Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-02-25
W alter Gas.

We learn from the Philadelphia North
american that since the experiments made at
Wilmington, in manufacturing gas by SAN
DERS' process, "lhe parties interested in the
enterprise have been industriously engaged
in the preparations for the permanent intro
duction of the new gas-making apparatus
into the Northern Liberties gas works. As
yet, these are not complete. nor can the
change be inaugurated until the icy letters
Of winter have passed away but meantime
the furnaces have been built, the retorts put
in place, and the whole apparatus in readi-
ness, and Tor some weeks much gas has been
made. The works there have been lighted
up with it brilliantly during all that time.
and on the evening of the 18th. without any
previous intimation 10 the Superintendent of
the works. any special preparation for
show, number OF gentlemen visited the
spot to inspect the actually of the thing.
Full opportunity was afforded to all the COM
pany present to judge of the truth or falsity
of the alleged disagrecsble smell spoken of
by several Wilmington papers, and it was
agreed 10y all that when burning there was
no OdOr perceptible, and when allowed to
e,cape without being lit it was not as often
sive even as the common coal gas. In fact
the odOr Is a TesiDuous one, and to our think
ing far from nauseOus. The truth is that
when The experiments were made at Will
mingtOn, the water gas passing through the
same purifier just before used for the coal
aul Il q. 81,
the pipes some of the sulphurous deposits
left in the purifiers by the coal gas, and
h'nce arose the Odor spoken Of by the VIII
mington papers. Gas made from sleam alone
would not exhibit the brilliancy and density
of flames seen in the product of SANDERS
it Of the product of rosiH that makes the
result. Nor can it be sad that hence the
gas is properly rosin gas, as there are only
thirty pounds of rosin used TO make thous-
and feet OF gas. The retorts are 0nc-third
Of the eubical capacity of coal gas retorts,
and yield now. AT the usual heat Of the latter,
double the quantity of gas per hour, and
this can be pushed to a degree of production
equal to the facilities for conveying the gas
away. II is true that with this augmented
production quicker destruction of the re-
tort will ensue, but it is a question il that
VII not be real economy. The quantity of
fuel requisite to maintain a bench of water
gas retorts at generating heat for lively
four hours, is no more thar that requisite for
coal gas retorts- About a bushel of char
coal i consumed for every ten thousand feet
Of gas. The strength Of the light. by photo
meter, is to the coal gas as 65 is to IS, each
gas passing through it, appropriate burner
equal quantities per hour. Two men will do
the work of four by this process, and pro-
duce three times much gas. Arrangements
are now in progress to have the Girard House
exclusively lit throughout with water gas
from private establishment now being con-
structed on the premises of that concern. and
when that takes place, the people OF Phila-
delphis viii have on their main thorougiare,
an opportunity presented to them OF seeing
the new gas for themselves. 1t fact, this
cheap and brilliant light seems destined, be-
fore long. to supercede coal gas in many
parts Of the country, aud in view of the kact
that there are four hundred gas works in the
Union. the magnitude of this change raises
the pr sent efforts To more than ordinary iIn-
portance."