Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-13
Measure Can Be Altered to
Prohibit Carbon Monoxide.
LIMIT is TEN PER CENT
Commissioners Await Hint From
Committees of Congress.
LOW PRESSURE PROVISION
Complaints of Takoma Park Citizens
Regarding Dangers From Lights
Going Out Considered.

To limit the amount of carbon monoxide
in the gas furnished District residents to
10 per cent is the object Of bill which
has been drafted by Corporation Counsel
E. Fl. Thomas and which was submitted
to the District Commissioners today.
The bill. it is explained. is drafted
with the idea that, with the change OF
few words, it can be made absolutely to
prohibit carbon monoxide in gas.
The draft was prepared by the corpora
ton counsel at the behest of the Commits
sioners. given several days ago. At that
time the Commissioners recommended, on
the basis Of report of United states
District Attorney Baker, that Congress
pass bill which will either prohibit en-
tirely the manufacture of water gas In
the District or limit it to small pro-
portion.
Awaiting Hint From Congress.
The Commissioners are waiting to hear
from either Of the District committees OF
Congress as to which course they prefer.
In the meantime, the corporation counsel
was instructed to prepare two bills to
meet either contingency.
In preparing the bill limiting the amount
of carbon mOnoxide in the gas distributed
through the District to 10 per cent, 1t is
explained, the corporation counsel recos-
nized that either coal or water gas con-
tains a certain portion of carbon monoX-
ide. Coal gas. according to estimates sub
mitted to rim, contains from D 10 per
cent. while water gas contains larger
portion of the deadly fume.
The Districts legal adviser said TINS
morning that he had not taken UP the
consideration OF the suggestion Of the
Takoma Park Citizens Association that
the large proportion Of carbon monoxlde
in the gas creates a nuisance and can
be prohibited under the law preventing
nuisances. While carbon monoxide is
poisonous, he stated, 1t must be consider
ed that all gas furnished for heating or
illuminating purposes is dangerous to life
if not used properly.
Law to Regulate Pressure.
On account Of complaints received at
the District building regarding the low
pressure of gas in different parts OF the
city. the Commissioners have decided to
ask Congress to enact a law requiring
that a pressure Of at least one men
shall be maintained at all times.
In recommending such action to his
colleagues Commissioner Macfarland
pointed out the dangers of lack Of pres
sure The motion, in full, follows:
''llere Is now no requirement. VI Ia w
as to the pressure of gas in the District
of Columbia and / recommend. in view OF
the complaints made to the Commission
ers. of the ill-effects and the danger Of
lack Of suitable pressure at dlnerent
points in the District. that Congress be
asked to enact a law which will require
pressure of at least one inch.
II move that the question regarding the
nuisance i'm the distribution of carbon
monoxide. referred to in the communica-
ton from Takoma Park, be referred TO
the corporation counsel
Takoma Park Complaint.
The alarm which the citizens of Tako-
ma Park feel on account of the failure
of the gas-producing and gas-distributins
company of the District to maintain
sufficient pressure to keep open jets
lighted is set forth in a letter to the
Commissioners from a committee on gas
and lights Of the Takoma Park Citizens
Association.
For more than a year" says the let
ter. 1.-THE people of Takoma Park have
been troubled with an insufficient amount
of gas for both cooking and illuminating
purposes the quantity being so low that
on frequent occasions the gas lights In
both the gas ovens and in the ordinary il
Eliminating jets have become eXtingufsh-
ed. This has been the case. particularly
between the hours of and Z in the
evening and and s in the morning, and
we have been especially troubled in hav-
ing our gas go out since the month of
October"
Danger Is Emphasized.
Several complaints regarding low gas
pressure are then cited and the letter pro-
ceeds:
Now, gentlemen. when it is realized
that on the very evening preceding the
fire which destroyed the Bliss Electrical
School the gas pressure was so low in
Takoma Park that the gas lights are
known to have gone out. and that on
many occasions the lights did actually
become extinguished in the Bliss school it
that we are living in danger of having
fire.
1.-The danger to fire, however. is not the
most serious one to which we are sub
jected We are fully aware of the facts
brought out by the recent investigation
regarding the Bremerman fatality. We
realize fully that when our lights go out
and the leakage Of the gas is unnoticed
there is constant danger to health and
even to life itself.
1.-The Washington city gas contains 80
per cent of carbon mOnoXide, gas which
is so deadly that when a guinea pig is
exposed to an atmosphere containing |
per cent of carbon monOXide for fifteen
minutes it collapses as though it were
dead; that birds placed In an atmosphere
of per cent of carbon monoxide for three
minutes are killed outright.
Pressure Regulation Proposed.
..In view Of the fact that Washington
city gas is SO poisonous. We, as citizens
of Takoma Park, would respectfully rec
ommend that when the gas laws are
amended they be amended SO that the
gas company will be required to furnish
gas to all parts of the District Of Co
lumbia with minimum pressure of one
inch. and that tests be made by the in
| spector of gas Of the pressure in all parts
of the city, and that the gas company be
penalized for failing to provide such pres
sure of gas.
"If we in Takoma Park had at least
one inch of pressure the danger to life
and health would be removed While
we recognize that pressure OF at least
1.5 inches should be maintained in order
| to get good lighting results. inch pres
| sure would make 1t safe to use gas.
| 1.-THE charter of the Washington Gas
Light Company, granted August =, 1913,
| reads:
"'That said company will so conduct
| the manufacture of gas as not to in
| lure private property or to create a
| nuisance May I ask a legal question?
| is not the manufacture Of gas containing
| 30 per cent of deadly poison and its dis
| tr;h,,t;op at Sllch low pressure that IL is