The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-11-01

ina the sas W OFks.
Amongst those great discoveries Of mod
ern science which have found a general ap-
phcation in promoting the welfare of man
kind and revolutionisng the condition of
human society, Gas Lighting is entitled to
prominent place. Like steam navigation,
railways and telegraphing, gas lighting has
been brought into public service since the
opening Of the present century.
The first experiment of any note was made
in Birmingham, England in the year 1902,
but so many objections were urged against it,
mostly in consequence of the imperfections
attending the process of manufacture and
distribution, that several years were re-
CURED TO give if a start. After it was intro
duced to public favor, however, by the illu-
minaton Of the dark streets Of the great
city of London, il spread rapidly over Great
Britain, and in few years BECAME the com
mon source Of light for most of the cities
and larger towns Of Europe and the United
States.
The gas used almost universally at the
present time for furnishing light is manufac-
tured from coal, though various oils have
been used for the same purpose. The coal
gas is compound principally composed of
two inaammable gases known as carburetted
hydrogen and olefant gas in variable pro-
portions, and the specific gravity of the coal
gas varies according to the quality from 40
to 30, increasing in weight in proportion to
Its purity and light-giying capacity. -Four
hundred cubic inches Of the best quality Of
gas, it is said, will furnish light equal to
that of one candle for the space Of an hour
The Camel coal is the best for making
gas, and yields, on large scale of manufac-
ture, about 1000 cubic feet to 200 pounds of
coal. The ordinary coal of the West does
not produce gas in SO great proportion nor
OF as good "A quality.
The constituents of coal are HYDROGEN.
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and usually sui
phur and various earthly matter beside, all
OF which are separated from each other when
the coal is exposed to d high temperature,
and enter into new combinations. forming
coal gas and variety Of other gases and
acids, as well as water, tar, 6e.
The coal is thrown into large vessel of
cast iron called retort, Of which there are
several to be built into a kind Of furnace so
that the fire can have full play upon it. This
retort has two openings, one Of which, on
the upper surface, contains the exit pipe
which passes into cylinder constituting a
portion of the hydraulic main, which is part
y filled with liquid, and serves to collect the
gas and other matters evolved by the heat in
the rctorts. The other opening Of the re-
tort admits the coal, which is shovelled in,
and then The aperture being covered with
tight lid, the dense smoke and gases find an
outlet through the exit pipe into the hydrau-
hc main. Connected with the hydraulic
main, which is itself large and long cylin-
drical pipe, are various tubes and pipes, con
denSers and purifiers, which separate all 9TH
er matters and impurities, and finally con
ducts the coal ga~ 10 the bottom of an i'm
mense cis.ern partially filled with water, in
which large sheet IRON vessel is suspended
bottom up, for its reception. From this
grand receptacle the gas is distributed, by
the pressure of the gasometer, through cast
IRON pipes varying from 3 to 10 inches il
diameter and as many feet in length, which
are joined tightly together, and the joint
rendered gas-fight by melted lead, aud thi.
land any distance that may be required.
The large pipes running along the streets
are called mains; the smaller ones attache,
70 these for the purpose Of supplying houses
are usually Of wrought iron and Of yer,
small size in comparison, and are called ser
vice pipes.
Gas metres for measuring the quantity 0
gas, regulators fer controlling the cxpendi
ture through the service pipes, stop cocks I
shut II of and let it out at pleasure, an
posts for the street lamps constitute, wit
the lamps themselves, which are Of variou
kinds, the apparatus for the distribution an
consumption Of the gas, which being ignii
ed on coming in contact with the atmospher
continues to burn as long as the gas is pei
United 10 escape through the pipe.
The streets Of city cannot be lighted u
IN any other manner than by gas light, ar
II has been demonstrated TO be the most ecor
oInical, the safest and most agreeable moe
OF Lighting dwellings and business houses.
There is no offensive smell in the burnir
q pure gas, and hardly the remotest dang
70 DC apprehended from It's use either fro
ire or explosion, while much more bri
liant light is afforded, than from candle
lamp, al a fraction Of their cost.