The Washington herald., 1909-02-01

has there been any accident during this
tims2
Mr. lie CIere-You know the Bliss
Electrical School. Of course, burned last
November. endangeTing the lives Of some
3ee students. and It Is a question there
whether II is OF is not due 10 the low
pressure Of gas and subsequent coming
on Of gas II is only because the Lord
has been on our side We have not had
/ accidents
Mr. Taylor-My question was not in any
critical vein. I asked you If there had
I been any accidents.
Dir. lie Clerc-There has been no acci-
dent. because W. have noticed these leaks
in time. Here is a letter from Mr.. F. 3.
Linton. who is the chief clerk in the
Bureau of Chemistry;
"On one occasion when the gas went
OF entirely a number Of gas jets were
lit Our cook failed 20 turn of one and
when the gas came on again this one vas
not noticed by the cook, and she lit
other jets IN the room.
"On November =, a similar incident oc-
CURED. The gas went Of about go . m.
The cook failed 20 turn or burner under
the baker OF the stove. but when the gas
came on again lit other Jets in the room
entered the house q few minutes later
and detected the odor of gas and dis
covered the burner that had not been
turned on when the gas went on
Within the last two months the gas
has gone out entirely several times
Here IS a letter from r. 81. Douglas,
who is an official in the Geological Survey,
IN which he says:
From about $50 to 80 ?. m We can
not use our gas stove at ell 70 cook with
On one occasion the gas in the oven
went OIl1 although turned on fun force.
We are forced 10 use a kerosene lamp
each night for light at dinner from 70
o'clock. have 20 use an oil lamp TO
read By until about p m The gas
pressure during the early evening IS not
sufficient 10 light a WeIsbach mantle
on my desk so I can see 70 read at a
distance Of three feet from the burner.
1T seems 10 me that it can not be
possible that the gas company is fuI-
filing its contract with the District. as
Il fails 70 light the streets properly be-
fore ?. n None Of the street lights
have seen in Takoma is Up TO standard
candle power
That is another question which shoulr
be brought 70 your attention, the fact
that the District IS paying for these
lights, and yet We are not getting any
street lights or street protection until
after 9 O'Clock, practically 3, mean
Here IS a letter from Mr.. II. 3. Shaw, in
which he says
Last winter It was common occur
renee for all the lights TO iuctuate and
finally 90 out entirely
ard IN q later communication from aIr
Shaw, he tells me that within a few
weeks he was in his dark room down
stairs working, when he was suddenly
called upstairs. and he turned his light
low. intending 10 return to the dark
room, but for some reason or other he
was detained from going down there, and
forgot al about the fact that he had
a light, and the next day he went down
stairs and was on the point OF striking
q match and entering the room, when he
noticed the odor Of gas, and Il IS a good
thing he did not strike that match. be-
cause he would have had an explosion
ana probably his family would have been
killed.
Here is letter from ". F. Wight. He
says:
Frequently the gas when in use VIII
go out, and constant watchfulness is
required 10 turn Of the Jets when this
occurs.
'In spite Of this poor service. however.
ny bill during the month from October
Is 10 November IS was S458, while the
largest bin during the previous twelve
months was but $3.50, and It is usually
about s250"
That IS very easily understood. because
when you have such low pressure as that.
that gas is disseminated before Z can
reach the object which il is intended 10
heat, 50 We are burning q tremendous
amount Of gas 70 no purpose whatever,
and IN lighting il Is the same way Here
IS letter from H 9. Gore. OF the Bureau
Of Chemistry, in which he says:
Our gas has gone out every day at
about $50 ?. N. for the last seven DAYS.
except Sunday"
They work harder At the gas companies
on Sunday he continues
The stove usually cannot be reIighted
until about 6;15-
have complained repeatedly 70 the
gas company. On Two occasions they sent
men who looked at the meter and put
IN some new gas tips. This unsatssfac-
tory condition has existed since the last
of October"
Mr. David Grifiths, who IS one Of the
scientists IN the Department Of AgricuI-
ture, says:
During the latter part Of October the
lights went out IN all parts OF nv house
repeatedly in the evening when gas was
turned on both at the meter and at the
Jet with full head. Il is useless for ne
70 attempt 20 state how many times this
has occurred; let IT suffice for ne 70 say
that II occurred repeatedly IN all portions
OF the house One evening. owing 10 nv
failure 70 remember that I had two lets
lighted when the gas failed. one in nv
furnace room was not turned Of. For
tunately I discovered the odor Of gas
and located il next morning without a
light Had the furnace been lighted tbe-e
would certainly have been an explosion
which would have wrecked the house as
soon as the gas got Of sufficient density
in the room.
I complained to the gas company. and
the meter was consequently changed a
couple OF days later I have had better
service since that tine. but never do I
have sufficient light to read BY between
the hours OF about and IN the even
ing.
I have complained 10 the company
since The last inspector informed ne
that all he could do for me was to
report conditions; that the meter was in
perfect condition. and that when cold
weather set IN, there would be still less
pressure because sof the drain on the
service due to heating appliances being
IN use"
Mr. Tsylor-How far is Takoma Park
from the main plant Of the company
NJ lie Clerc-I think we generally con-
sioer It i've or six miles from the city.
I do not know where the main plant Of
the company is Perhaps Mr Goldsbor-
Ough could tell.
Mr. Goldsborough-There are two plants.
Mr. lie Clerc-I do not know which
one supplies Us.
Nr- GOldsborough-They both supply
you The mains connect the two. You
are about seven or eight miles away.
Mr. lie Clere-No; not above six miles.
Do you mean from your plant?
Mr. OidsborCugh-Frcn1 ff7a o-o m <E,a