The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-02-06
seldom LIVES
TO TELL STORY
Leak Hunter Generally Lo,
Gates Leak, But
METERS DO NOT LIE
Air one-Eiehth Gas High EXPLOSIVE
The Proper Behavior When
Presence Of Gas Is Noticed
Information That May
Save Lives
(By Bert B. Buckley, State Fire
Marshal.)

Marsha1.)
Looking for a gas leak with match
is an experience which comes butt
once in a lifetime.
There is little reliable testimony ass
to what occurs when the leak il
found, because the person who car
ries the lighted match becomes In
competent to utter the facts subse-
quently. The search always is suc>.
cessful.
II the presence of gas in the house
Is suspected, all lights and frea
should be extinguished, the doors
and windows thrown open and ain
gas keys closed The leak should ba
sought by running the fingers along
the pipes, for through leak large
enough to be a danger, gas escapes
with force that can be felt
CALL THE GAS MAN
But it is wise instantly to call tho
gas company whose man will shut on
the gas at the curb and find the hola
by blowing air through it so fast that
it will whistle. Leaks usually occur
at the ends where pipes are joined.
along the seam or through a sand
hole in cast iron elbow. If hole
is too small to be found with the fin
gers, the gas will betray itself by
blowing bubble If it is coated with
soap suds. A small hole may be
plugged temporarily with splinter
of soft wood or by wrapping it with
bandage smeared with soap.
STRONGER THAN GUNPoWDER
Air containing as much as 8 per
cent gas is high explosive-that 10
to say more powerful than gunpow.
der. 1t will blow up if it touches a
flame or bright red-hot iron in a hot
plate. The coal in cigar or a Gig
arctic has the same heat, which Is
about 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Either
will explode gas or gasoline vapor.
Gas unmixed with air cannot burn.
Everyone should be watchful of all
kinds of gas used in lighting or cook
ing, for they are SO elastic under pres
sure that they are constantly trying
to get out OF the pipes.
THE PIoUs GAs-METER
A gas-meter cannot He-it isn't
built that way, but it has been lied
about cruelty. 1t is a perfect clock
and, therefore, accurate if set right.
The exploding of the small amount
of gas in it wouldn't blow out lamp.
Persons passing the site of late FIRE
see a wrecked meter in the cellar and
report 'gas meter explosion" The
facts are the fire consumed the shelf
upon which it so peacefully sat; the
heat of the burning building melted
the lead in its connections and seams,
leaving it a guiltless wreck.
HOUSES WRECKED IN DAYTON
It is we'll worth while for an owner
to inspect the piping in the cellar Of
his building every few months The
responsibility of the gas company
stops at the curb, and In few cities
are there a number of inspectors suf.
ficient to make frequent inspections
of plumbing. An explosion which was
typical, except that no one was burn
ed to death, occurred in Dayton re-
Gently. 1t reduced two-story dwell
ing to brick bats and kindling, drove
in the wall of two-story brick build
ing on one side and moved frame
house on the other.
THE CAUSE OF 1T ALL
An inch and a quarter surface pipe
from the curb to the meter in the cell
lar passed through the middle OF
abandoned outside cellar steps, partly
filed with earth and covered by a
grating. In this space about Is inch
es of pipe was exposed to the wealth
er. The average thickness of this
section of pipe was 1-16 inch, and It
was perforated in several places by
rust Rust scales leave a surface
that is nearly smooth while electrolys
sis makes pits with ragged edges.
According to the testimony Of q
, lady who left the house unoccupied
an hour before the explosion, gas was
/ burning in a stove at the rear OF the
first floor. The meter was read by
the gas company less than an hour
before the explosion, and showed
slight change afterward. This proves
the leak to have been between meter
and street.
It was argued by bystanders that
the explosion could not have been OF
gas because the wreckage did not
take fire. Fire following gas explo-
sions result only from burning gas
from a broken pipe or fixture being in
contact with the debris Of the wreck.
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