The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-01
GAS FROM WATER.
Qnictiy Making II for Finy Gents u Thousand
Feet and selling It for S2.

While the possibility Of making illuminate
ing gas from water has been under discussion,
some practical men have erected works and
for "a year past have supplied gas in this city
made from Croton water. Among the establish
mcnts in which this gas is burned are tho
standard. Fifth Avenue. Wallack's Union
square. and Park Theatres and Dclmonico's.
Windsor. 81. James. Fifth Avenue. Buckng-
hum, Metropolitan. 81. Nicholas Parker. and
Prescott Hotels. The works are At Forty-fourth.
Forty-hhh. and Forty-six,h streets and the
North river. and Mr.. Francklyn. the manager ~
the Cunard Line of steamships. is the capitalist
who has supplied money for carrying on tho
enterprise 1t is said that S6OO.OOO is invested.
The concern. called the Municipal Gasli-ht
Company. has been In active operation for
more than a year. A sun reporter on Saturday
met one OF the directors OF the company. and
asked him 10 describe the method Of making
the gas. and the prospects Of the enterprise. He
said that the company had carefully avoided
publicity. and did not desire public attention.
They had cheap mode OF making gas. which
nobody else mad Yet adopted and which. there
fore. gave them an advantage. They were I'M
able TO supply the demand. having now over
2uVO applications ON the books Ia which they
The foundation Of the discovery that water
u c3nyertibie INTO burning ga-, this gentleman
said. l. the explosion uf the old idea that water
IT. an original element. Water Is a composition
9i Oxygen and hydrogen. and lay subsection To
intense heat the water IL resolved into its ortci-
nal constituents. yielding one yolum" of oxygen
EaH and two volumes Of hydrogen. The process
is complicated one. but inexpensive and the
water gas docs not cost nearly So much as tho gas
made from coal and Kerosene. The first opera
ton IN Tho manufacture Of this ea- il to heat tho
water. and next 10 superh'nt II to about uuO.
Fahrenheit. The water IL then pnssed into
seLcrators llli.d with anthracite coal. hy means
oi whlch u Is d"compp-"d into It's original cle-
hrhi-. ~" oxygen = r." unite. win IN" 'ar-
bon rom thc coal. aud the rrodu I IL carhonic
L1rnin,. ans IL I'D cortni,i,,,, III t,,. ~
carhonic acid. To remove these the gas is
unsseI through purifying boxes which are i'm
iu"uSe sleeves containing layers ot Lime. Tho
sulphur Is deposited IN the lime. and
carbonate is made by the acid. These
impurities removed, the gas next pass
| cs into carhure,trs iron cylinders en-
cos"d IN wnter lackcts. on the glu" pot princi-
The naphIha u vaporl1nd hoy thu heat. and the
gas takes up this Vapur and carries IL INTO the
retors. n the r"torts tho naphtiIa yapor IS de-
and the latter is then burning gas. hut not ready
Tor the market. II is next PASSED through on
ign1er- and washers Ia remove any condensi-
PIE Napors. The result Is clear white burning
gls, entirely free from udor or smoke. and far
more lrllent than ordinary coal sas. Its llu-
inlna'lng power is thirty percent. greater than
How much gas do you make every day 2"
About 50iuno feet"
p" Isn't there ahou' as nu'h ~ other kinds II
gas IN ths mi Nturc rs OF what you gct out OF the
No; the gus comes from the water. We treat
itwith naphtha vnpor simply togye IL illuminat-
Ing power. You g and Try this las. You can
place Il sheet ot white porcelain within three
inches Of the flame. and there will not be a
particle OF smoke in three months
Are you selling 1t any cheaper than the other
companies r
No; why should WEI We can't supply the
demand for H. II We sought customers that
would be a different thing. We can make big
profit from il now, and We intend TO do it,"
The gas. IT is said, costs the company only 30
cents per thousand feet. and they sell il for 81.