Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-03-01
CE TK A FAIR rs.
THE CITY GAS WORKS.

Yes NabuIdcloTy, ana were politely conducted through
The different apartments by the intelligent Assistant
Engineer, Mr.. Gill; Having formerly given descrip-
ton OF the buildings I'VE need not 60 through it again
The process Of manufacturing the gas is an ngeno
but still simple one. The material used is the Clover
Hill Coal which we understand is found to weld more
gas than the coal Of any other coaeld in the United
States. How it compares with the Black Heath and
Midlothian Goals, which taken from the centre of
the same basin, we not informed. The coal from
which the gas let be obtained is placed in long air tight
iron retorts, which imbedded in large furnace,
twelve on each side. The application of heat without
air causes the evolution OF the gas in impure stat
and the residumn Coke which is used for maintaining
the heat IN the furnace and sufficient for tn purpose
The gas produced in the retofts conducted by iron
pipes upwards into one horizontal pipe and is by it
carried out OF the furnace room. 1t then descends
through several cast iron pillars in which, for the pur
pose OF publication, is exposed the action of show
erng alter; next it is carried by large pipe into an apart
ment where passes through number of iron boxes in
which Is exposed to certa in chemical substances which
abstract from the phuret ted hydrogen and ammoni
acal gas. From this apartment it enters an adjoining
one, where ipasses through great cylindrical Metre
which measures and keeps a record of the whole
quantity produced. On one of The plane surfaces Of
this Metre, several ias one of which is the face
OF clock, ard attached to OF its hands is curl
Gus fixture called the TELL Tale" which informs the
superior whether the labourers hav elbeen dgent o.
not IN the performance OF their duties The hands on
the other dias indicate the number of cubic feet of ga
passed through the Metre, in millions, hundreds E
thousands tens of thousands thousands hundreds and
tens. Near the Metre is ingenious apparatus call
ed the Gorernor, the Office ofwheh is to cause unor-
nifty in the flow of the gas Hard by, in the same
ic of ti,a hoo
OF steam engine, which, amongst other duties, causes
in the large iron boxes before mentioned that agta
ton which is essential ensure the perfect abstrac-
ton OF the useless and injurious gases from the pure
carburetted hydrogen or Illuminating gas. From the
Metre the gas is conducted 10 the great Gasometer
which is SO conspicuous object in the works. and
thence is distributed required to the street pipes
But our readers probably more DESTROYS to know
the practical results OF gas experiment than to un-
the mode In which the gas is manufactured
BY the aid OF member of the City Council who has
PAID particular attention to the subject enabled
to give some statistical information which will eerve to
a certain extent 10 crafty the public curiosity.
1t must be remembered that the works are not yet
fairly under weigh. The unavoidable presence of air
in the pipes has caused the lights to be much less bril-
liant than they will be when nothing but pure gas is
thrown out by the burners and the quantity this air
IS necessarily deriving frequent increments from the
openings which daily made for the purpose of con-
Meeting the street pipes with houses.
On Wednesday night, the 26th of Feb, 4l4 public
amps, and 90 houses were supplied with gas But $50
public lamps in all have been ordered put up and
S42 houses have ordered the gas II is evident there
lore, that the statistics of Wednesday ght afford but
an imperfect test OF what the experiment will be in ito
u operation. The quantity OF gas burned by the pub.
m md ipb tbo,o ;rbt
to be as follows:
Public Lamps (4l4). 80 ITO cubic feet
HOUSES looJ. 10 $40
This gives IS feet to each public lamp, which is a
very large allowance for each full burner consumes
about feet per hour and SIS feet ought therefore TO
eleven hours
The price fixed for gas furnished TO consumers is
s5eo per thousand burner, with its full JET consul
ming hVe feet per hour, would therefore one cent
and three quarters OF cent per hour But such burn
or gives probably as much light five sperm candles
The peculiar advantage OF gas is that the quantity OF
light can be perfectly regulated. and the expenditure
accordingly.
A store on Main street, the first light it burnt gas
consumed 600 feet with % burners in about four bours
'r little more than feet per hour to the burner
thursday night tine same house, with Is burners used
tour hours IA fee to the burner 81 feet per burn
first
light, was 81, 10; the last, s7a cents
We are informed bv some me, chants who have bee.
'slng the gas since its introduction that they find them
elves paying probably as much as they formerly paid
or camphne and oil but they have three or four times
Is much light.
Inc present nu mber of orders for gas leaves no
doubt that the outlay made by the city will be amply
etufned. The net revenue Of the works without any
uture increase OF consumption will be from six to eight
per cent on their cost. So evident was it, from the
lfst tnat they would be profitable the Chief Engineer
proposed to take the whole establishment at cost and
ight the streets for thirty years in addition without
harse The quantity OF gas consumed on the night of
The 26'h ut, would, il maintained through the wear
produce gross revenue of OOOo and the interest on
he cost fthe works is SIC, 500. But the consumption
Will OF course increase with great rap dy as the con-
ections made with the houses into VIII ich GAS ia
o be introduced
some OF the principal houses using gas on the 26,h
IT. were Mr. +. Robinson's Factory burning 1000 f. in
hree nights Exchange Hotel 5000 one night and 1900
ne next A Pizzini, 1880 in three nights &C. great
roporuon OF the largest consumers had yet to com.
hence. Amongst these were the City Hotel, Myers
actory, the Armory, the Capitol Governors House
ha square, the Theatre, and most of the Churches
II course the aggregate quantity consumed on the 2eh
III. pears very small ratio to the whole consumption,
+ what 1t will be when all who wish TO use pas ar.
applied.
10 come to conclusion Of our article enough il
ow ascertamed to make it perfectly clear that the in.
es'meht' which it required So many years of newspa-
or dscusslon and so many manifestations of the pop
lar wish, oinduce the City Council to venture upon,
'as udcious and economical. Its salutary effects, in
enderng our streets nearly pleasant at night as
aY, readily aDDrec lated nv ali Va sbouo
nat 1t is an obvious public duty for the citizens gene
ally to participate in the gas The value of the
works. to the city will thus be enhanced, taxes will he
diminished and the cost of light reduced.
The Republican of yesterday fails 10 point out sin
e fine feature in the "Allegory" attempted a, the
Theatre Saturday evening" and not therefore entitled