Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-01

ticular case I'm Washington it was a
question of the appliance.
Mr.. Shaw-That was what | have in
mind that sometimes the cock may turn
fully around instead of being stopr ed. and
1t may be that some of those were de-
fective i'm that way.
Mr.. Forstall-Deaths due 10 that cause
are a very very small percentage of the
total number of deaths due to gas poison
ing. SO 1t seems TO me that the improve
ment of appliances of that kind would
cut very little figure In affecting the rate.
Statement Of Mr.. ]. A. lie Clerc Of
Takoma Park, D. c.
Mr.. Taylor-Mr. lie Clerc, We will hear
you.
Mr.. lie Clerc-Mr. Chairman. l repre-
sent the citizens association of Takona
Park. and l am not here to take up the
question of carbon monoxide in gas at
all, but realizing, however, that the car
bon monoxide in all gas is poisonous,
want to bring before the committee the
conditions that exist in Takoma Park,
conditions which are. to our mind. lntoler-
able, and they are conditions whlch are
not only dangerous to property. but 10
life and health also. and in order that
may bring this forward to you in way
that you can appreciate the dangers 10
which we are subjected, l want TO read 10
received from a score of men from Ia
koma Park bearing on this subject. Here
is a letter from Mr.. f. L. Lcwton. botan-
ist in the Department of Agriculture, ana
l am not going to read the whole letter.
but just that part which bears on TINS
question. He says:
November IA last the gas pressure
was so low at $50 pm. that the flames
burning in the gas range in Which our
evening meal was being cooked went out
- ,fr- nv 1 g n
discovery that a serious catastrophe was
prevented.
'.The lights in the kitchen and dining
room did not go entirely out. and the
gas which poured into the Kitchen from
the burners of the stove would soon have
caused an explosion had not the strong
smell of gas caused me to investigate ana
turn off the burners
| have letter from Mr.. George G.
Hedgcock. who is, believe, a patholo-
gist in the Department of Agriculture,
sent to me last night. in which he says:
within the past two weeks all the gas
light burners went out in my residence al
as Cedar street, Takoma Park. ID. I.
My gas oven frequently goes out from low
pressure while my gas jets are burning.
You can see what dangers we are
subjected to out there when YOU have
conditions Of that sort prevailing: Here
is a letter from Mr.. d. n. Shoemaker.
who is also q scientist in the Depart
agricultural community out there. NJ.
Shoemaker says:
THE gas jets in the room and the
oven have repeatedly gone out whiia
Of every one concerned. for it fire.
quently happened that one light or one
burner would go out while the othsr
did not
1 have a letter from Mr.. orion. a pa
biologist in the Department of ASricul-
ture, who says:
Il wish to call your attention officially
to the unsatisfactory condition of the
gas service In Takoma Park. We ex-
perience difficulty in securing adequate
pm. during which time it is often al
most impossible to read. even by We.,-
bach lights. On one occasion the flame
in our gas oven went out, and had it
not been discovered In time serious
accident would have resulted"
Mr.. Taylor-Let me ask you right
here. has there been any accident dur
ing this time?
Mr.. LIE Clerc-You know the Bliss
Electrical School. of course. burned last
November. endangering the lives OF
some 200 students. and it is a question
there whether it is or is not due to the
low pressure of gas and subsequent
coming on of gas. 1t is only because
the Lord has been on our side we ha We
not had accidents.
NOT IN Critical Vein.
Mr.. Taylor-My question was not in
any critical vein; / asked you if there
had been any accidents.
Mr.. LIE Clerc-There has been no ac-
cident, because We have noticed these
leaks in time. Here is a letter from
Mr.. F. 3. Linton, who is the chief clerk
in the bureau of chemistry:
'On one occasion when the gas went
off entirely a number of gas jets were
lit. Our cook failed to turn off one, and
when the gas came on again this one
was not noticed by the cook and she
lit other jets in the room.
ION November % a similar incident oc-
Cured. The gas went off about 5:30 pm
The cook failed to turn off burner under
the baker of the stove, but when the
gas came on again, lit other jets In
the room. / entered the house few min
utes later and detected the odor of gas
and discovered the burner that had not
been turned off when the gas went off.
Within the last two months the gas has
gone out entirely several times
Here is letter from Z. NJ. Douglas,
who is an official in the geological survey,
in which he says:
From about $50 to 80 We cannot
use our gas stove at all to cook with.
On one occasion the gas in the oven
went out. although turned on full force.
We are forced to use a Kerosene lamp
each night for light at dinner from u
to Z. I have to use an oil lamp to read
by until about 8 pm. The gas pressure
during the early evening is not sufficient
to light a Welsbach mantle on my desk
so l can see to read at a distance of
three feet from the burner.
1T seems to me that it cannot be pos
sible that the gas company is fulfilling
its contract with the District, as it fails
to light the streets properly before , pm.
None of the street lights | HAY. seen i'm
Takoma is up to standard candlepower."
That is another question which should
be brought to your attention. the fact
that the District is paying for these
lights, and yet we are not getting any
street lights Or street protection until aft
err 8 clock. practically ., | mean. Here
he says:
Last winter ii was a common occur
renee for all the lights to fluctuate and
finally go out entirely
And in a later communication from Mr.
Shaw he tells me that within few
weeks he was in his dark room down
stairs working, when he was suddenly
called upstairs. and he turned his light
low, intending to return to the dark
was detained from going down there and
forgot all about the fact that he had Il
light, and the next day he went down
stairs, and was on the point of striking
a match and entering the room when he
noticed the OdOr of gas, and it is a good
thing he did not strike that match. be-
cause he would have had an explosion
and probably his family would have been
killed.
Letter From w. F. Wight.
-i,p,,t