The Washington herald., 1909-01-07

n the premises which the Department Of
Justice can take In accordance with the
direction contained IN your letter of De-
cember Is last, I hare made the CORE
spOndenCe public
Yer respectfully.
CHARLES =. BONAPARTE.
Attorney Ge1suI''
, Or Wiley, in sending tie report OF his
assistants 10 the Secretary Of Agriculture
summed up the facts IN the case in the
following letter:
DR.. WiIey's letter. -
The Secretary OF Agriculture:
~Sir: At the tine Of the tragedy in ths'
Brenermaa family q shors- tine aEo, in
wh-cb two aGuits and one infant lost
their lives from inhaliEg sif charged with
carbon m0noxi5e gas, the coroner re-
: Qgested this bureau 20 make IN examinz-l
ton or the circumstances attending this
unfortunate matter. Accordingly Dr.. j.
K. Haywood and Mr. " " skinner
were directed 10 make a thorough study
Of the premises and the stove which was
supposed 10 have been the cause Of ths
accident and any other matters connected
herewith To this end the stove was
brought into the laboratory and an
elaborate series Of experiments mads
I herewith. showing that the production Uf
the poisonous gas was traced directly 10
the heater employed 4 fun report OF
this matter has been made 70 the coroner.
as required BY law
In connection with this investigation
I also directed Dr.sHaywood 10 look into
the composition Of the city gas. This
he has done with the remarkable result.
showing that the city gas contains from
p 70 50 per cent Of this very poisonous
substance, while gas made from coal
does not contain 10 exceed { Der cent.
These data show that in the escape OF
the city gas OF Washington into a room
in any given quantity, the poisonous
effect produced would be hve tines
greater than If coal gas were used. Any
/ leak OF fault OF the gas service, there
! fere. Is a constant menace. not 70 the
health only, but to the lives Of our citi-
zenS
Has Important Bearing.
I deem il my duty 70 acquaint you
with the results of this investigation since
it has a most important bearing on ths
welfare OF our people. and I an append
/ ing hereto the report Of Dr. Haywood
and Mr.. Skinner. giving in detail the re-
suits OF their work
In this connection permit ne 70 sugl
gest also that all danger Of poisoning
/ Of this kind would he avoided II the pso-
pie would use for heating apparatus. a.
: well as for Illumination. 6enatured als
cchol The cost for heating purposes
would be very little. II any. greater, and
the safety ef the inhabitants Of tbs
rooms would ba greatly promoted. T
suggest that in the interest Of the publis
welfare the results Of this examination
be made public in some proper manner.
| Respectfully,
H. ". WILEY. Chi-s.''
President Roosevelt read Dr. WIeyS
report and letter carefully. and sent them
10 the Department Of Justice 10 learn
what action. i any. might be taken in
the case The Department of Justice re-
ferred the papers 10 Daniel ". Baker,
United States Attorney for the District of
Columbia, who gave them 70 Stuart Nc
/ Namsra, one OF his assistants. TO inves-
tigate-
Bakers Inquiry.
The report of Mr. Mcnamara. oarefuIIg
gone over and revised by 2Ir. Bsker. vas
returned TO the Department Of Justics
yesterday. The United States attorney
said:
The Attorney General Department Of
Justice. Washington. u. g
Sir; I have your reference Of certain
papers received from the White Houss
relative 20 a chemical examination bs
/ the Department 0f Agriculture Of the gas
/ supplied in this city and an inquiry into
the circumstances or The recent deaths
/ in this city caused by the Inhalation Of
air charged with carbon monoxide gas.
! L have read the reports or Professors
Hayward and skinner. the letter Of Dr..
I Wiley and Of the Secretary or AEricuIl
ture based thereon. and from these il
would appear. that the recent deatha
aere due TO the inhalation OF air charged
/ vsith carbon monONide. that carbon mon
oxide IS a very poisonous gaseous product
/ that the gas supplied 70 the city by thS
I Washington GssIighJ Company con.
ta.ns a large percentage OF carbon rnons
oxide, - wit, from % per cent to 80 pss
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