Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-26
U. S. Experts to Test Effect
of Mixing Natural and
Artificial Products.
SEARCH FOR SUCCESSOR
TO PECK is PRESSED
Utilities Commission Hopes to Find
New Engineer by Time Re-
signed Official Quits.

The Bureau of Standards TO-DAY
pledged Us cooperation to the Public
Utilities, Commission in the investiga-
ticn of the gas situation as the com
mission began a search for a successor
to Bert H. Peck, its chief engineer in
charge of the inquiry, who resigned To
become an assistant to George A. G..
Wood, president of the Washington Gas
Light Co.
The commission hopes to find an
other engineer to take over the in
vestigation by. Saturday when Mr..
Peck's resignation becomes effective
Irrespective of its success, however,
MAJ. Gen. Mason M. Patrick, chair
man Of the commission, said there
would be no let-up in the inquiry. but
on the contrary, it would be pushed
even more vigorously.
Inc Bureau of Standards offered its
assistance to the commission In re-
spouse to a request last week that il
conduct series of tests to determine
the effect Of the new mixture of natural
ano art1nc1al gas on gas appliances
THESE tests, 1t is believed, will show the
cause or the carbonization of gas appli-
ances-a condition regarded as danger
GUS because of cases reported to the
commission where carbon has extin-
gulshed the flame on pilot lights and
gas ranges.
Wants to Save Time.
In reply to the commissions reo,,est
DR.. George K. Burgess, director of the
Bureau OF Standards, wrote:
We viii be glad TO make the weekly
analyses Of gases requested IN your let
ter OF February 20, but would like to
confer with your engineer as to the
completeness necessary in making them.
since great deal of time can be saved
II all the constituents do not have to
be determined in detail.
You are probably aware that the
conventional methods OF gas analysis
which will give all the information nee
essary for determination of the heat
ing value OF the gas, air required for
combustion and other properties which
AFFECT the character of the flames, do
not result in the determination of the
exact amount of several constituents,
particularly ethane, propane, butane,
ETC.
1T may be of interest to your COM
mission that this bureau has been study
ing the performance of gas appliances,
including eficiencies for many wears.
and has considerable amount of data
available on such subjects We will be
glad to place any of this information at
your disposal or to cooperate with the
commission in any other way"
Tests Found Hampered.
Elmer G. Runyan, the commissions
gas engineer, who was directed to make
certain tests to determine the effect on
consumption of varying pressures, re-
ported to the commission that his prog
reSs has been hampered by the small
range OF preSSureS available In his labo-
ratory. The highest pressure obtainable
IN the laboratory, he said, was inches,
which Is inches under the new 8-inch
maximum allowed by the commission.
Tests have been made from 2-inch
pressures up to s inches. but the tests
on the higher scale of pressures will
nave to be made outside the laboratory.
The commission is particularly anx-
ious to ascertain the effect on consump-
ton Of pressures between 8 and IA
mches-the range of pressures found
existing when Mr.. Peck conducted his
pressure survey. While the tests on
these pressures will necessarily have to
be made outside the laboratory, it was
said at the commission that the result
would be the same.
Richmond B. Keech, peoples counsel
before the commission, who is conduct
ing an independent investigation to
determine the cause of the flood of
complaints over high gas bills, is study
ing report prepared by j. M. Nichol-
son, his research assistant, which de-
clares that increased pressures are
responsible for higher gas consumption.
This report is significant" Mr.. Keech
said because it shows that in those
(Continued IN Pare . HolIIyoD 81