The Washington herald., 1909-01-13

Echoes Of. the drastic exposure Of the
presence Of the deadly carbon monoxide
II the gas supply OF the Washington Gas
light Company are being heard IN in
creasing measure by the District Com
missioners.
So deep has been the impression made
by the recent report Of the Bureau OF
Chemistry on the causes OF the Bremen
man tragedy that public inquiry and agi-
tation refuse 10 abate IN any degree.
Public sentiment is aroused TO a high
pitch and Is rapidly crystaIlizing into a.
determination to bring the gas monopoly
70 its knees.
Commissioners M2cfarland yesterday
recommended to his colleagues that Con-
gress be asked to enact law, which
vii require pressure OF az least ore
foot al all periods OF the day and night.
This was the result Of a clear and en-
phatic statement Of grievances from the
Takoma Park Citizens Association. The
communication from this association is
about as seathing an arraignment Of the
policy Of the Washington Gaslight
Company as has ever been seen in the
District OF Columbia
Gives Graphic Evidence.
A personal communication from csti-
zen OF Langdon is graphic evidence OF the
effect produced upon the public mind
by the Bremerman tragedy. This cIti-
zen says: 7 an at work IN tbs
evenings. and the recent tragedies from
gas poison cause ne a great deal OF
worry. as I fear I shall find my family
the same way as the Bremermans
Commissioner MacfarIand has referred
20 the Corporation Counsel the interpret
alton OF the word -'nufsance" in the char
ter OF the Washington Gaslight Com
pany II the presence OF carbon monOx-
ide in gas can be held q nuisance, Il Is
possible a way IS open under the present
laws 10 remedy present condition OF az
fairs.
The letters from the Takcns Park Cit
zens' Association follows. IN part:
Tacoma Park. D. C. January 9, 1903.
The Honorable Commissioners Of tbs
District Of CoIuzobia:
The citizens Of Tacoma Park are
vitaIly interested in the recently proposed
legislation concerning the presence OF
carbon TnOnOxide in illuminating Eas.
The committee on gas and lighting of
the Citizens Association beg 10 present
the following report Of complaints re-
ga-ding the gas situation in this suburb:
Not Enough Gas.
FOR more than a year the people OF
Park have been troubled with
an insufficient amount OF gas for both
cooking and Illuminating purposes. the
quantity being so low that on very fre-
1uent occasions the gas lights in both
the gas ovens and in the ordinary illu-
jets have become extinguished.
This has been the case. particularly be-
tween the hours Of and in the even
ng. and and in the morning. and We
have been especially troubled in having
our gas go out since the month OF Oc-
tober.
The following Is a quotation from =
etter received:
One evening. owing 70 the failure 20
remember that I had two Jets lighted
when the gas failed. one in my furnace
-OOm was not turned of Fortunately 7
discovered the odor Of gas. and detected
{ the next morning without light. Had
he furnace been lighted there would
certainly have been an explosion that
would have wrecked the house. During
he latter part Of October the lights went
,ut IN all parts Of my house repeatedly
r the evening
Another citizen writes:
q" The gas lights in the room and oven
iave repeatedly gone out while being
ised-this TO the great danger OF every
ne concerned, for It frequently happened
hat one light or ons burner would 90
,ut while another did not Had Il not
lad immediate attention, Il would have
set OF an explosion
These cases are not isolated ones. but
re frequent in Takoma Park Complaints
ave also been entered concerning the
arger size OF bills under the regime OF
ow gas pressure, and & serious VIOLA
Ion OF the street light regulations has
zen noticed. viz: That Up 70 about
O'Clock IN the evening the street lamps
re so poorly lighted they afford little
roteciion. This is. Of course, due to
he low gas pressure
The Lights Went Out.
Now. gentlemen. when it IS realized
hat on the very evening preceding the
re which destroyed the Bliss Electrical
chool the gas pressure was so low IN
'akoma Park that the gas lights are
n0wn to have gone out, and that on
lany occasions the lights di5 actually
ecome extinguished IN the Bliss school
self Cbefore the fire.. One can easily
se that we are living in danger OF having
UT own homes likewise destroyed BY
re
''The danger 10 fire, however. is not the
lost serious one 20 which we are sub
scted. We are fully aware Of the facts
rought out by the recent investigation
egarding the Bremerman fatality. We
salize fully that when cur lights go out
nd the leakage of the gas Is unnoticed
lere is constant danger 20 health and
ven 20 life itself. The Washington CITY
as contains 30 per cent Of carbon mon
xide. gas which IS so deadly that
hen guinea pig is exposed to an al
iosphere containing 1 per cent OF carbon