Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-01

There are certain constituents both OF
coal gas and carbureted water gas which
have been picked out by law as being OBJ
2noxious, and the extent to which they
are permitted to be present has been linn
tied by law or by ordinance. and the gas
companies in all the large cities are under
those regulations: but those regulations
have never included carbon monoxide
They include sulphureted hydrogen.
which is not allowed at all. Then there
are sufphureted compounds and other
at all which are allowed to extend to 20
grains per 100 feet. The reason that
these things have been picked out for
regulation is that the products of combus-
ton formed by them are obnoxious. 1t is
not that they themselves are particularly
obnoxious in the gas. but when the gas
is burned the products are obnoxious.
Mr. Moore-They make smoky gas?
Mr.. ForstallHNo; the sulphureted hy-
drogen and the sulphureted compounds
effect on you that is produced by the
fumes of sulphur match 1t affects the
mucous membrane of the throat ana
lungs. 1 said that all of them were
picked out OF course the presence Of
ammonia has been limited because Of it's
effect while it Is in the gas; but that
regulation is gradually disappearing now.
England has given it up altogether; has
had it and given it up.
Mr. GOldsbOrough-It pays the gas COM
pany to take it out, does it not?
Large and Small Companies.
Mr.. Forstall-A large gas company. yes.
sir; small gas company. it does not.
Mr. Murphy-The question. in the man
ner in which it was stated by Mr.. Moore.
was that you estimated that there wound
be a destruction of S7OOO,OO0 worth Of
property in the change here. You did not
make any estimate?
Mr.. toll do oct nj
and 1 tried to make that clear in my
answer.
Mr.. Moore-Have you any compromise
to suggest to this committee as between
the operation of this bill, which has been
said to be practically destructive and
the proper distribution of gas service to
the people of the District of Columbia?
Mr.. Forstall-I suggested, in answer to
Mr. Sims, that great deal OF the danger
from gas poisoning in the locations in
be remedied, or could be Obviated, by
giving the health department of the Dis
trict the authority to enforce regulations
as to the character and size of burners
that should be used In the rooms of the
lodging houses and smaller tenements.
: Mr.. Moore-Then you boil it all down
to question of regulation. would YOU?
Mr.. Forstall-It is a question of regu-
lation of piping and fittings and fixtures ;
Mr.. SimS-From your knowledge of the
conditions in Washington. does not the
Washington Gas Light Company furnish
the water gas in as excellent a manner as
it can be furnished?
Mr. FOrStall-AS far as the company is
concerned, yes.
Mr.. Sims-In other words. by anything
the company can do in retaining the water
gas they cannot reduce the dangers to life
and health?
company's operations are concerned there
is no danger. l do not think there has
been a case of poisoning to an employe
of the gas company. l found no record
of it in going over the records and that is
the rule throughout the country, there are
no gas works employees that are hurt.
Mr.. Sims-I have reference to the public
service. to their customers.
Mr. Forstall-There is nothing the COM
pany can do. They deliver it to the meter
in as safe a way as it can be done.
Question of Regulations.
Mr.. Sims-No regulations can be adopt
ed, or legislation, that will make water
gas more safe to the public here than it is
as now distributed, if 1 understand, as far
as the company is concerned?
Mr.. Forstall-No, I do not think of any.
Mr.. Keliher-The authority of the COM
pany ceases when the gas reaches the
meter, does it not?
Mr.. Forstall-So I have always under
stood. l think that is the view that is
taken.
Mr.. Keliher-From the time it leaves the
meter the company has nothing to do with
directing the manner in which it is car
ried?
Mr.. Forstall-The company can act in an
advisory capacity, but it cannot lay down
any regulations as to how it must be used
Mr. Keiher-Have you found any law
manner of piping, the size of pipes and SO
forth. in the District?
Mr.. Forstall--I understand from this let
ter from Commissioner Mcfarland, which
Is printed in the report of the hearings of
January 3D. that there is such law, but
/ do not know what it is. There are some
regulations as to gas fitting.
Z Mr. MoOre-There are regulations as to
plumbing. Mr.. Keliher, and there are quite
a number pertaining to the operation of
gas plants.
Mr. Taylor-Mr. Thomas, do you desire
to ask any questions?
+. H. Thomas. esq.-As l understood,
you visited this gas plant when?
down there.
Mr.. Thomas-Did you make an extern
sive investigation of the capacity and
character Of the plant at that time?
Mr.. Forstall-No, 1 was engaged in the
test of process which was being tried
there, and that was the only thing that
occupied my time.
Mr. Thomas-You have not gone over
the plant in order to make an estimate
of what it would cost to alter the plant
so that it could manufacture coal gas?
Mr.. Forstall-No. sir.
Mr.. Thomas-And therefore you cannot
give any reliable figures upon that prop
oSition?
Fairly Close Figures.
Mr. Forstall-I can give figures that are
fairly close as TO what it would cost to
build new works and that Is all l tried
to do: but / can go further than that and
say from my general knowledge of the
business that it is obvious that two sepa-
rate works that are making 70 per cent
of coal gas and so per cent of carbureted
water gas cannot he economically turned
into works making 100 per cent of coal
gas. and would therefore have to be for
economic reasons abandoned if the gas
had to be all coal gas.
Mr. Thomas-But you have made mo val
uafion of the part of the works that
would have to be abandoned?
Mr. FCrstall-NO, sir.
Mr. Thomas-And you have made no
valuation or estimate of the amount of
material or work that would have to be
done to replace the abandoned part?
Mr. ForstaIl-Yes, | have made an off
hand calculation.
Mr. Thomas-Yes l know. but I am
speaking about a valuation that would be
reliable that would give what the actual
cost was; YOU have not done that?
Mr. Forstal-I think the cost that
gave would not be very far away from
what would be necessary to replace with
coal gas apparatus the present apparatus
of the company.
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