The Washington herald., 1909-02-01

gas company c0UlQ 0e neld reSpolSloie
or rather liable for any damages result
ing from an explosion due TO above"
have a letter from one of the officers
Of the Bliss Electrical School, Clarence
Matthewson. in which he says:
Il distinctly remember two occasions
in October when the flow Of gas ceased
entirely at about O'Clock. .. m.
Here is a letter from MI Daniel Miller.
corner Of Oak and Tulip avenues, in Ia
kona; do not know his Official capacity:
M Taylor-Possibly he Is a private
citizen (Laughter)
AR lie CIerc-It may be: there are
some out there.
In the evening from to $50 the pres
sure is so low that it is almost impossible
TO cook with it. and repeatedly gees out.
thereby endangeriDg both life and prop
erty."
A letter from Robert T. Brown. one Of
our Oldest and most respected citizens OF
Takoma Park. an employe of the Treas
ury Department. in which he says:
It is almost impossible 10 cook any
meals. We have numerous gas Jets gcing
In my house, seIf-Iightiug. and they are
continually going out. and nothing but
the strong smell OF gas escaping warns
Us OF the fact. and we are constantly on
the alert lest explosions should do Us
serious damage I consider the present
condition OF things very discouraging. as
well as extremely dangerous
Now, Mr.. Chairman and members Of
the committee, those are letters which
have obtained from citizens Of Takoma
Park who have experienced gas going
out. have not sought 10 get evidence
from people who have low gas pressure
Ihst Is universal everywhere in Takoma
Park and this represents only part OF
the people who have gas lights going
out, because I could not get at them. I
saw them as I was going in and out on
the street cars. but We have three mem
oers OF the committee, and each Of US
mas had the experience OF having gas
lights go out
M Iaylor-Have you ever gone TO the
company yourself. or your committed
and explained the situation and asked
them to give you a better pressure2
Mr. lie Clerc-I have been myself 10
the gas company. and ] was not salts
ned 10 see the Underlings. I was taken
10 one Of the side rooms and was shown
TO where somebody said the secretary
WaS-I do not know whether Il was the
secretary OF not I told him the condi-
ton OF things. I told him: You are
rendering yourself liable 10 damages on
account OF FIRE 1 said: The Bliss
Electrical School has Just burned down.
and, IN al probability. although ne have
not any proofs Of il. in all probability,
that was que to the low pressure Of gas.
and We are ali liable 10 have our houses
burned, besides being liable TO health
and life" He said: We'll, We viii have
better service out there IN about ten
days We are building a main across
fourteenth street TO BrightwoOd avenue.
and we expect all your difficulties viii be
solved That was the early part of
November, and 1 have just read 20 you
a leSter written last night by Mr. Hedg-
cock, IN which he says that during the
past two weeks his gas Jets have gone
out Two weeks ago three people called
me I'D OF the phone, and said: ''Our
gas Jets have gone out. how about
yours ] said. I can still see with ours
see little bit But their gas lets had
gone out. and II was dinner tine. II is
a question OF main. however. We want
main sufficient 10 supply Us with gas
We are not troubled; We are not making
any kick Of the gas.
Mr. Taylor-You heard the statement
or Mr.. MeIlhenny yesterday. and he said
that matter was very easily solved. and
u there was such a lack Of the pressure
II could be corrected by a larger main.
ny. Le Clerc-I asked him that question
70 bring up that point. because II he Is
an engineer and s1OckbOlder IN the com
pany ne ought 20 know, and I asked him
that question 10 bring that fact out, be-
cause we want enough gas out there 10
COOK and read by. and We do net want
our property and lives ENDANGERED. I
nave incorporated all these excerpts from
al these letters in q report which I sent
10 the Commissioners Of the District OF
columbia In that report I made the
suggestion that the gasSPressure be lin
tied 10 one inch and il is upon that re-
port that the Commissioners have based
their recommendation 10 this committee.
AIr. Taylor-This bin that is now pend
ing before the cOmmittee2
Mr. De Clerc-Yes. the bill that IS aend-
ing before the committee Nobody had
thought OF making any recommendations
10 this committee on the gas pressure.
I would Ike 20 make one further rec
ommendston. and that is that the gas
pressure be not cnly limited 10 a min
iuUm OF one inch. but that we be given
sufficient gas. SO that al least five cubic
feet per hour wiz pass through a stand
ard burner, and that when five cubic feet
per hour passes through a standard
burner It viii give Us the required candle
power
Mr.. Taylor-I understand that the COM
pany is already by law required to keep
Up the candle power.
Mr. lie Clerc-Then We want a sufficient
pressure tO' give Us five cubic feet per
hour. which is a part OF the law regu-
lating the candle power
sir Murphy-WiH a minimum OF one
inch DO that2
Mr. lie Clerc-I have asked the gas in
spector, and I got the impression that
one inch would do that. but I would pre-
fer that YOU make It doubIy sure so that
We may have good gas.
Mr.. Murphy-If you ask for q minimum
Of one inch and that is recommended by
the Commissioners. and the bill providing
for the minimum pressure OF one inch
should be passed. would you ever get any
more than one inch there?
Mr. lie Clerc-I think that If the com
pany IS going 10 give US a main suffi-
cient to supply Us with one inch, it is to
their interest TO supply a main for the
IutuTe- Ihere are three or four hundred
houses being built Up IN that neighbor-
hood this very minute. and Il seems TO
me that they would look from their own
financial standpoint and provide a main
that would supply not only one inch, but
q main that would supply the same pres
sure as downtown
Mr. TaylOr-What is the pressure down.
town2
Mr.. lie CIere-It varies from little be-
low . candle power there
Mr.. GOldsborOUgh-Not at the meters?
MT. lie Clerc-I mean down town.
AIT. GOldsbOTOUbh--I know, but not at
the meters.
Mr.. lie Clerc-At Tenth and D streets.
then
Mr. GOldsborOugh-YOu DO not under
stand me This bin provides that a GER
tain pressure shall be maintained. not in
the street. but at the meters.
Mr. lie Clere-No; at Takoma Park.