The Washington times., 1909-02-01

Must Have Lower Percentage.
Mr. FORSTALLs-No; do not think
that the CarbUTeted water gas OF the
candlepOWor that the washington Gas
light Company muse make to have
their average CandIeDOwer continuously
about twenty-five would have 30 per
cent of carbon mou0xide in il, ] do
not see how it could have 80 per cent
OF carbon uCnOEida in IL.
AR, SI\ILNER-What would water
5as nave If L were straight water gas .
MT EORSIALIr-It might run up as
high as 90
Mr. SEINNER-And higher than 402
Mr.. F0RSTALL-You can make il
hlSher than 80 by making II in a lab
ofdtory, but as yOu make it practically
/ It would not
Mr.. SKINNER-The point I want to
bthS out, Mr.. Chaiuuan-I want 10 ask
MN II the bin were raised TO 70 per
cent II the gas company would so out
or business II 1t were raised TO 70
per cent, how much water gas they
could use theUs
Told to FOLLOW Experts.
Mr.. MOORE-I would like to ask
and 1t is the final question. 50 that we
can close this morning session In "A
pleasant frame OF mind--wiU you tel
me how. when chemical experts fan
out, ordinary legislators can best pro-
tect the consumer us this and also the
public?
Mr.. FORSTAII-By following the ad-
/ vice Of the men who are practically
/ acquainted with the business OF the dis
/ ulDuuon OF gas. Great laughter)
EVAN If TUCNER-Are YOU IA
lmiIiar enough with conditions in the
! District OF Columbia TO state how much
! more, If it would cost more 1t would
/ take TO make a straight coal gas OF
! twenty-five CandlepOwcr and distribute
"a
/ the present mixed EasH
Cost Bound to Be High.
/ Mr.. FORSTALLA cannot say how
much more it would cost, Mr.. Tucker
| but ali my experience has shown tina
/ # costs more per candIepower to make
/ a straight coal gas than it does to
/ make q straight carburoted water gas,
or "a mixture, SO If you were going TO
/ make the same cahoIepOwer in each
/ gas, there is no question that the coal
/ gas would cost more
/ Mr.. TUCKER-You could not give
/ Mr.. FORETALL--l would have to
Z work a week on 1T before ] would have
/ figures that would De satisfactory 10
( myself.
/ il. b. SHAVING. Forstau quoted
/ some hgues ia regard to the rate OF
death in jcagO for certain time, as
1 understs ld it, when coal gas was
" -aA4AE
and another period when water gas
was used tlg~deaLhs were 50 per 10000
/ ] would like 10 ask him. mdy II not pe
/ possible that that is accounted for by the
/ people becoming more familiar with the
usage OF gas in general By better a OIL
ances being provided better gas nj
+ tlugs, and by the fact that tHe PoPu-
I latlOu has Increased IN greater IatlD
( than the amount of gas has Increased;
also. by the fact that electricity has
superseded the use Of gas 20 some es-
teutY Those are lot Of questions ia
one but they come under the same prln-
cipIe.
Changes Have Little Effect.
/ BIr. FORsTALL.-If the population Of
/ Chicago had not been increasing so rap
idly by reason of the people coming into
it from the country It is entirely pos
slble that there would have been a
better knowledge OF the use OF gas. II
might have decreased the rate Of deaths
from gas poisoning, but as the con-
Giti0us were. ] do not think II had any
effect. / think that the influx Of DOpu-
IauiOn which was not accustomed 10
gas more fully made up for the increase
of knowledge on the part OF the popu-
iatlOn that was there As far as any /
decrease in the amount Of gas used IN
prOpOrtiCl to the number OF popula-
ton Is concerned during tlie interval be-
tween 1890, which was the last year
OF the first period, and 1897, which was
the last year OF the second period the
quantity Of gas lu proportion TO the
population increased very muchs and Z
not only that but he number OF meters
installed IN proportion 10 the population +
increased very largely, 80 that there
was no decrease iu the amount or gas
sold in proportion to the population, nor /
was there any decrease In the points /
Of danger iu proportion 10 the popula- /
ton.
Progress Of the Business.
ON the contrary there vas an i'm
crease in both those respects, SO the /
tendency would have been rather TO an /
Increased number OF deaths. had other
things remained equal. The constant F.
progress in the gas business has been /
to increase the amount of gas sold per
iuHabitant to increase the number of F.
meters set per iuhabitaut. That is true 4
OF Chicago. as OF all other cities in the I.
United States.
Mir SHAYV-That IS the point .
wished 30 bring out but may it not be .
the case that a much larger proportion I
of the gas was used for manufacturing .
purposes where q large amount would .
be used and apparently increase the /
amount per capItae
Not the Case IN Chicago.
Mr. FORSTALL-ThatI do not think
would hold in Chicago. I am rather
familiar with the circumstance in /
Chicago, ara do not think they have
.
some cities where that would hold.
There are some cities that have made
very laTE increase Ia the gas used .
for industrial purposes, but / do not [
think in Chicago it has cut very much .
figure.
AIr. SHAAy-Wuat about tine pos
sIble Improvement fu appliances
Mir. FOESIALE-We AR. Shaw,
the statistics show that practically all /
these accidents occur through burners
being left turned ON. and not through
mIshanGllug of any appliances OF
course, I'm this particular case In
Washington IL was a question OF the
appliance.
Defects Seldom to Blame.
Mr.. sHAW-That was what + have
in mind that sometimes the cock may
turn fully around instead az being
stopped and il may be that some Of
those were defective in that way. Il
Mr.. FCESTAL Deaths due 10 that
cause are o very very small percent
age OF the total humble of deaths due
to gas poisoning. SO IT seems to me
that the improvements OF appliances
OF that kind would cut very little tg-
ure iu affecting the rate
Statement Of J. A. lie Clerc.
Mr.. TAYLOR-Mr. lie CIerc. we will
hear you.
on ErEl.V gTr4F------ z