The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-01-24
Water Gas nj Aurora.

| With some surprise VS. have heard from A cit.
izen Of Aurora Indiana, that this city. % miles
| from Cincinnati, has for the last two weeks been
! illuminated with gas, and this tho much-talkei-
| Of Sanders Water Gas" the discovery Of a
former citizen OF Cincinnati. As no public ne
ticc has before been made Of this enterprise and
II is important not only from the fact that thi,
is the first town lighted with the so-caled IVA
ter gas, but from its success promising almost
| revolution in gas matters we have endeav ored
10 gather some details on the subject or at least
interesting gCnCraltics.
The efforts n the friends Of this gas 10 intro
duCc II IN the public ga works Of Philadelphia,
and the rcsistamcc oi the companies there, whose
interests are identified with the coal mines asd
the final lighting up of the Girari House with
success, are facts familiar to many newspaper
readers. MIR. Arm III. SANDERS the owner Of
the right In Indiana, dosirous of trying the gas
In some town. induced Mr.. Jrfius SEVERN, an
enterprisng mechanic in Aurora aud somewhat
acquainted with gas works, to investigate per-
sonally this subject, and the result was, last
Fall, his determination To at ono" commence tho
erection Of Water Gas works in his own town tho
right uf the county being sold to him at q merely
nominal sum. An individual enterprise, AMI
with hut limited capital, Mr.. SEvrRrS has had
many difficulties to overcome. but is at last sue
ccssul and with the prospect ofbcinE literally
Nardcd for his enterprise. His gas works, capa-
blo ot supplying tho consumption Of Aurora for
many wears to come, have been IN ,toldy opera
ton toit wo week., produce pure, brilliant, and
almost odorl'ss E,s. so well plciscd are tho
citizens, that many who had held of fearing tho
final result, are now having fixtures placed In
their h,usCs. At present there nearly five
hundred burners, supplied through seven thou-
sand irt oi main pilr IN the streets. This gas
Is not uriiirl, " thus dispensing with a heavy
expense anl much labor, IN H. pens ,blc to thu
manufacture of coal gas, vet the l,Is is Siil to
be- superior to the ordinary coal gaS in brilliancy
l'urihcd, II would, Of course, hc much brighter.
II gives bright and beautiful lisht when burnt
just ~ it comes from the rctortS even before
passing through the washer"
Tho work, are similar to thosc for the making
of coal gas, excepting for the productions of gas,
with similar pipes, fixtures Sc. The Aurora
Works contain hut three small rctorts, which arc
claimed TO hc the full equivalent of bench Of
six 10y nine NJ the large coal -as rctort.. In nd-
diti"n, there u strani-builrr; also over tho
rciorts u tank for the rlrhOnizing material such
as ru~iu, crude oil, or other material containing
carbon. Watcr-gns works cost uuc.t third les, than
algas works Of the same capabilities u, We are
informed, and can hc managed hv unr-thirl tho
nunlEr oi men. In addition to these facts, the
experiment NJ Aurora has demonstrated. W. nrc
informed, that the watrr-gas can br ml,lc much
rhraItr than Conl-3,Hs; II is almost OlurlCss the
works huing No 0tirnsc to their immrdiItc neigh.
hWhuud; IT does not CDHd.nW 81 much ~ coal
Gas; VI do"s not leave deposits Of any kind in til.
piIcs, hN which they Or their meters may lbs
affected.
These facts are certainly important enough TO
recommend tho Sanders Water Gas TO tho
careful examination Of all persons, companies ani
communities Interested in gas. Tho additional
fact, that the Aurora Works promises to amply
reward their builder, when the limited number
Of consumers would render the erection Of coal
gas works there an enterprise not to bo thought
"i fnr moment As paying speculation, is sug-
gCstiNc Of the Importance Of this discovery.
We are informed that estimates will som bo
made Of the cost Of this gas, day after dav, 80
that the point Of its economy will be made more
apparent. Although Mr.. SEvERIS is still en-
gagged in improving his works, and experiment.
ing IN different carbonizing materials We UNDER
stand visitors arc freely admitted 10 tho works
aud every facility offered them for the cNamina-
tion Of details relating To the process Of m,nufnc-
turing water gas.-CjHriHHdf Ddily COMMERCIAL