The Washington times., 1909-01-30

The conclusion ne came 10 was this:
There are no facts which give any substan-
Tlal foundation FOR the appreleIlsloLs OF the
petitioners that this gas rs 10 any way
luOre dangerous than She GAS previously In
use
Prof. Morton's Changed View.
That was the conclusion he came to.
and that, so far as the board of
health of New York was concerned,
was the end of IT, Prof. Morton, who
was the president of the stevens In
stitute OF Technology at HobOken,
was a man very eminent i'm his pro-
fession, chemistry and physics. and a
man who did a great deal of work i'm
Ihis particular line When the ques-
zion first came up, President Morton
was rather inclined to be on the other
side; that Is, i mean, ON the side look
ing upon carbOnic oxide in gas as very
not be allowed. He wrote JIM the
Sanitary Engineer, of the 18TH of Jan
uary, 1850, as follows.
j am quite ready to admit shat when the
subject ufsl came TO uly notice my impress
sion was that water gas was so practically
dangerous ION account of the large amount
OF carb1uic oxide in IT'D that 1T should not be
admitted into general use, but further con-
sideretton modified this view 10 the belief
I14t x would be Question Of economy and
e1ftcaency simply whether water gas did uI
did not become TIE gas Of the future.
Hearing Before Legislature
I have here a copy of the hearing be-
fore the committee on MANUFACTURES Of
abe Massachusetts legislature. The petit
TONERS IN that case, as stated by DIT
Barker already, asked for the repeal OF
q law practically hxing the maximum of
Carbonic oxide in the gas distributed in
The State of Massachusetts to 10 per
cent. THIS is the report Of that hearing,
and L quote FROM page IFS a letter from
DR.. Edward FRANKLIN, professor of chem
1stry Of the Royal College Of Chemistry
an London, whose opinion had been
asked in this matter of water gas. He
says:
Having been called upon to express my
opinion as 10 the adaptabiiity If water Eas
tor lighting and heating purposes, I have no
Aesitation ia saying that il may be used
with safety, both I'm public buildings and
private houses. ] should be delighted 20 sub
euIbte tnls pure and powerful illuminating
agent tor the gas with which my house in
London IS at present. supplied. although il IS
used in ali the BEDROOMS.
/ have one more question that I would
like TO bring before the committee That
rs from Prof. Adolph Wurtz, who is a
member of the French Institute pro-
lessor Of the school Of medicine and
science, IN Paris. Speaking ON this
point, he says:
No doubt the danger of poisoning exists
with all gases containing carboniC oxide
and coal gas is not exempt from the latter.
as tt can contain much u per cent
or It's volume, But j think that the danger
which could only have sad consequences in
exceptional cases. and through d sort Of
fatality. has been exaggerated. and should
not be taken into account, considering that
gas is used without hesitation for lighting
cur houses, Notwithstanding the very real
danger OF explosion and fire, no matter what
kind Of gas or Its composition.
Further, the use OF water gas has never
been prohibited in France and II the num-
gTOuE processes which have keen indicated
Tor it's production have been abandoned or
have received only a restricted application
the cause IS principally due 10 the Circum-
stance that the technical and economical
conditions OF the production here have, up
20 the present time been very untayordbie-
In manufacturing, under good conditions. a
gas remarkable on account Of Us Illuminating
power. and Of sufficient smell 20 reveal its
presence you have realized an important
progress.
Endless Opinions Possible.
OF course, it is possible. I suppose. 10
have an almost endless multiplication
of opinions like this. I have quoted
from men recognized the world over as
very eminent in their speciality.
The committee has had suggested TO
IL certain alternatives. Suppose the
Washington Gaslight Company cuts out
Its water gas plant altogether, YOU
make II go back to csal gas basis,
sarily, from the coal gas alone. 70 about
16 candles. II has been suggested here
that a l6-Candle gas, with a good heat
ing power in the future would NH the
bin What it may do in the future is
very problemaucal What il is doing
now is simply this, that the use OF the
lncandescent burner, what Is known as
the Welsbach burner. is very limited, If
YOU consider the entire amount OF gas
consumed
think am very safe in saying that
in New York city not 20 per cent Of all
The gas consumed by the public geuer-
fame burner is the burner OF today.
judge somewhat by the appearance of
shoDs, well-lighted store windows, and
things Of that sort and that does not
give any indication of any very material
change IN that aspect
mr.. SIMS-Is IL practical 10 use the
Welshach burner generally'for ali illum-
NATION III houseE
Mr.. LOVE-It can be used anywhere
EQu have gas producing heat.
ny. SINs-lt can be used with the
water gas just the same?
Could Not Keep Up Candlepower.
Mr.. LOVE-Exactly with the uncar-
bureted water gas. even. 1t can be used
with natural gas, or any gas that gives
q heat simply 20 raise this mantle 10 a
point OF incsndesceuce. For that reason
i 90 not think that the mantle question
comes into tiiis al all. because cannot
see that the condition 81 going t0 be inn
proved by cutting out water gaE and
simply depending on tine use Of mautles.
which people do not use. IL YOU will
allow me to cite my own case I have
only one mantle IN my house and I am
IN q ltne Of business where / ought 10
have them.
Another suggestion has been made 10
take your 1G-caudIep0Wer gas and en-
rich II up That has been tried. IL you
wish 70 maintain your caudIep0wer AT
% YOU viii find great trouble iu doing
the thing iu that way for this reason,
that coal gas can be enriched with OH
or naptha 10 bring ID mp 10 Z2-caudIe,
but you are going 10 have trouble with
smoking You VIII have imperfect com
bustICu. The ordinary tanning OF 90
open fame sends up little clouds OF
smoke. That is one Or the beauties of
fue Water-gas flame that YOU never
have anything Of thar sort
Mr. SIMS-Do YOU agree with the gen.
tlemau who preceded You that it is
practical 90 limit the carbon mou0EIde
- 10 per cent and use water gas at
aIl2
Opponents Now Use It.
AR LONE-It cannot be done There
Is an Old saying that workman IS
u ..H-F q a.r-