The New York herald., 1869-03-14
THE GAS MON0POLIES.

Iu1 OdyJ 4O0 W V4A10s
C<~~~-~>~~>-~->-~~--->-~~
last Day Of the Investisatisn-Hsw the City
is Defra,ldcd BY the Compauies-How the
Har'eya GasIishf Co.pany Avsids Co@-
piaiy.ts.
Tps Legislative Committee ON Gas Monopo,ies
rosumed their investigation yesterday III the ST.
Nicholas Hotel.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL =. l. vlRLR.
General Egbert L. vseie, G. F., submitted to the
cemlalttee the following statement:-
The leading element involved In the use OF car
buretted hydrogen gas for denessic purposes is its
stances from which it IL maAufactured; second the
care with which the apparatus u constructed; third
and most important OF al, the maserias used AZ
the history and process of gas manufacture IN order
70 Illustrate more clearly the essential requisites OF
The application Of cnnammable gas to economical
purposes y due 70 the French engineer lie Bon VINO
invented an 1855 An apparatus for the distilaon OF
gas from coal. IL was introduced into England In
1892 by Murdoch who far perfected the invention
as TO construct aaarge gas msnuactory for lighting
workshops. Ry the year 1870 It's use had become
quite general both in England and IN France, and
rom tnat time TO the present II has been gradually
Introduced into the priacipai cities ana towns OF
The FIRST works in this country were erected in
Baltimore Many improvements are continually
being made, both in the manufacture OF gas and In
Its useful application. Various substances have been
experimental upon ior the purpose OF obtaining the
most tcOnUullCdl anu Tue Dcst IL - iOuEU
that those substances which contain the greatest
Quantities OF carbon and hydrogen, with but little
Oxygen. such as bituminous or resinous matter pro-
duce sbe greatest quantities OF Illuminating gas.
The NEST prominent substances which have been
used are OIL, rosin and coal The latter has now
taken the place OF ali others where gas IL made on
large scale although there those who adhere TO
the opinion that cheaper and better article than
with in purifying coal gas led TO the formation in
England, under plausible theorists, OF large COM
panes for the preparation OF gas from oil and also
iron rn4Ip Inn n WI INV far.
by capitalists In these enterprises, and the orig
inators Of the scheme, taking Tor their basls
lwho deserved more credit for the minuteness
or their analysis than for any practical benefit that
Enormous dividends from their works and AIDED oy
persons interested In the sale Of the articles from
which the gas was manufactured, they kept up the
Illusion even after failure was inevitable. The re-
suit proved that not one dollar out OF several hun
dred thousands was returned to the shareholders.
The works were converted into coal gas manufacto-
lShment In this country. Thus theory must yield TO
experience IN all cases where practical results
aimed at
There Is no doubt that both oil and rosin have been
made to yield, on . small SCALE more brilliant and
has been found that when exposed to even a mode
rate degree OF cold gradual liqufaction takes
place the gas deteriorates in quality and the pipes
become clogged; BESIDES the materials used, being
themselves artcles OF manufacture are subject 70
great fluctuations In value, 70 say nothing OF the
chances OF diminutlon In the supply. II may
therefore, be assumed that nothing wilLever COM
pete with coal In the manufacture OF gas, the vast
deposits of which assure an unfanng and nvariable
supply. The analysis Of bituminous coal gives the
following constituencies
l. Water. Q. Various carburetes OF
z PrOto-carburetted hy- hydrogen.
drogen. Z. Suiphuret OF carbon.
8. Bicarburetted hydro 8. Nitrogen.
gen. 8. Ammoniacal salts.
4. Carb0nlc oxide. TO- Tar.
8. Sulphuretted hydro
Tue artificial light is the result or the combustion
of the carDureted hydrogen, and is due 10 the pre-
ciphation of the carbon In solid state when 1t
comes in contact with the air and is ignired All Of
the constituents OF coal which have been named
are so FAR as illumination is concerned regarded
impurities.
The manufacture OF gas therefore, resolves itself
Into process by which carburetted hydrogen Is
separated from all the other constituent elements OF
Is placed In long, semi-cylindrical vessels called
retorts, which are tightly closed and 30 fixed
VI sl,,e furnaces % as to receive the greatest pos.
by means OF pipes with reservoirs to receive the
products OF distlation which takes place when the
amInoniacal liquor are the first asengaged, and,
becoming condensed by refrigeration, are deposited
In the receiver. After being thus deprived of these
two impurities the gas is passed through puriiier
upon the nature OF which depends It's true value,
That which has been most used is hydrate OF lime,
which absorbs the sulphuretted hydrogen and car
bonc acld forming nydro-sulphuret and carbonate Of
lime. This question Of publication Is simply one OF
chemical afhntT and unless this af1nity Is perfect
the result must be the production OF foul odors from
the suphuresed hydrogen and great injury to health
IRON the C6rOOniC dCl0 gas, uOLl which, fmDer-
feet purfcaton are distributing the seeds OF disease
throughout the entire community.
In three several gas works IN this city there used
as purifying agents hydrate OF lime, dry lime and
oxide OF iron. the lime used Is generally insuffi-
Gent IN quantity, and IL required TO do more work
than It's capacity OF absorption viii admit, which
renders the publication incomplete, and being
afterwards exposed to the action OF the atmosphere
the impurities are TO large extent disseminated.
The simple oxide OF iron Is also incomplete pu-
rifer, and s therefore Objectionable; but when the
oxide OF iron or iron ore Is mixed with sawdust or
spent tan II has been found by experience, TO ex-
Gel any other material AZ purifier, and has fur
ther advantage OF producing suphate OF ammonia,
tna neius ~ = an " ,,n' 'Te eVs. ~ pu,
peroxide OF iron decomposes the euipnate OF ammo
MA and the sulphurelted hydrogen contained In the
gas, forming suphurer OF frUn and the gas is thus
purified OF sulphur better Than by the use OF lime
and has the additional advantage OF not requiring
the of condenser since the afnnify Is equally
perfect whether the gas Is warm cold. This II OF
great importance since the gas loses much iuminat-
ting power by too rapid condensation. The accumu-
laton OF napnthalne or coal tar Is also very much
diminished by this process
The purifying material can be used over and over
again, As long as there ls anything LEFT OF It. After
being used a fresh supply OF oxygen Is introduced
Into the purifying tank by means OF a blower,
and new oxide OF iron Is thus iormed. The
acId 10 extract the ammonia before being
brought In contact with the outer atmosphere.
The salphuric acid thus forms with the ammo-.
MIA asuiphate OF ammonia, the sale of which dimin-
shes the cost OF purincaton. This process has been
used used with eminen, success IN Europe, and partcu.
altering Old works for tins purifying process s COM
paIaiyeB small; aud certainly ia view Of our pre-
sent knowledge the subject this step TO abaie the
existing evils ought mol TO he DELAYED.
II should De added that all b,umlnous coal does
not yielu the same amount or carbueted hydrogen
and In many qualities the impurities such a. to
ado greatly 10 ihe expense aud diiculty OF purlca-
ton
II would appear from the foregoing that any leris
lation which fwonld secure to the gas consumers
their just rights should predicate lIs action upon
Frst-As TO the particular Kind Of coal which pro-
4ducea the most Illuminating power
Seco1sd-As 10 the best means of publication.
Tltnd-As 10 the correct proportion which should
exist IN the parts u the works used for the manu-
iactdre. EGBERT l.. yIELE.
Mr. Zollikoner, President OF the Metropolitan
Gaslight Company, sworn and examined by the
Chairman. siaied--I did not bring down the minute
book, because thought had no right TO do SO: am
willing W let the committee see II up at the
office.
The Chairman Mr.. MITCHELL sajd that he would
insist mon having The book produced, and asked the
sense 0i.fhe eonliniitee ON the question.
All the members present-Messrs. Bergen Weed
lBaker afc bender voted to sustain Mr. Mitchell the
,gnairIIan. in ohllging witness 10 pro,luce the