The Washington herald., 1909-01-07
Continued from Page One.

does not contain more than per cent OF
carbon nlcncxlde; that gas containing
so large a percentage Of carbon
lmonoxide very nearly approaches
lcarbUretted water gas. which contains
approximately six times the amount OF
carbon monoXid found in coal gas that
accordingly the analysis Of the character
and composition Of the Washington gas
supply discloses that IN its content of
carbon monoxide It very nearly approaches
the carhureJted water gas type; it being
properly q mixture Of a small amount
OF coal gas. varying from Il per cent 10
. per cent, and carburetted water gas.
varying from . per cent TO s. per cent
Is Poisonous Product
'It seems generally recognized By
chemical authority that carbon monoxide
is within the class Of the most poisonous
gaseous products. DR.. Remsen has placed
il in this category and states that il
has frequently been considered whether
the manufacture OF water gas should not
be prohibited by the government Blyth.
in his Treatise on poisons. and Holland
in his Treatise on chemistry and tOxi-
Z cology.' fortify Dr. Remsen. and cite
examples Of the dangerous results where
J persons or animals are exposed TO an
atmosphere charged with carbon mon
oxide.
i 1T IS therefore apparent that a gas
supplied - the city for Illuminating pur-
/ poses, sontaining so large a percentage
Of carbon monoxlde as that discovered in
The gas OF this city, is extremely danger
ous. and is apt 10 cause loss Of life or
sickness. when, from leakage or i'm
proper combustion, considerable Quanti-
ties Of this gas may escape into the at
tmosphere Of rooms and sleeping apart
ments.
The investigation conducted by the
( Department Of Agriculture indicated that
the loss OF life by asphyxiation of three
/ persons in the city Of Washington was
due TO the escape OF this carbon mon
/ oxide gas. thereby supporting IN proof
the claim -of the department in the above
theory
Criminal Liability.
1 Admittedly this carbon monoxide es-
lcapes from gas supplied by the Washing
ton Gaslight Company. But the question
present Is whether any criminal liability
lis suggested by the facts thus appearing
Il does net appear from the report that
the deaths are directly resultant from
the mere presence Of this carbon monox-
ide in the city gas. OF from the use b. the
I Washington Gaslight Company Of a car
buretted water gas. but it appears that
in the case OF the unfortunate victims. in
ferLOr appartus for heating or lighting
! purposes was used, and that the gas es-
/ capped. owing 10 defects IN these services
/ and aDplianceS
! The report shows that the stove which
was used by the family. when brought
into the laboratory of the Department OF
/ Agriculture. was ela5Orately experimental
with, the result being 70 show that the
4 production Of the poisonous gas was traced
Z directly 10 the heater employed But,
/ apart from the fact that sufficient Grim
inal liability for these deaths under these
/ circumstances could not be thus fastened
upon the mere manufacture q the gas. L
1 is important 20 observe that the Wash
ington Gaslight Company has the sane
4 ton Of Congress for the manufacture OF
water gas, or the gas which contains this
quantity Of carbon monOxide No restric-
ton is imposed upon the Gaslight Com
pany as 70 the quality Of its output or as
20 the materials used.
Charter Il Quoted.
The charter of the Washington Gas
light Company embodied in the act Of
Congress, approved July s. Is4s. (s Stat.
L, 70, provides IN section : as follows:
-' That the president and directors shall
have fun power and authority TO manu-
: faCtuTe. make. and sell gas, 10 be made
Of coal, oil. tar, peat. pitch. or turpentine.
4 or other material. and 10 be used for the
purpose Of lighting the city OF Washing
ton, or the streets thereof. and any build
4 ings. manufactures, OF houses, therein
! contained and situate. and 10 lay pipes
for the purpose Of conducting gas in any
q the streets. avenues. ana alleys OF the
/ said city; and, also. that the said com
pany VIII so conduct the manufactures
OF gas as not TO injure private property
or create a nuisance
l Under this authority. there IS no pro-
| hibitiOn against the use Of water gas ia
/ the manufacture Of the gas Of the Wash
ingtOn Gaslight Company The only
. Limitation or requirement. with respect
70 the gas supplied, seems TO be that its
Illuminating power shall be OF a certain
p! candle power, and that its purity shall
be Of the standard prescribed in the fol-
lowing act. The act Of June S, 1896. sec
ton % Stat L SD provides
That section I Of an act entitled. "An
act regulating gas works" approved June
o 1S4I. IS amended so as 10 read as fol-
lows: That from and after June 30 1886,
the Illuminating power OF the gas furnish
ed by any gaslighJ company. person. or
persons IN the District OF Columbia. shall
he equal 20 twenty-five candles BY, the
Bunsen phOt0meter, using the Bray slit
union burner numbered seven. consuru-
ing five cubic feet Of gas per hour. and
such gas shall not contain more than
twenty grains Of sulphur in any form in
100 cubic feet, nor more than five grains
Of ammonia IN any form IN 100 cubic feet.
and shall be free Of the impurity known
as 'sUlphureted hydrogen, said impur!tv
10 be determined by passing the gas
through a glass vessel containing strins
iof bibulous paper moistened with a solu-
ton Of the acetate Of lead. and II any
discolOration Of the test paper Is found
TO have taken place. this is to be held
/ conclusive as 70 the presence Of sul-
phureted hydrogen IN the gas
! When the Illumination gas supplied
by any company, person or persons IN
the District Of Columbia shall at anv one
time be Of less Illuminating power or Of
less purity than according 10 the stand
ard just heretofore given. il shall be so
reported By the Inspector of. gas and
meters 20 the company. person or per-
soHs. supplying the same, who shall be
subject to q penalty Of g0O. to be re-
covered before the proper tribunal and
paid into the treasury Of the District OF
/ Columbia aforesaid for each and every
day during which such violations shall
continue. Provided. however, that if Il
shall appear that such deviations from
the above-named standards could not
have been prevented by ordinary care
and prudence, but was OccasiOned by
some unavoidable causes, then the said
penalty shall not he enforca5