The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-13
THE GAS SUPPLY.
Reort OF the Engineer-What Is
Needed 10 Give Us More Light
What ft Will Cost. .. .ar

bel ed, under the authority of the City
Co INCL, R T. Coverdale, Esq, Of Gin
Gil matt, was employed to visit Wheel
in for the purpose of examining our
ga works and means of supplying gas
TO consumers with a view Of improve
mept and extension. The following is
his report as presented to the City Coun-
Gil last night: .
CINCINNATI, O., February q, 1872.
Mr.. George Baird, Chairman Committee
on Gas Company, Wheeling, W. Va:
DEAR SIR-In accordance with your
re1uest and instruction, have visited
Wheeling and examined the Gas Works
with a view of ascertaining what I'M
movements are necessary in order to
furnish the city and private consumers
with an abundant supply of gas OF the
highest illuminating power. and free
from impurities; also to furnish you
with an approximate estimate OF the
cost OF such Improvements.
In accordance Herewith l have the
honor to submit to you the following
report and estimate:
Rstort House--I find The apparatus
for generating gas, although not in good
order, most too valuable to be abandon
ed at present, for by adding two more
benches OF retorts and renewing and
resetting such as are worn out you
would then have generating capacity
sufficiently large to supply gas during
the next twelve months.
Purifying House. The purifying CA
pacity is too small and cannot be work
ed with economy either in limeor labor,
or in manufacturing gas OF the highest
illuminating power, except at an IN
creased cost. However, with close at
teption and careful management, they
might answer for say twelve months
longer.
would, however, recommend that
you at once re-arrange to erect new
purifying house, with four (4) PURIFIERS,
l2xl4, with tiers of lime trays In
each, with dry centre seal valve; also,
one patent holder washer and one set
OF three annular condensing tubes, with
ten-inch connections throug hout.
GaSholdsr.-I find the gasnolder ca
pacity OF the works entirely too limited,
having a storage capacity of less than
5000 cubic feet to supply consump-
ton OF not less than 100000 cubic feet,
without allowing for an increase OF
consumption Of say twenty-five per cent
on your present number of consumers,
if you would furnish an abundant sup
ply OF gas.
In view Of your present and future
wants would recommend you to erect
one gasholder so feet in diameter and
20 feet deep and to give working pres
sure Of 80 tenths. Said gasholder to
have eight cast iron columns and
lattice grinders with sixteen tank guides,
with all the necessary drip boxes, out
let and inlet pipes, bed plates, anchor
bolts aud plates complete.
You could get along for some time
with a gashoider of less dimension, say
6OxlS or 60x20, but think you should
let nothing but the want OF sufficient
funds deter you from putting ]: at once
the largest sized holder viz: S0x20 feet.
As from the low price Of gas, and your
ability to supply the wants OF all with
gas Of good quality you may reasonably
anticipate very large increase in your
consumption, on your present line Of
distribution and also large increase on
your contemplated line Of extension.
ErkauSter-I would also recommend
you to put in an exhauster, capable OF
passing, say, $1,000 cubic feet per hour,
with the steam engine, boiler, valves,
by pass, governor, to regulate the speed
OF the engine, pressure and vacuum
gauge, and connections Of ten inch in
diameter to fully complete the same.
1t is necessary to have one Ian exhaus-
ter) to reduce the back pressure on
clay retorts, prevent them from choak-
ing with carbon, thus rendering their
capacity greater, the duration OF the
retorts longer, and giving you an in
crease Of yield off gas from your coal OF
at least ten per cent. By having an
exhauster you can have your gasholder
to give more pressure, thus increasing
your distributing capacity.
G0vernor-I would also recommend
the addition to the works of one gov
ernor, to regulate the flow of gas and to
prevent any undue pressure in the gas
mains and thus prevent the loss Of gas
in the burning Of the street lamps after
the private consumers cease burning.
Street Wains-In street mains would
recommend the laying Of one line OF
ten inch diameter main pipe, extending
from the new gasholder to Fifth street
on alley to Clay. on Clay to Market, on
Market TO Mcclure House, from Nc
Lure House on Market two or three
squares, with s inch pipe, and then to
bridge with 6 inch main pipe.
On Clay street, leaving branches at
the Intersection of each street, one OF
which, an s inch branch. to cross the
iron bridge with inch main pipe to
the second street. and then continue a
line Of inch main, as may be needed
for future consumption, connecting the
pipes from both iron and stone bridge,
at favorable points on the line; also
leaving branches in the line of 10, S
and inch main on Market street, at
the intersection Of each street, for in
creasing the flow OF gas as may be
necessary in making connections to
meet present and future wants of con-
sumers.
10 my remarks respecting the gener-
ating apparatus | would add that, al
though you may be able to get along
for another year, yet | would recon-
mend that you at once build q new
retort house for say ten benches Of five |
retorts each, and in making an addition |
OF two new benches this season to have