, 1877-11-25
GAS IN 1FTRn}T

! They arc having lively time in Detroit over
! the gas question. The Council Committee on
| Gas resumed their Investigation as to the cost
] Of manufacturing gas. We copy from tEc re-
| port:
! T. N. Breese, Superintendent OF the Detroit
| Casiight CeMpanys works, testified that he llau
char;c @! all the Company business except clerical
work aud the coal contr1cts-a position which he
had occupied for about i've years. In 1876, and
prior thereto. his Company manufactured gas prin
;aa 1F9 coal thous -, s. il pfSpqs9n sS
nambers, 100 6o0, ooo cuoie ieet ot gaz,
nj made asn on Rs*ai R%o5a sna e asdt
the latter materials is o very good quality, but 1t
is not fixed US coal gus. nor can il be manutac:
and oil gas lhat it loses its chemical properties
after standing 4 little time. Ordinary pressure
maiIes no difference in the quality Of ..s.
the napnt.la method in the manufacture OF sas- The
naphtha or benziue Is vaporizvd BY super heated
steam; the vapor is carried to retorts and there
converted into gas. Then it is conveyed to the
condensng apparatus, diluted with air, and car
ried into the holder. 4 higher quality Of gas can
be- nladc from this material than from COAL hut it
is not tit for consumption 1t its greatest candle
power, which may be run mp to seventy OF eighty.
lts SPECIFIC gravity is also greater in the proportion
In 1876 thc Detroit Gaslight Company's coal cost
about T. 80 per ton, and wood IN aveFasc of s. 80
Mr. alaybury-..'w What, then, was tue cost price
MIR. Brecse-''l wonld ike to be excused from
answering that question. am only an empioyc
Of the Company, and an not quite cle.r as to the
propriety OF answering in
Mr.. Moybury-''I think it is fair question.
MoxeSer s viii put another one: Do 5oa know
Mr. Drecsc,-'. Well, could get around it,
zuppo:s, by saying that l do not remember
exactly.
Nr;. Naybury-''A AS nearly US sou can secot-
Ald- wcr-*:vcre it not that the President OF
thu Detroit Company had specifically stated to the
Committee that there WIS nothing whatever to con-
ccal, should be disposed to respect Mr. Hrce=c's
embarrassment, but, under the circumstances, !
think the Company would justify him in telling all
he knew about its buslnees."
gas in the holder cost the Detroit Company about
81, cents per l. 600 cubic fee:-
Ms. Maybury-.' What does it cost in 1S77?'
Mr.. Bysc.e-''l cannot exactly tell until the Let
Of January, but us near as can estimate it I
should say about SO cents the price Of coal l,cng 5
to 30 cents . ton less. They arc now using coal
gas and prevents the depositof uapthalinc 1t has
been satisfactorily demonstrated that there js no
economy IL the use Of any mateEial for gas manu-
Mr. Brcese also testified that be had understood
the Mutual made it, gus ut cost Of about IS ccuta
per !, 0oo IN tue holder. He never knew Of sas-
purify their gus lie thought tic smoke from the
Mutnafs Eas was attributable 10 its oily pareuage
lhe candle power Of the Uetroi.s gas In 1876 and
1917 wns seventeen and that Of the Mutual about
eighteen and one-half. A- is mixed with oil Cas
10 adat II for usc. but If it il improperly dstrb
ued 1t alr) stFaties in the holder and when rush
Ill III? ta1oush T. ne burners registers exactly much
as II IL were illuminating gas.
:, Nelther the Detroit mar the Mutual darcs invade
thc territory Ct the other the object of the ui-
vision OF the city s'as to do away with competition,
70 prevent losses, ana to give each Company
chance 10 make come money. The Detroit Com
p3ny Charged no meter rents.