The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-23
A Valuable Improvement for both
Producers and Consumers OF Gas.

A patent has just been issued to J. Il.
Connolly, Of Wheeling, for manufacturing
gas, by introducing petroleum or Its pro-
ducts (residuum) into the retorts with
lime water, when charged with coal; pro-
ducing more gas with two retorts than can
be produced in the same time with three
when coal alone is used in the ordinary
way; and the gas thus produced has twenty
per cent. more illuminating power, as de-
monstrated by the photometrc test land can
be readily applied to any gas works now in
operation. BY using half coal and half
rcsiduum and lime water, 1t only requires
one third the amount of I've in the purifier,
there being no sulphur in the oil; and the
lime water, being converted into steam in
the retort, has not only its purifying effect
upon the coal gas, but as gas produced
from oil alone is too rich in carbon the
oxygen and hydrogen of the water, when
dccomposed, uniting IN proportions to
make q soft and brilliant light, the per-
centage of the quantity of gas is increased.
Gas can be produced by this process from
thirty to forty per cent. cheaper han from
coal alone, from the fact that one pound
Yields from three to three and half cubic
feet of gas, while one gallon of reslduum,
when distilled with lime water, will yield
$50 cubic feet of gas, and only one-third
of the limo required in the purifier, and
two rctorts yielding more gas than three
in the same time; and from the extreme
low price that rcsiduum can be bought, as
there is now no market for 1t, and espe-
cially at points where coal is expensive on
account of freigh, the barrels for ship
ping are nearly double the cost of the mate
rial, but may be shipped to all promi-
nent points in iron bulk-car tanks at fair
rates, thereby dispensing with the expense
of barrels. When taking into considera-
ton the proportion of gas produced per
pound of each, it stands as eighteen is to
one hundred, which makes an item in
freight; besides, it is perfectly free from all
expensive qualities, and, used accord
ing to this plan, it is considered by practi-
cal Gas men to be as safe aS coal itself.
Also, the very pungent and obnoxious odor
arising from changing the lime in the puri-
fer, in consequence Of the sulphur con.
tanned in the coal gas, is almost destroyed
by this process. This plan is likewise de-
signed to be used on small scale Tor
generating gas equally safe and economl-
cal) for one or more dwellings or manu-
featuring establishments, when out of the
reach of city gas, either in connection
with coal, or with residuum and lime
water alone, thereby dispensing with lime
in the purifying altogether.
The practical working of the above can
be seen at Messrs. Reilly, Barnes & Hobbs's
Wheeling brewery, on their gas works at
tached to the establishment, where it has
been in successful operation for over two
months, and not only witnessed by most of
the prominent gentlemen of this city, but
by several practical gas engineers of other
cities, and pronounced by all to be COM
plete success. First. Being perfectly safe or
free from any possibility of explosion. Sc
cond. The great economy of producing the
gas. Third. It's superiority in illuminating
power. Any parties desiring information
in regard to the mode Of constructing and
applying it, or with view Of negotiating
for State or county rights, would do well
to address DR.. j. III. Connolly, box Al,
Wheeling, West Virginia.
Preparations are now rapidly being made
for its application and adoption by several
establishments.