The Washington herald., 1909-01-07

tent Of water gas or carbon mOnoxide.
is deficient in purity .or in candle power,
in violation OF the provisions of this
statute. there would be q liability OF a
civil character in favor OF the District TO
collect the penalty, and. possibly. in favor
OF the administrator Of the deceased TO
sue for damages for wrongful death Bat
am unable 10 see any grounds upon
which the criminal law might be invoked
10 prosecute the Washington Gasiight
Company under the same circumstances
Remedy in Legislation.
The remedy lies in legislation. AS
water gas is Of such a dangerous nature.
and as this has been demonstrated in
the case Of the recent deaths, where the
carbon monoxlde. escaping from the local
gas supply. was a concomitant, Il not a
partial cause OF the deaths. Congress
should amend the laws covering the
Washington Gaslight Company in its
Manufacture OF gas by either fOrbidding
entirely the use Of water gas or restrict
ing the quantity used TO such a minimum
that its presence in the composition Of
the city gas would be Insignificant and
harmless
similar measures ef protection have
been taken by the, legislatures Of other
Jurisdictions. In 1885 the Massachusetts
legislature enacted a law prohibiting the
distribution Of gas containing more than
10 per cent Of carbon monoxide wide
thirty-fourth report. Massachusetts State
Board Of Health. 1902. Il would seem
that the protection Of the community
from the recurrence OF similar disaster
would be accomplished by the enactment
of law prohibiting the Washington Gas
light Company from manufacturing or
distributing gas which contained more
than such a minimum of carbon mon
oxide. as the Department of Agriculture
or other competent source may deter
mine and which would be harmless TO
the consuming public.
i an OF the opinion that nothing can
be done In the way Of criminal prosecu-
ton, but that recommendations for
remedial legislation should be made
DANIEL y. BAKER,
United States Attorney"
Wilson Forwards Report.
Secretary Wilson Forwarded the report
Of DIS. Skinner and Haywood. together
with the letter OF Dr. Wiley, 70 President
Roosevelt, with the following Letter, dated
December L;
Dear Mr.. President:
4 enclose, for your information. the re-
port Of an examination lately conducted
in the Bureau OF Chemistry OF this de-
partment. showing the composition OF the
gas supplied by the Washington GaslIzht
Company. for local consumption.
The letter OF the chief OF the Bureau
OF Chemistry. accompanying this report
shows that this examination was made
In connection with an Investigation. re-
quesied BY the coroner of the District OF
Columbia, Of the circumstances surround
lng the death Of a family in the city
caused by inhaling air charged with car
bon monoXice. which Is a very poisonous
gaseous product
The report shows that the gas sup
ply o. the city contains a large perez ut
2ge Of carbon monoxIde, and. as the
safety OF our gas supply IS a vital mat
ter 10 consumers in general. the report
Is referred o You for such action as YOU
may deem necessary
Very sincerely yours,
JAMES WILSON.
The President White House. Washing
ton, D. C."
'eEnFleNe Analy SIS
The report Of Drs. ". ". skinner and
J. n Haywood is lengthy, and gives a
complete analysis Of the gas consumed
daily IN Washington and compares It
with other gas. manufactured and nat
uTaL The result OF tests made on ami
mals IS given, and authorities are quoted
10 show that gas containing carbon mon
oxide has killed men. in one specific in
stance when the victim inhaIing a single
inspiration
The report reads:
DIR. Il W Wiley, Chief. Bureau OF
Chemistry.
In harmony with your Instructions. We
have made a careful examination of the
gas supply. as furnished this city. and
compared it with data obtained by ex-
perimenters with other forms OF uluml-
mating gas The details Of this investiga-
ton are submitted herewith
In an investigation by rs Of the Brem-
eTman tragedy, IN which three persons
lost their lives from inhaling carben mon
oxide IL was found advisable 70 study the
character and composition Of the gas
supply furnished b. the Washington Gas
I light Company. Analyses were therefore
made by the usual eudiometric methods.
using an improved Orsat apparatus The
/ composition Of the gas was found to be
as follows: