The Washington times., 1909-01-29
Washington Company Has
Expert Who Defends
Water Product.
PRAISES LIGHTING
AND HEATING UNITS
Edward Q. Love Says Coal Gas
Gives Less Illumination.
His Evidence.

The House District Committee held
another public meeting today for the
purpose of examining witnesses with "a
view to determining the amount of car
bon monoxide that shall be permitted
I'm the illuminating gus furnished to
the people of the District OF COlumb ia-
The hearing lacked much Of the SEN
sationaI testimony that was given last
week by chemical experts from the De-
partment Of Agriculture. Only two wit
nesses We're heard and they discussed
IN a more or less TECHNICAL manner the
properties which so 10 make up car
bon monoxide and the danger involved
in It's use.
7. e. Barker, chairman Of the Board
of Gas and Electric Light Commission
ers Of Massachusetts, and Edward @.
Love, a gas expert from New York,
were the witnesses, Mr.. Barker appear
ing at the request Of Chairman smith
and Mr.. Love as witness for the
Washington Gas Light Company.
Discusses Water Gas.
In discussing water gas Mr.. Love said
that il has. been used since 1874 and that
two years later the Municipal Gas Com
pany, Of New York, adopted the pro-
cess with such success that within
a couple Of years. the company was
making annually 550,0J0,000 OF the pro-
duct,
this process to be the greatest forward
stride that was made in The manufacture
of Illuminating gas ia the last century.
lie explained IN detail the difference
between water and coal gas ana salu
that water gas has many advantages
over coal gas He said IL burned with
brio Er-n FrE
high as . to 50 candlepOWer, WnLe the
general average CandlepOWer Tor coal
gas IS about is.
He said that the explosive properties
OF the two gases was about the same
but that the heating power Of coal and
water gas differed considerably.
Gives $50 Heat Units.
A 16-candlepower coal gas. he said,
would give about ESQ heat units per
cubic foot, while carburetted water gas
would give from zoo to 800 heat units.
Mr.. Love stated ana corroborated his
own opinion by other experts, that wa
ter gas is not considered as any more
dangerous to life than is coal gas, pro-
viding the same precautions are taken
IN the use or both.
lie admitted the uucarburretted wa,er
gas is odOrless and therefore danger
Gus, but that the odOr from carburetted
water gas is just as pungent as that
from coal gas and that, therefore, a
consumer has just as much warning
when there Is a leak or incomplete COM
bustion. He said that the use of coal
and water gas in cooking stoves was
attended by about the same amount Of
danger.
Quotes from 1889 Report.
He quoted from a report made in $50
by Prof Ira Remsen, now president OF
Johns Hopkins University. who said
that the fatal effects Ct water gas could
be noted ia a shorter period than those
Of coal gas. although under proper
conditions, he did not consider the use
OF water gas as dangerous DIT. Love
quoted a number OF other authorities
10 support this theory.
DR.. Love, in refuung some OF the tes-
timony given by some of the AgricuI-
tural Department experts, said that the
reason water gas was not used for ilIu-
minating purposes on the Continent. was
because economic and other conditions
were not favorable.
Ia reply to Sims, of Tennessee. Dr.
Love admitted that straight coal gas
could be enriched by the use of oils and
naphtha 10 -, =, or almost any other
Candlepower, but Insisted that II would
be smoky.
Has Little to Do.
The testimony OF Mr.. Barker had little
20 co with the subject under considera-
ton by the committee. but he told the
committee !n detail the workings Of the
commission Of which he is a member
and the gas regulations Of the Bay
State.
The hearing was resumed this after
noon, aud Or. Love continued his testi-
mOuy. Alfred Fonshau Of New York
and John McIllheny, OF Philadelphia.
consulting engineer of the Gas Light
Company. also testified.
Only four members of the District
Committee attended the hearing this
morning. Representatives Taylor of
Ohio, Sims of Tennessee Murphy OF
Wisconsin. and Moore of Pennsylvania
Ar. Taylor presided ia the absence of
Chairman Smith
HIDES IN TUNNEL