Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-03-12
From tho Readins Eagle. March IL \
W ~ Gas; y

WHAT IT COSTS TO MAKE 1T-iIMkNsB iPRofIIa
| MEssRs. EprroRs As there seems 10 be quite
stir about the price and quality OF the gas sup
piled to our citizens by the Reading Gas Co,
and as oil the communications seem to be driving
| at but one object viz :-price and quality will
aiyerge from the we'll trodden path, and endeavor
to strike the monopoly where the blow viii be
sure TO tell; and give your readers an insight
into the cost Of manufacturing Illuminating gas,
| the products arising from its producton from
bitumlnous-coa DO, DC, from statistics In my
possession, Of the working of the Philadelphia
Gas Works and other sources. which will answer
to show the immense profit arising from the man
| ufrcture and sale of gas; and thus enable our
Councilmen to judge for themselves whether it
would be profitable not for the city to erect
| Gas Works and supply US wilh gas. ia...
The following figures will show at glance,
that the profits arising from the manufacture and
| sale of gas are immense and could be applied t.
the reduction Of our municipal debt aud tighten
our burthen of taxation.
Cubic feet of gas manufactured 81 As. 900
Bushels of coal of rs lbs each carbon.
lied during the year, .s5,17
Barrels OF rosin In $50 lbs, each, used
with the coal during the year. 6545
Sum of the weights OF coal used and
rosin used in the retoIts during the
year, S3,O20025
Proportion of rosin to the whole ma
terial distilled per ct. 40
Cubic feet OF gas produced per ton
(2240 lbs) OF the material dis
titled, $500
Cubic feet of gas from Id. OF mixed
caol and rosin distilled, 3.97
Total number of bushels of coke pro-
duced during the year, All 500
Bushels of coke produced from bush
of coal, IA
Bushels of coke used in heating re-
torts during the year, 2S6 176
Bushels of lime used in purifying gas
during the year, so, sos
Cubic feet ofgas purified by busbel
OF lime, l,l36
Cost OF gas manufactured during the
year, including allpaymeuts for ma
teriaie, freights, rents, salaries, wa.
res, repairs, and all incidental ex-
penseS OF manufacture and distribu-
ton, S9S527 AZ
linz, tax, &C., s2O96 70
Gas sold per 900 feet, >ESts 81 80
According to the above statement the gas works
of Philadelphia paid that city net profit of SILL
l57 "a In one year and yet the Stockholders OF
the Reading monopoly say their investment in
gas stock don't pay, Figures are facts, but words
Of the stockholders in the keadihg gas monopoly
are--not
The products derived from thes distiiIat,on of
bituminous coal, for the purpose OF obtaolnE ilus
minatng gas, are:
1st. Coke, which is used under the retDrts. az
fuei, is the proportion of very little over one
fourth the amount produced, the balance being
sold.
ID Tar, which is sometimes used as fueI, but
sold 1t is used principally as paint.
to protect iron work exposed TO the weather. or
late il is used for the purpose Of dislling from II
coal oil and naptha. The pitch which remains as
a residum is used as paint.
Sd. Ammoniacal liquor, sold to manufacturing
chemists.
4. Lime, sold as fertilizer.
Or the different kinds OF foreign coal used by
gas companies, the following table will show
The number Of cubic feet of gas they yield to the
ton