Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-30

lively, but l should say perhaps a gallon
and a half or two gallons per thousand.
Mr.. SIMS-It would not take as much
oil to bring coal gas from l6 to - as it
does water gas to 30?
Mr.. LOVE-Not at all.
Mr.. SIMS-So the expenses OF making
coal gas with oil will be reduced instead
Of increased?
Takoma Park Heard From.
Mr. LOVE-As far as that item is con-
cerned.
J. ARTHUR lie CLERC-As a matter of
fret sometimes in cities the pressure of
the gas is low that the gas actually
goes out. and then few moments later
the pressure rises and then there is a
great deal of gas escaping into the room.
due to some neglect. possibly. in not turn
ing off the gas jet. Now, | would like
to ask il you cannot suggest some legis-
latiye remedy for such low gas pressure
as that?
Mr.. LOVE-Certainly; make a minimum
pressure.
Mr.. LIE CLERC-That is all right. l
just want to say. also
Mr.. MOORE-Whom do you represent?
Mr.. LIE CLERC-I represent the Citi-
zens Association of Takoma Park. |
have lived in Georgetown twelve years.
and / have never had occasion to find
fault with the Georgetown gas. / never
noticed very much SCOT.
Mr.. TAYLOR-Now, Mr.. LIE Clerc. if
this time is to be used for question and
not statement, you may go on. We
viii be glad to hear from you in the
proper order.
Mr. LIE CLERC-It Directly bears on
that I wish TO say that now we have
lived in Takoma Park for three years.
and the ceiling of the bathroom is very
often covered with SCOT. and in one
case it was the GEORGETOWN gas and now
We are using the Washington city gas.
In case the gas escapes, using water gas,
do you not think the danger to the COM
munity which is subjected to that leak
age is very much greater than if we use
coal gas?
Mr.. I.OVE-The same question has been
asked by member of the committee and
answered.
Submits Two Reports.
Mr.. BARKER-In accordance with the
suggestion made this morning, l have
marked the portions of the reports of the
board of gas commissioners of Massa-
chusetts for 1889 and 1890. l will say
that, although these were issued SO long
ago, the facts and reasoning are sub
stantially the same as We would give, l
think. If we had the question under con-
sideration today, except for the question
of costs, which have, of course, been
modified during the period that has
elapsed since the reports were issued
Mr. SIMS-Modified which way?
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures; that is, along
certain lines.
(The extracts from the reports referred
to are here printed in the record in full
as follows:
"Report of 1881
WATER GAS
Seven gas companies have applied for
licenses to make and sell water gas. un-
der chapter 42S of the acts of last year,
which is printed in the appendix. nancy,
the Amesbury and Salisbury Gas Com
pany, the Brockton Gaslight Company, the
Cottage City Gas Company. the Millers
River Gaslight Company. the Roxbury
Gaslight Company, the South Boston Cas-
light Company and the Spencer Gaslight
Company. All the cases were assigned
for hearing on the same day. The petit
TONERS and remonstrants were represent
ed by counsel. Since the second hearing
the cases have been postponed from
month to month at the request of all
parties. or on motion of the petitioners.
and with the consent of the remonstrants.
THE various parties in interest, remon-
strants as well petitioners. expressed
the desire and request that the commits
1oners might visit other cities where
water gas was in use. Accordingly, pend
ing the adjournment of the hearing. all
the members Of the board have been to
New York. Brooklyn, Albany. Rochester,
Chicago and st. Louis. Visits for the
purpose of inspection and inquiry have
of the board to Kansas City. Topeka,
Omaha. St. Paul. Minneapolis, Milwaukee.
Toronto and to Trenton, New Brunswick,
Newark, Jersey City and Hoboken. in
New Jersey, and New Haven and Putnam,
Conn
Information Was Collected.
"It has been and is the purpose of the
board impartially to gather as much in
formation as possible from any and all
sources, in the comparison Of coal gas
and water gas. This has been done so far
by inspection of gas works. interviews
with leading gas engineers. inquiries Of
the health officers of the various cities
and examination into the details of acct
dents caused by the two gases.
while this work is still in progress.
before the petitioners have completed
their side of the case, or the remOn-
strants even been heard, it would be man.
ifestly unjust to form ultimate opinions
and wholly improper to attempt to indi-
cate at the present time what the final
conclusions may be.
There is. however, a phase of the
cases which the board believes should be
stated to the legislature. At the first
hearing each of the counsel present was
invited to give his Interpretation of the
meaning of the statute under which the
petitioners were asking for licenses. In
reply to the queries: Can conditions or
terms of any sort be imposed in the Ii
cense. if one be granted? Can a license
be made revocable. or issued for a GER
tain period of time? The act requires the
board, if it grant a license. to certify in
it that the gas can be used with safety
Can these words be qualified in any way,
for instance. by provision requiring care
IN its use? Must the conclusion be
reached that water gas is as safe as coal
gas before license can be granted?
Again. if it is shown admitted that
both gases are dangerous. can the GER
tificate rightfully be made?
Both Gases Dangerous.
These questions received various an
swers from the able counsel and the
commissioners are in doubt as to the
true Interpretation of the act. More
over, they believe and beg leave to sug-
gest, that it is impoitic and harmful to
convey the impression that either coal
gas water gas is not dangerous. 1t is
known that a mixture of either gas with
if breathed long enough. will cause death.
Accidents from gas arise usually from
ignorance or careleSSneSS. Is 1t not bet
ter that the community be warned of the
danger, rather than misled into feeling
OF safety which might even lessen the
degree Of care now shown in the use of
coal gas?
''In order that the board may be en-
abled to grant license for making wa
ter gas. IT, upon the final consideration
of the matter, it shall deem it prudent
the act be modified by striking out the
portion requiring a certificate as to
safety, and by expressly allowing the
board the power to assert i'm the license