Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-01-31
THE CITY GAS WORKS.

Without attempting dry detail OF all the nachey oo
nected with beautiful works. brief description Of 'ne
general features may not be without interest
The building fronting Cary street is SO feet front by 80
feet desp two stories high and divided into apartments
designed for Offices purifying room metre room work shop
and store ROOM The House. standing % feet in rear
Of the front building go feet front By 90 feet Deep covered
win slate roof laid on an iron frame. This building VIII
H benches of etorts each eight OF which are now
erected, and nearly ready for operation.
In front of this building is beautiful facade OF cast iron
formed Of graceful Corinthan columns, which being ho
low and connected with the reorts serve TO cool the gas
The stack or chimney standing In the rear OF inc Retor
House is an elegant conca shaft IL feet in diameter at the
base feet in diameter the capital and is lib feet high
the pn,h or base IL feet square, feet high the capa
of chs, IRON 10 feet In diameter, feet high
The Gashoder or reservoir which supplies the pipes lead
ing through the city, Telescope that is composed OF two
onts like those of Telescope II is g. feet in diamete
each section 90 feet high the Gas-holder will contain
100000 cubic feet of Cas- II supported by cast IRON
composed of set of columns and en,sbatuges
connected at the top by girders of the same material.
Over the entrance to the building the words "Cy
Gas Works" beautifully carved in solid granite capitals
Every portion ofhe work is done in superior STYLE we nave
never seen finer on brick granite work-and we 90 not
know which admire the elegance OF style or inc SUD-
sana character OF the whole affair The works are more
LOT first and the additional strip Of land in the rear
the cost will perhaps to 100000 All the latest I'M
movements have been introduced and doubt whether
there are superior works Of the kind in the Union We hail
their completion as great triumph, and as some evidence
that Richmond is making herself worthy metropolis Of
the oldest State in the confederacy.
Wo suboin few interesting facts from the Dispatch
A, last in spite all obs,acles-n defiance of the most
bitter the mos, stupid the unelen'ing opposon-the
gas works uptee hundred private consumers nave al
ready put their down-hey will start with private
consumption Of l5 900 cubic feet yielding 81 dollars nlgh
or s 600 for whole year. When every item OF expense
shall been paid tho last farthng even If the con-
sumption docs increase within tho year. the gas WORKS
will nett fully six per cent on the cost
Mr. Vanceve we learn, made formal offer 10 take them
of the hands OF the city, furnish the public lamps for moth
ing and that the price should not be higher than
now thirty years. he paving every cent OF the cost OF
puur them up Oh! the wisdom-:he Incompatible wis
were battling and struggling and striving themselves in
dead opposition the whole scheme and would now gladly
toke all the credit OF it. Will they be silent hereafter,
from very shame when scheme shall be proposed for the
benefit of the city least until they have made thcm
selves acquainted with its merits
But probably they not far out OF the line OF prece
dents NAV be imagined When il first proposed
ioht the city OF Philadelphia with gas John Sergeant
tered the newspapers in opposition IT, and he proved
,bot forty mortal columns that scheme would cnevahy
ruin philadelphia That city now derive, twenty-five per
cent from her gas works. and she has lii every ane and alley
Mr. Sergeant was almost wise Mr. Lsrdne who proved
bevond doubt that the coull not be navgncd by
hy ayng In a steamer from the criminal laws OF his
country We could mention other instances of superior wis
dom in our own neghbohood but "th little taste shall
suffice" as my Lord Coke saith.