Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-30
BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE
Merits of Water and Coal Gas Dis.
cussed in Detail.
The Former Is in General Use in the
Cities and Is Scarcely More DAN
gerous Than the Latter-Forrest
E. Barker of Massachusetts and
E. G. Love of New York Give Con-
gressmen Valuable Information on
Subject of Illuminants.

Tire District committee of the House yes
terday gave a hearing on the bill to limit
the amount of carbon monoXide in the gas
supply of the District of Columbia to 10
per cent. Representative Taylor presided
Among those who appeared were For
rest E. Barker. chairman of the board
of gas and electric light commissioners OF
Massachusetts; Edward G. Love, an in
spector of gas in the city of New York;
Alfred Forstall, gas engineer of New
York. and John McIlhenny of Phila-
delphia, consulting engineer Of the Wash
ington Gas Light Company.
Mr.. Barker Testifies.
Following is the testimony of Mr.. Bar
kcr:
Mr.. BARKER-I have been a member
of the board of gas and electric light COM
missioners since its creation, and 1 have
been chairman of that board since 1884.
l am here at the disposal of the commit
tee. | hardly know in what the COM
mittee may be most interested, and
will answer any questions that / may be
able TO which the committee may desire
To ask.
Mr.. TAYLOR-It is the custom of the
committee to allow a witness to make
any statement he may have to make
with reference to the question we are in
vestigating completely as possible, and
then ask questions, and not interrupt him
too much If you have no statement, OF
course any member of the committee
might ask questions of you. If you have
any statement TO make along the line OF
the manufacture of water gas and Its
effect upon public health and its danger
and menace to the public safety. and SO
on. wish you would make it. and we will
interrupt you. if necessary. to ask ques-
tions.
Mr.. BARkER-Perhaps the committee
would be interested in brief historical
Sta cement with respect to the considera-
tion of this question in Massachusetts,,
where, perhaps. more work has been done
in respect to it than anywhere else in
the world.
Mr.. TAYLOR-I might say that Massa-
chusetts has been cited number of times
~ other witnesses, and we would like to
hear from you.
Limited Carbon Monoxide.
Mr.. BARKER (continuing)-Certainl y
more than any place in the United States.
We formerly had statute there limiting
the amount of carbon monoxide in illumi-
mating gas to 10 per cent Of the volume Of
gas. This act was passed in 1880.
1t may be of interest to know that II
was not passed upon the recommendatio
In the report of any public officer, either
board of health or any person in author
ity to supervise or inspect gas. We have
had gas inspector in Massachusetts
the incumbent of that office in the veal
1880 and for two or three years previous
~, there were suggestions and recon.
Inendations with respect to legislation de
timing the purity and quality of gas to be
delivered in the state, but no recommends
tion with respect to carbon monoxide.
Those recommendations related to can
dlepower and the amount of sulphur i'm
inc nd ry,ta t. 10
cause it is such a familiar fact that we
have had thorough investigation Of the
subject there, or at least an extensive in
yestigation, and the general assumption
j suppose, would be that that inveStiga-
ton took place before the legislation, but
it took place afterward.
These recommendations were made by
the inspector. and when the recommends
tons found form in legislation the car
bonic oxide provision had been added II
is significant fact that at that time
water gas promotion was common, or had
been common In the larger cities of the
country, and the evils of competition had
not been as we'll understood then as they
have since come to be, and the water gas
mad Won Its way as a competing gas anC
/ mention this as significant because the
Conte with respect to water gas, So
called, and coal gas have always beer
prominent. and the competitive features
have always been prominent in any dis
cusson of the subject.
Made Water Gas Impossible.
The ten per cent provision in the law
made the introduction of water gas i'm
possible. and it was that fact which lee
TO the agitation for the repeal of the law
This agitation reached it's height in 1881
There had been an attempt of promoter:
Of the water-gas supply TO get authority
tn make and distribute their gas in the
city of Boston. where Heretofore only
coal gas had been supplied. and as par
OF that attempt came the effort to secure
4 repeal of this law.
That was in 1884. / happened to be q
member of the house of representatives
that year, and the recollection of the
event is quite vivid in my mind The
committee, which was joint committee
AS our legislative committees mostly are
favored the repeal OF the law: that is tt
say, the majority. There was minorit,
dissenting. The measure for the repea
III the law passed the house almost unani
mously. after discussion, but IL was bit
teiy contested in the senate by the tive
interests, the company In possession q
inc heid being arrayed upon one side /,
favor of the law, and the people who de
sired TO enter the field being arrayet
upon the other side in favor Of its repeal
Mr. TAfLOR-That is to say. the PEG
pie who desired to enter the field were II
favor of the repeal of the law providins
Tor 10 per cent monoXide?
MI BARK ER-ies sir. they desired II
make and distribute water gas in Boston
Mr. SlMS-Which was prohibited undo,
the 10 per cent provision?
Contest in Legislature
Mr.. BARkER-It was impossible unde
the 10 per cent provision. The contes
so sharp and close In the senate tina
il gave rise 20 one of the few scandal
VIC have ever had in Massachusetts in on
legislature, and / think the provision wa
defeated by a single vote. the propositio,
to change the law.
Following that legislative session tn,
subject was taken up by the state boa r,
of health, and IL then that the re
ports We're made and the experiment
We're conducted which l see from TN
printed report have been referred to I,
prior sessions of this committee. In 1SS
the subject was again before the legis
lature. and II was that year that tn
present board of gas commissioners wa
created.
As i have indicated. the question O
carbon monoxide limitation and the cues
ton of competition went hand in hand Il
the contest and in the discussions an
the creation of the gas commission wa
intended 10 provide a board which shout
pass upon the question of competing con
Germs among the other things which wer
intrusted to that board.
Mr.. TAYLOR-Did this board have any
thing TO do with determining the qualit
and nature of the gas to be used?
Mr.. BARK ER-Yes, sir. IT has the regu
lation of the price. of the quality an
compulsory supply powers. 1t has juris