The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-04
THU CAS QUESTION.
How and why We Have Bad
Light.
THE REMEDY AT HAND.

To THE EDITOR or TIE HERsrp:-

Will YOU allow me 10 state to rae public through
the columns OF Herald the real cause oil pad gas
light ana the true iul ony mely.
The gas question usl now, more than ever he
fore, attracting TIE agLenf on OF the PUBIC. not
only IN mis- CITY, but all over the American cont-
nent a. well Is In Faro. g aud 10 somc extent the
Eastern world Grsu AMI numer,es compa,nts are
consia tly beiag maze every where against the gas
companies Tor suppl, Eg poor AMI vie LAS TO iheic
customers iverywh re 1t Is proclaimed that the
gas Is impure and The isht m5e ABLY p or ana me
general Impress Is tn,t the sas conpanles couid
make etter gas they would. Now, WITHOUT
much ear OF contradiction BY anv one who knows
whereof ha speaks. assert tn,t me gaS companies
hiiher,o a. rule, have doae the besl thev coud
10 supply the pu lie VITA good sas fhat taey nave
failed In this as IN satisfying the public as
THE ZEAL CAUSE OF POOR GAS
Is evident. he gas compaAles have had MANY
more obstacles 10 contcnl wi,n IN supp iug Gas
Than the public is aware Of Tnere are three c0a-
dtlons essential to OBTAIN COOL sasa5ht:-
ftys-Tne gas must be o. 900 quality 10 give
good Ugh that is, IL must he pro cry ma ie ana
the quail anliorm at all ZINES Without regard 20
the state OF The atmcs mere.
Se,ohd-inc pressure under winch tac gas IS
burned must ue re GUAR, correct aud uniform
throughout the city.
Th,r-- rne burners mus, he adapted to the quality
OF the gas, and not tue las 10 the uiners. Now,
can all these Gesrietata b. oct inei9 his Is the
important que tion ald we answer most cmphatlc-
ally. yes But the ilrst con ltion Is not altaIHaoie
by tnc orllary process Ia tle rst place, IN order
that the pupllc Iaay Understand the true reason
why gas is generally poor II wa be necessary To re-
cite lew important IN relation to
its manufacture. Ihe process oil generating
gas, as now pracised, has been 10 vogue
for The last siAty years. NO improvements what
ever have been made; except III the mechanical ap-
planccs the process, remai is I'm ;hauyed. 5y lhs
proces Is I'M ossiple to produce a good lilunit-
mating gas, because tho process tsel Is dc.c c,lve
Now lei cGnsiner hat takes place IN the hanu-
iacsure. Ever, SHOWS Woo has seen the pro-
cess .! gas making that the c,ai or the production
OF gas Is DISTILLED IN sln4lc re,orl though here are
five or SIX u.na'ly IN waa Is termed as beach o.
retorfs, ct their action is waully indepea lent OF
other. Tle dstIliai n II coat takes place under
variety OF temperatures ald the result . great
variety oi compounds otncr tnan illuminating gas
anu wn.ch rluponads are Composed ,or the most
part u, drogcn IA clbo tle Nery clements ne
cessary lJr ne sas. Taese conpouu,s
contain more .lau doanle TIC amoa... 0. nydroaen
and carbon thai eAs,S IN The US obtained. Dii-
iereIt teli jeritdres nave Decn rse,i Tor
TAG nEsrnuSf ~ OSCILLATION OF COAL
with view TO liiiile these vase pro ucis ana for
the purpose OF producing better gas, but until
receuti, WI iiout intc cess.
~ emll oyn. a 10 temperature the production
OF Is small dno ns inatiiusny Is principas ne
10 n .'rocai Don vapors, which are c"lieisiDla ~
cold ind pressure ato he. oe Tic LUMINOSITY Of the
gas depends somewhat upon .ie temperature VI tae
Atmosphere he vapors are more or less condensed
beole they arrive al he bur cfs, ihereIose unless
the weather DC miil OF warm he 2iis 90 loses t3
illuminating propsr.ies. On the otner nano, Il tue
heal elnplosed be TOO nigh for me oi,'iilaon tue
cUai the produced IS poor IN luminous pro- or.
ties. though the volume IS largely Increased
Anu s de ipafl es mann, W., y, I'll, las r ns r,a
sosue 0f iaeiu caluot TIC removed iron tue gas ny
any known iileaas "a lurii.caloI that Is aiii ape
M "A
ihe gas Is better tnan under e.tner hish ur
aom are nea'' also formed a ias.e quantity Of
coal tar aud other nydyurocLrDoIs. many
or winch become SOHO and not uliy constitute an
enorlllou vi. 10 II tne ger, clement nccc or
the PRODUCTION o. l,as, Dut are ! source o Great
trn,,,, m ,,r MANI. aciurcr oiien oss,rucliul tie
operauJ IN the re.urs aai u.iiny dp tue sas pipes
C Injected lugrewIli nearly Souu. mere Is aiso a
dar,, II Of free artr,n winch t. unotacr source OF
ANNOYANCE ana great vase oi the very material 10
winch the iign que wilen the gas Is hui ed MOI
ton oil !. ~ detective nut tue modes OF pnihcaflon
oil the gas IA use are a. dsietiIve 10 Jay as thcy
were H. " years 40 iavt supa'au''at.h ., every
ia, - observation colii uc,l ny Tue London iet
eree's recent rcport on tne pariicaon o coai gas,
oraefed IA laIne,ti. VA wtica the results nave
o. q. very Disappointing; Tie g,S IN some cases wa
found To tonain ore 81 nur hen II ieIt re puri
fylug maerial Than when II enteied H. no.w,in-
stndlng pCiu oxide ltun aud ilile were eupio, =
Tnls yaradoxical lcsIt eastl, aecountc or
but Is OF 40 importance now. these SUI
Ihur cOnp0uads are source OF lcaftui
injury 10 heaitn. Their poisonous effects arc DOUBT
less due al cases 10 incr al orp'ion ~ tnc
discs whereby me tiood loses us ieu color aud tie
come uiacN, WHICH, m many Gases, = cxh'uitc ~
the coior OF the couUteaancc 10 an extent ilat no
cosmetic can remove. Il produces also an euice.
bed cUnIiL0n oil the muscles aAd irritation oil lie
braun ana nervous system.
Ine poorer inc .sas The more OF course burned
In order 10 ool,un sulnccnt supply 81 light, anu
the larger tncre ore lie quantity OF these
IOisoSs ohNERAfEp IN co saU TON Or TnE Gas.
TIE effects, too, o. bal sa-hgat Tor the eyes are
feoriuiN des rucIiyc 10 the linctons oi those or
gais as HAS beea Truly siatei Nv ocaiisis anu pysi-
Clans.
IL order the iumino,i;y OF Door gas II
has become praccc To pass Inc gas tiiongn
napitia, tuc lsntcr vapors 81 which are Carried y
lie g.ls 10 tie .rncrs oy wnica n isht l. IN
creased, Dut iDe less volatilc puru iht naph'na
becoincs cv..Janacd IA me hes, ana csiecd " II
cou weather, a..d tnls deposit. iO-elner win
the condensation o. tae h,df0cdr.on vapurs
produced VAN tne gds ob,trucis ITS nee
non, aah hence ~ nlsu cieLt sup W VI gss Is the
result. ,nc burners also uecoul- ohStucted Irom
the O&dal.uI ~ Iic snlt,G.f cUtnputnds anu the
dcpo.l % c.,rsvudceouS substance, aud the cvnsc
QnerCe 8, ii,i> NJ re cSrecied, very poor NH.
To ui.tu tie iirst vsseniai onditi0n, Tor lac ps0
ducioa ~ good llgat-Iidns.s, good ga>-scicnCe
wnt i generous hand nts conle 20 ON al. tie
pr0nleln mas eoivcd auu Is now U,lng demon.
slratrd cset, DAY ia the weeN IN us titt W wncn
n ~ snown nat pure "a, from cuai may ,r p,u.
duceu conveniently auu Inucn cuca CT tlian inc
pou, viic c",np1iild casicl gas maze ~ the cd
gives nrau., hcault ul wni.e ami sea.i, iigGt vi
tweup canaIo power. a.u Z, - cavc icer " tnis
uas may nc III au,i trom 4 ton o coal AZ no ,,ra,,r
Cost o iroddrO tnau naii iu,s quaint, ~ the old
process tne maximum lei y which - on, 10. ~
cubic 10 1 lruu ton 81 COAX aud toe average
q,lsnty VI s - not more nan lou, teen caulls
power ihv second condition e,sentiaI 10 am
a guol Enthusiastically, uiuvrD pre- sure
NAV to easily se@ercd, provided tue supny
pipcs ae snnl ienI, iar2e anu Tree rom obsIuS.
ioia by napnlaa and Otner nytirOcaluDh condcnsi-
DE vapsrs, ~ attaching a governor W TIE eGppiy
pi,c ol story o Tie building where t 9.,s Is
Iseu. tr.ri condii ton nav ne " Gun en- nv h-,ak
gUuu common baruei wI,I5n NUT DO ne. u an
thai Inc illCvS lee from UtstIut Ion i.d tuc
burner adapted 10 the Las 20 DC ourneL These con.
altiuns all iadt ~ necessary 10 ODiain i good
n nt, aul uGIU e we prucee 10 salc hua tHcy liay
be secure wisn 10 feier to another matter cun.
meet a VITA the iuiut,actlrc ahu suppl, "a AS 10
consumers tnal rs OF vast ilpui llucc ~ The puJllC
namely,
THE kAIiiriA PROCESS.
or all tue WAYS to swit ics'ructi u mat dendcd
morals nav ever conceived ,h,u OF he IA, ANA
process Is the most d,aGUd,al aui teafu. II ma
been stated tau tue Mutual rdS l.Igut company
this city H. about make anu expert
mcnt VAN TIE ndnsthd process III COhGethuD
VITA TIE regular indnuIlltue q coL cas-
Il