Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-10-09
FoK The Wing.
As.-NO. .

Another objection, which have heard urged, IS that
works OF capacity hight the city be constructed
for one hundred thousand doars This know 10 be
rey futile, from an estimate IN possession, which
made BY person well acquainted with the subject
any other in the United States am not liberty TO make
II public, but will state that It met the appreciation Of Sa-
mue u. Nerrck, WHO constructed oil the gas-works
Philadelphia. The Superintendent OF the Philadelphia
Works this time John Cresson ESQ. whose capacity
be estimated by the fact that under his charge they
yield twenyiour per esnt clearly OF opinion hat they
should reach that In tins opinion be is
suar being supported by Charles Roome ESQ. Of the Man
haitian Gas Works. All three of these enjoy high
reputation for skill and integrity. Is safer their
Judgment that Of men who do profess 70 know
any thing Of the matter practically
Those who make tins objection insist upon having
works OF the capacity with the original Philadelphia
works. To show the absurdiy OF such idea, viii be
merely necessary 70 state the capacity OF those works
lst. They had two gashoder each capable OF holding
$4,000 feet Of gas. This quantity rs 600 it, they regu
larry supplied 10 population OF more than one hundred
thousand, and at the time, Philadelphia the best lt
city in the Union. Each OF these holders 50 feet in
diameter.
ID The retorthouse was SO feet by 100. and was fur
nIshed with BENCHES. Il could with all have
inside 10000 cubic feet Of g, had there been another
holder 10 receive 10.
very much doubt whether the city Of Baltimore cen
gas than this retori-house could furnish.
Now what upon earth, the reader will say, does city
o. $4,000 inhabitants want with such works thesel-
Five benches, with gasometer capable OF holding so COO
cubic feet, is oil tina; desire. Indeed, may well be
doubted whether Richmond will consGme $4,000 feet per
night IN the next nifty years. Mot undoubtedly, such
works the first Philadelphia cannot least will not
be put up for 5 10000. Blu; there no necessity for
them II this disposition scale far above
any thing that is sdcd that has Jeff many public works
half finished IN the STATE the great loss OF the stockhod
aud the Infinite shame OF the projectors Let US cut
coat according dimensions. 1t absurd to fur
nsh much cloth for that purpose middle-sized man
as would clothe Daniel Lambert. Let take means TO
enlarge city the size Of that which wish rival
before We engage 10 such enormous and useless expense
There nave OF late years, beea several instances OF gas
works constructed a. expense far exceeding estimate
here made. To this ! will here merely alude In nv
next will speak OF fully. ! will for the present
bring up two examples which directly m point
in support Of assertion. The gas-works Pittsburg
fraction above $4,000. They were constructed bv
Samuel l.. Meuck. Esq. and a model for oh similar
works. There Is not much pipe laid would be re-
qued here but in other respects they precisely such
want The Manhattan Gas Works IN. Y were
originally built for 100000 They answered the pur-
pose badly thai they pulled down and new sett
built These last constructed under the direction OF Chas
Roome, Esq but $4,000 though they furnish AT
least that number of cubic feet OF gas per night.
il easy understand how gas works have become so
DEAR and will explain It 10 my This much for the
present, Is sufficient SHOCKOE