Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-31

hibition of gas took place in 1916, when
the crowned heads OF Europe assembled
| in London to celebrate the downfall OF
| Napoleon. There was a Mr.. Murdoch
there who came out OF the establishment
| of Bolden & Watts. The world is in
debted to Watts for being the inventor
| of the pump. the boiler pump. making
steam engines available. This Mr..
| Murdoch. in order to celebrate this great
event, which was probably the largest
gathering of distinguished people ever to-
sether in the world. had a pagoda built
| for the ball to be given to them. and
10000 OF the new lights in it. By some
| device he had them all lighted at once.
and it made great impression on the
| people there, who came from every part
| OF the world, and the business spread I'M
| mediately through the greatest advertise
ment that has ever been known. Also,
| people looked better under the gas light
than they did in the daylight, and it
| magnifed even the brilliancy Of the
jewelry. and it had everything to COM
| mend it and works were built all over
! the civilized world.
In 1885 the city of Philadelphia sent Mr.
Samuel Merritt, whom you have heard OF
often. over to Europe to investigate the
| gas business. There had been some gas
before In this country. I believe, in Bal
| timore. and by this time the parliament
| or England had discovered that it would
explode. They had not thought Of that
and so they commenced to make laws
against this gas. One Of the things they
| compelled them to do was to put brick
house over every gasholder and then they
| thought the pipes would explode under the
streets. or course. putting the house over
the gasholder only increased the force OF
| the damage. because the light in each iron
holder would explode and do no harm
but il they exploded all these bricks were
scattered over everything and they might
hurt people. So they gave that up Then
In Philadelphia very distinguished citi-
zen there, a man who afterward became
the engineer of the gas works, Mr.. John
{. Preston. member Of the Franklin In
stitute. published papers. which are still
in existence, advising people against in
Producing it. that it was dangerous and
poisonous, and il you swallowed it it
would kill you: If you allowed little of
it In your room it would explode and
destroy you and he said, finally, that the
pipes would all blow up under the streets
and blow UP the town and all that. OF
course, all of that was wrong.
Considered Dangerous.
| Mr.. Moore-It was generally regarded as
a very dangerous experiment?
Mr.. McIlhenny-Yes.
| Mr.. Moore-An innovation that would
probably supersede the sperm oil lamp
and the tallow candle?
| Mr.. McIlhenny-Yes
Mr.. Moore-People We're really afraid
| they would have to dispense with those
very great accessories to their happi-
ness.
Mr. McIlhenny-I believe all the tallow
candles in the world would not light
Washington as well as it is lighted by
| gas. So the gas has been very i'm
portant factor in the affairs of men.
Mr.. Moore-Now, being an engineer and
a manufacturer. what would you suggest
la Inn 1,x,x Of
ing the number Of deaths. by way of
| keeping under control these dangerous
substances that We have had explained
| to us that arise from the manufacture
of water gas?
| Mr.. McIlhenny-I believe, as you said
a moment ago. Mr.. Moore. that you
cannot make any laws that will make
people careful, and even arouse an in
terest in them about danger. They seem
to run headlong into things. ] think that
| is very much like the trolley accidents
| in Philadelphia. When it first started
there there were a great many deaths,
| but now there do not seem to be many.
People know the danger and keep out of
the way. Ny remedy would be to have
a severe inspection of piping and fittings
all over the house. and to give circu-
lar to every family that used gas, telling
them where the risk lay.
Mr. Sms-DO we have any inspection of
| fittings in the houses?
| Mr.. McIlhenny-We have them.
Mr.. Sims-If there has ever been a gas
| inspector in my house l have not seen
| him.
Mr.. McIlhenny-They do have inspectors
here. but / do not know how thorough the
| inspection is. The usual way is this, that
| a gas man hangs the fixtures, and has to
put on mercury gauge, and that gauge
| is to stand over night without sinking
during the twelve hours. and then if
I that is the case there Is no leak in the
house. If that mercury sinks it shows
| there is leak somewhere, and it has to
| be looked for and corrected. But if
people knew the danger of these things
I think no accidents would happen.
Water and Typhoid.
Mr.. Moore-You are familiar with the
fact that water that is used for consump-
ton in large cities is often productive of
| typhoid?
| Mr.. McIlhenny--Yes. sir.
| Mr.. Moore-There is no inspection, Of
course, of the water that comes into the
| house?
| Mr.. McIlhenny-Yes.
| Mr.. Moore-But large cities have adopt
ed methods of warning the people against
| the use of water.
| Mr.. McIlhenny-Yes.
| Mr.. Moore-They send circulars instruct
| ing the householder to boil the water and
so forth. Have you any suggestions
| along that line?
Mr.. Taylor-You stated that you be-
| lieved 1t would be a good plan to send
| out circular to each householder that
used gas. telling them about the risk?
| Mr.. McIlhenny-Yes, that was my Sug-
seston.
| Mr.. Moore-Then you can make no
| practical suggestion which will aid us in
| framing legislation to lessen the number
| of deaths from the use of water saso
| Mr.. McIlhenny-Or any gas. Deaths
have always taken place since l have
gas; l made coal gas. and I have always
had this fear of people doing something
foolish and getting into trouble with 1t.
| Mr.. Sims-Mr. McIlhenny. 1t seems to
| me like the question before the committee
| is not comparing the number of acct
| dents occurring by way OF gas or street
cars or anything else; but here is the
| proposition--to use one of two kinds of
! gas, either exclusively coal gas or water
| gas, carbureted or mixed. Now the ques-
ton for us to determine is whether we
| will force this company to adopt one. or
permit them to go on. Now, as between
| water gas and coal gas In general use,
| which is the more dangerous?
| Mr. McIlhenny-I have listened to these
gentlemen today, and theoretically, sup
pose, water gas contains more poisonous
| vapor: but l believe one is about as bad
as the other, and II you go back to coal
gas, one is about bad as the other.
The people do not want it. The people
| want the highest illuminant because it
Is cheaper and better. and the few deaths
that occur would take place with coal
gas; might be more with coal gas.
| Mr. Sims-You see. We have before us
the special duty. Here is the recommen-