Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-14
WATER GAS GENERAL
Used in Nearly All Large Cities,
Says Inspector Runyon.
EVEN IN MASSACHUSETTS,
Not More Deadly Than Product OF
Coal, He Asserts.
BAY STATE LAW is REPEALED
EVEN IN MASSACHUSETTS,
BAY STATE LAW Is REPEALED
o.Danger Under Complete Combus-
tion-Inspector of Fixtures Safe
guard-Why He Did Not Report.

+, Il Runyon, United States inspector
of gas meters. said to Star reporter
today in speaking of The use of water
gas in Washington, that he is surprised
at the statement that the use of water
gas is prohibited in Massachusetts,. Said
he:
Il have been over number OF the
plants in Massachusetts recently. 1
know from observation as we'll as from
The list of gas plants in the United
States that water gas is used in MaSSa-
Chusetts.
Il accordingly wrote to the state gas
inspector there. and got a letter yester-
day in reply, stating that there had been
IL law passed in 1885 limiting the pro-
portion of carbon monoxide in the gas
To 10 per cent This practically pro-
hibitS the use of water gas, as il runs
much higher than that in carbon mo-
noNde. There could not be enough of Ii
used with u 10 per cent limit to make it's
use worth while
The inspector said however, this law
had been repealed in 1890 after being in
force for five years, and had never been
revived since. You can see from the ma
tional directory of gas companies that
the water gas process is in use in Bos-
ton and ali larger cities of MaSsachu-
cities of the United States.
Water Gas Used Generally.
Now l do not want to be understood
as speaking particularly in favor of the
Washington Gas Light Company but
think it ought 10 be said in fairness to
Washington that water gas is generally
used n all of the large cities. In nearly
all the process used in combination of coal
and water gas.
The candle power in other cities is
the same as in Washington in most ca ses,
or somewhat lower. In a few cases it is
higher
''Of course. water gas is cheaper than
coal gas. That is one of the reasons for
its use. At the same time the candle
power is higher and where the candle
power Is fixed high by law it is neces-
sary to use water gas to raise it.
water gas, as L say, is cheaper. But
there are some by-products with coal gas
that are sold to reduce the cost.
There does not seem TO be much idea
of how water gas is made.
1t is done by passing steam under pres
sure over an incandescent bed of coal or
some refractory substance. This breaks
up the water and makes d hot, pale blue
flame.
TO raise the candle power of this
flame it is carburetted. That is to say,
gas oil is added and the resulting gas
gives a high candlepower- 1t is rich in
carbon monoXide.
If there is complete combustion. there
is no more danger from this than from
any other gas. If there, is a Ieaky pipe
or a defective fixture, coal gas will suf-
focate you just the same as water gas.
Il see by reports l have been blamed
for not reporting the fact that water gas
was used in Washington. 1t is such
general thing that | did not even think
about it,.
"Of course, that there have been any
deaths from escaping gas is deplorable.
But l must say they would have occurred
through a defective fixture even if coal
gas had been used.