The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-10

Illuminating gas containing water gas
or the deadly carbon monoxide viii b
prohibited in the District OF Columbia.
A bill containing provisions TO that ef.
feet VIII be drafted BY the corporation
counsel and forwarded 70 the District
Committee OF the House as soon as that
committee can confer with Dr. Harvey
". Wiley, OF the Bureau OF Chemistry
and obtain information as 70 certain!
points before suggesting 10 the Comn1Is-
sioners just what kind Of a measure win
be most favorably acted upon By Con-
gress.
This decision was reached yesterday
following the receipt OF g letter from
Commissioner Macfarland. by Chairman
Smith. Of the House District Committee
The Commissioner called attention to the
death list due to carbon monoxide in
Washington in the last few weeks. ard
suggested that a bill be introduced to
insure the safety Of the residents Of ths.
District
VIII Approve Bill
The committee was informed that ms
Commissioners would approve q bin
either to prohibit water gas OF to reduceI
It's percentage IN the product furnished
BY the Washington Gaslight Company.
As the members OF the committee know
little about the manufacture Of gas. Il
was decided to rely On the opinion OF Dr..
s>~ardingIy, he viii be called "a
ce the first OF the week.
Jbsbility viii request that
be used
has stated that I Per cent
-zrto- xide would pra-zoe death.
believed he WI suggest a
VS. any Tate- gas used. as
very large Per cent OK
poison
wiIey's Statement.
)nnection Dr. Wiley had the
say IN his report Of tie gas
the Attorney General. which
r6ed 10 the President and then.
d 10 Congress:
he authority OF some % the
--- nent chemists. as well as our
rvations. Il may be stated that.
oaOxide IS one OF the most pois-
seous products known Dr. Rem
8: The poisc1oUs character o.
uoaoxide has led 20 a great deal
VI discussion. and 10 some legislation On
the subject OF water gas The question
has been repeatedly raised whether the
government should allow the manufec-
ture Of water gas
"sBIyth reports the case OF an assistant
OF ChristIson, who took three or four il-
halations OF pure carbon mOnoxide gas
and fell back paralyzed, became IN
conscious, and later died The chemist.
Chenot. was also accidentally poisoned BY
the pure gas. and Il Is stated fell as II
struck BY lightning after a single inspira-
ton. II IS stated by 'sHolland that sn
exceedingly poisonous character Is I'M
parted 10 an atmosphere containing ons
tenth OF l per cent OF carbon nonoxids,
and that five-tenth of 1 per cert kills
birds in three minutes IN Our expert
ments a guinea pig exposed TO an at
mospheTe containing per cent for fifteen
minutes was removed apparently dead.
but later revived. These observations are
sufficient TO show the dangerous char
acter OF water gas with It's 30 per cent
OF carbon mOnoxide.
VIII Be Special Order.
Il is known that any bill regulating
OF defining the quality Of gas furnished
in the District VIII meet with the almost
unanimous approval OF Congress, and
would be made a special order OF busi-
ness and acted upon soon efter pre-
sented.
Chairman Smith, Of the House District
I Committee, said yesterday that he was
anxious TO do whatever he could TO IN
sure the safety Of the patrons OF the gas
company. Senator Galllinger. who IS ee
the head Of the Senate committee, en-
tertains the same ideas. Other members
proval Of the plan to pass a bin defn-
| ing the quality OF gas sold in the Dis
trict-
The Georgetown company now manu-
factures gas free from the dangerous
water product. but Tor future safety tha
bill 10 be presented 10 Congress VIII n
corporate provisions 10 regulate the ar
ticle furnished by that company also.
The standard set for both companies IN
the District viii be the same.
May Reduce Candle Power.
It may be provided that the compa-
ries must furnish 1S-candle power gas IN
stead OF 2-candle power. as the law now
requires. Il IS contended by experts
that TO obtain a 22-power product it is
necessary 10 use the water formula. or
the cost Of manufacture viii be so high
that Scent gas. recently provided By a
| bill passed in the House, and now pend
ing before the Senate. VIII be inpractI-
| cable.
The experts also contend that 1s-candls
power gas free from TIE water gas is
equal in power Of illumination. II not
superior, to the 22-candle power that con-
tains water gas. Its manufacture also
/ Is said to be very much cheaper. This
would be IN support OF the stand taken
bv Representative Madden, that the com