The Washington herald., 1909-02-01
SETTLE THE GAS QUESTIONS!

Does the House Committee on Affairs
OF the District Of Columbia propose to
allow q just measure. framed in the in
tersst Of the public welfare. 10 be over
slaughed by the one-sided testimony Of
men employed TO protect a business that
is yielding iaordinate profits?
Does the House Committee On Affairs
Of The District Of Columbia think it bet
ter TO be guided by the ex parte advice
OF these weH-paid water gas experts
as 10 the gas supply Of Washington. or
BY the unbiased recommendation Of gov
eminent experts. disinterested except as
10 the public welfare2
An official report based upon a thor
ough chemical analysis and investigation,
IS in the hands OF Congress-transmitted
by the President-which shows that the
product of the Washington Gaslight Com
psny-S0 per cent water gas and % per
cent coal gas-contains 80 per cent Of
deadly carbon monoxide. and. hence. con
stantly imperfs The lives Of consumers.
Four known deaths are Of record as the
result Of this poisonous gas supply. How
many more actually have occurred from
the same cause VIII never be known.
There Is unanimous agreement. even
by the high-priced water gas experts
themselves. as 10 the dangers Of carbon
monoxide. It's deadly poison Is not dis
puted And nobody undertakes 10 COM
hat the fact that the percentage Of car
bon monoxide in the Washington gas,
supply. accepting the sadings Of the gov
ernment experts. is abnormally anG
7erilOqsly high
But these experts, brought here 20 an
tssouize the change demanded by the
eovernment and the District offer a vol
ume Of interesting technical testimony.
enTghtening only as 10 one side. hoping
10 convince the committee that after al.
coal gas Is almost as dangerous as water
gas, and that 10 compel a change At this
time would work a hardship upon the
Washington Gaslight Company in forcing
the expenditure Of 100000 for a coal gas
plant. and thus render impossible a re-
duction in the price Of gas 10 the con
sumer
All OF which, summed up and accepted
Al its face value. means this and nothing
mc-e-that the committee is asked to
subordinate the interest OF the public 10
the interest Of the washington Gaslight
Company.
II coal gas contains only one-ffth the
amount Of carbon monoxide contained in
water gas. and can be made TO furnish
an equally satisfactory light. which IN
doubtedIy is the case, not only the wis
dom but the absolute necessity. Of re-
ducing the danger in that proportion
becomes apparent at once. As for the
outlay that would be involved in the
change. We do not believe the Washing
ton GasIight Company itself would seri-
ously contend that 1t would amount TO
even one-half Of s7oo0.o00
Is il not a fact that the most modern.
best equipped. and largest gas plant
in this country. If not in the world-that
at Astoria. y. Y. erected at cost Of so. =
ooe.o0o-is a coal gas plant? This in itself
answers the assertions Of these high
priced water gas experts that coal gas
IS becoming a thing Of the past. Addi-
tional evidence Of an equally convincing
and irrefutable character in support Of
the Districts demand for the substitu-
ton OF a safer product for the poisonous
gas now supplied may easily be furnished
II the District is as active and alert in
the public interest as the Washington
Gssiight Company has been in seeking
10 justify its use OF its dangerous prod
uct- Certainly. there should be prompt
steps taken TO put such evidence before
the committee
This whole gas question ought TO be
settled, and settled right. at this session
OF Congress A safe nluninant IS de-
manded al reasonable rate. The stock
holders OF the Washington GasHght Com
pany themselves would subserve and con-
serve their interests by joining in the
public demand for prompt and equitable
action. A perpetuation Of the present
situation is impossible ss 10 product. n
view Of the governments disclosures.
and uujustifable as 10 price. IN view Of
the rate paid by consumers in other
cities.
incidentally. the biz regulating pres
sure. though relatively unimportant,
should be passed ii the interest Of those
sections Of the city or suburbs that are
justly complaining OF poor service.