in the Dis
trict in places where gasoline is handled
Tor sale The poor class Of people tn the
District he declared. use over $4,000 gal
Ions of oil in a month, n large part of
which, he said. Is gasoline. 1t Is used in
preference to Kerosene, he said, because Ii
gives much greater heat than the other
oil. Mr.. Baughman declared that to pro-
hibit the use OF gasoline in the District is
going to work a hardship on the poor pe0-
pie of the city.
IF you adopt this regulation he said.
you are legislating against the poor peo-