Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-11-04
GAS AS FUEL.
Bright Prospects Of the Expert
ment up at Pittsburgh.


The experiment of conveying natural
gas from well in Butler county, sew
enteen miles distant, to the iron mills
of Spang, Chalfant d Co., at Bennett.
Station, two miles lower down. on the
Western Pennsylvania Railroad, few
miles above Allegheny City, was sue
cessiully tested last night, and it is not
risking anything to say that the great
deSideratum of utilizing the waste gas
of the oil regions, aud thus saving i'm
meDse quantities of coal, has been ac-
complished. This cheaper fuel must
very materially cheaper the cost of
production, and thus IA new means of
wealth, and new element of COM
petition, have been opened to Pitts
| buIgh manufacturers.
The National Gas Company Qimit-
| ed), of which cur enterprising fellow
citizen, Capt. c. w. Bachelor, is pres
ident, had succeeded in putting down
a six inch line of pipe, at u cost of over
500, 900, and it only remained to test
its practical utility. That was done last
night. AT five O'Clock, the gas WAS let
gu at the well, where the pressure is
about one hundred and ten pounds to
the square inch. at Etna, the six
inch pipe had been tapped, and three
inch pipes inserted for conveying the
gas to proper distance Tor burning.
| These jets-if such immense volumes
may properly be SO designated-were
some four feet apart, and when lighted
the flames shot up from twenty to thir-
ty feet high. There was variable
wind blowing, and at times the breeze
WAS so stiff that it f1attened out the gas,
and caused the flow from the several
burners to blend together, making a
sheet of fame some fifteen feet wide
and twenty-five feet high. AT Ben
nett's derrick had been erected, some
seventy-five feet high, and three two
inch pipes were carried up to the top,
and lighted. The flames could be seen
for miles around, and excited great at
tention and curiosity. The gas came
out with such force that it did not ig-
mite down to the pipe, a space of two
feet being visible between the burner
and the white flame.
1t was clearly demonstrated that the
gas can be successfully conveyed, and
its application as fuel has long since
been satisfactorily tested.
The gas will burn all day to-day and
also tonight, so that all those who de-
sire to witness the Inauguration of so
important an enterprise, will have the
opportunity to do so. Tomorrow,
probably, some of the pudding fur
naces will be started up with their new
fuel.
[Steubenville taking an interest in the matter,
From the Herald
Steubenville is certainly well situ-
ated TO derive all the advantages that
may result from the new discovery.
We are but little over half the distance
from the New Cumberland gas we'll
that Pittsburgh is from her source of
supply, even if none should be found
nearer home. But there is not wanting
evidence to show that by proper exer-
ton gas may be obtained in paying
quantities close to the city limits. 1t
will be recOllected that several years
ago, when the oil fever was at its eli
max, well was sunk on the Farmer(
place, just sonth of the city, to the
depth of about five hundred feet, when
it was abandoned. The gas here at
times was of sufficient strength to force
water up out of the well, and when
lighted would burn readily. In con-
versation with Mr.. A. J. Reynolds,
who conducted the boring of this well, ;
and has had considerable experience
with similar works in the oil regions, r
he expresses the belief that gas may be
found all through this country by bor- I
ing to the proper depth and in the i
right places. His idea is that the gas,
ike oil, is found in spots or currents, :
and although one well might yield a
arge quantity yet another in the :
might be entirely bar
zen. Other operations in this vicinity q
seem to bear out the same theory. A +
we'll sunk to the depth of 1,016 feet on
he McElroy farm on Wills Creek re-
1ealed neither coal or gas, save some +
aint traces of the former, while anoth- 9
,r but short distance off on Mr.. Yo-
Sum's farm, at depth of only 400 feet /
rave a not inconsiderable flow of gas. +
So that although we are out of tie cir q
lie of producing oil wells there is abund- I
mt proof that tSteubenville will be able, +
hould the new process come into gen. r
'ral use, to compete with any other
1oint.