Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-09-19
Gas Made from Petroleum.

Our attention has been called,
by a gentleman who read our re-
port of Gen. Stoneman's remarks
on petroleum as fuel, to the fact
that in the Lowe process of max
ing gas crude petroleum is made to
largely take the place Of
coal. This would afford a
market for large quantities of
our oil product. We find, in
q late number of the San jose
Mercury, the following interesting
facts in regard to the Lowe process
Of gas making and of the gas itself:
For many months prior to the
introduction of the new gas in this
city, a persistent effort was made
by the manufactures of coal gas to
forestall public opinion as to It's al
legged inferlority. We were told all
sorts of damaging stories about 1t;
but the new works, under the ener.
getic direction of Col. Boyer, went
forward nevertheless. And when
at last the connections were ma,Ie,
and the new gas turned in, there
was one general expression OF
agreeable surprise. The light was
found to be ut once far superior to
the coal gas In every way, and has
improved with use, until we now
have gas that nothing except
daylight can surpass. A similar ex-
perience In the city of Baltimore is
thus given by the Engineering and
Mining Journal Uf June 1st:
The complete success of this sys-
tenn iu a city of $50, 900 population,
marks an era not only in Its own
progress, but In the history Of gas
lighting as we'll. This will be the
better appreciated If what it has ac-
complished be stated briefly. A
few months ago Baltimore was
lighted by monopoly, and very
poorly lighted at that, for the stat
ute required only 12-candle power,
and the companies naturally under
such circumstances are not apt to
break the law by excess. The price
charged for this low quality was S.
per thousand. Consumers were
charged a round price and profit
upon connection pipes and COM
PEELED to pay deposit on meters
which was greater than their cost.
and which furnished large cash
capital for the company's opera
tions. The new organization
("The Consumers Mutual') came
forward, promising to build works,
lay mains, put in services and met
ters free Of cost to the citizens and
furnish superior gas at So. The
people promised to support 1t.
In January last the new works
began operations und have since
regularly distributed a 22-candle
gas. The old interest has raised
It's standard to Is candles. The
new company already supplies
about 5000 buildings aud receives
o handsome daily average of new
subscriptions. Immediately on its
starting the old company reduced
its price to ST. go per thousand, hop.
ing thereby TO hold its customers
and compel its rival to make fur.
ther concessions. In both objects,
however, 1t failed, for the new CON.
pany held to its original charge
with the result already mentioned,
and in spite of the temptation to
save the extra SO cents for these
hard times, the people are steadily
increasing their patronage.
The result to the city of Balti-
more is, that it is now one of the
best lighted cities in the United
states, getting from 50 per cent. to
rs per cent. more light for 80 per
cent. to so per cent. less money.
The actual cash saved to con-
sumers amounts to $4,000 per day,
without reckoning the economy
growing out of the improved quail
ity. The old company states that,
although deprived of SO many con-
sumers, it is still selling AS much
gas rs formerly, which, if true, is
gratifying evidence of the fact
often insisted OH by us, that a re.
duction of price would largely stim.
ulate consumption. We understand
that the new company is entirely
satisfied with the ability of the
Lowe process to compete in every
particular of quality and cost with
the old method of distillation in
retorts.
Tho eight generators which were
guaranteed to produce 500. 900 cubic
feet daily, without forcing, yield
6 900 each per hour, or over mil
lion feet for the "a hours. The cost
in holder is below the sum prom
ised, as the quality is considerably
above, being uniformly maintained
at % candles. The cost Of distribu-
ton is much less than in the cas Q
of coal-gas, becaus there is little II
any loss in transit by condensation.
The drips show an Insignificant ac-
cumulation, while photometrlc
tests four miles distant from the
works betray no appreciable
change of illuminating power.
An eminent expert who has re-
Gently made analyses there reports
that the most delicate methods
failed ito detect the faintest trace
Of carbonic acid, sulphur or am
monia," and prOnounces 1t to be
the purest gas that has ever come
under his observation.
On this aggregation of facts we
think the Lowe process has fully
demonstrated the entire success OF
the water-gas principle, and is en-
titled to take permanent rank
among the beneficent arts Of civili.
zation. There are other systems
which utilize the hydrogen of
steam and make good light, but
they do not appear to show genu-
Inc competitive energy, and there
fore we specify the Lowe process.
This began its operations some FIVE
years ago, with u distinctly avowed
purpose Of improving the quality
and cheapening the price of gas