The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-07-19
Tuesday, July 10. 1881.
THE FUTURE or GAS.

Since the electric light has come TO
be regarded Is q serious rival Of gas
light, the prscticability Of using gas On
Q large scale for heating purposes has
besn much discussed. and renewed At
tention has been given TO the devising
of stoves in which it may be burned.
One of the inventors OF such stoves is
DR. CIV Sismens Of England. q gentle
man who is also known as q prominent
promoter OF electric illumination. He
burns gas in combination with coke.
and has succeeded in masking q heating
apparatus which has been received
with much favor in England.
DR. Seimens. therefore, spoke Of him.
self in q recent address at Birmingham
before the gas managers Of England as
both . rival and friend Of the interest
represented at the meeting. He was
dong what he could 10 develop the
possibilities of the electric light, but
FIR twenty years he had advocated the
use of gas for heating purposes. and
might suffer BY reason ofth success Of
that use. he believed, would 10 time
FAR more than compensate for aoy loss it
its rival as O means OF illumination.
As long ago IS 1868 he proposed to the
town council of Birmingham the estab-
lisbment Of works for the distribution
Of heating gas throughout the city,
having become convinced BY previous
experiments of the advantages of gas
eous over solid fuel. The project fell
through. however, owing TO the oppo
sition of the gas companies. which
pledged themselves to do the same
thing Whenever il should be proved TO
be feasible.
The circumstances are different now.
The gas companies end themselves
confronted by q possibly dangerous ri :
val. and DR. Siemens thinks 1t fit time
to again bring forward his project.
which in the meantime be has essen
TALLY modified. 1t seems that the gas
coming from the distillation of coal a.
prscticsd in Eogland varies greatly in
its character during progressive periods
Of the charge. That first and last CIV
On off 10 Of low Illuminating but high
heating power while that produced
during the intermediate time is rich in
carbon and gives q strong light. Ex.
periments have shown that about two
thirds Of the gas is Of the better quality
and about one-third Of the poorer.
DR. Seimens. therefore. proposes that
the first and last results of the distilla.
ton Of the coal should be allowed to
flow into heating gas mains. while the
rest should be supplied for illumina-
tion solely. The one-third separated
as heating gas would DO better adapted
for that purpose than ii it was mixed
with tho richer product, and the two
thirds of illuminating gas would 10 Of
higher Illuminating power. The heat
ing gas would deposit less SCOT and the
illuminating gas would have Q more
luminous fame.
or course. in order TO distribute the
two kinds Of gas double set OF mains
Hoald b required; but these exist al.
ssady In many towns. and nr Siemeus
thinks II would not bs difficult 10 util-
ize them for the separate supply Of IL
Illuminating and heating gas. That,
however. Is pasctical question which
the engineers Of the gas companies can
best settle. What he says ia. however,
encouraging 10 those who are inter ested
In gas manufacture.