Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-01-05

aad it is a wise provision of nature that it,
odor can he SO easily detected as in most
cases to avoid serious results. The pre-.
judice against the new process of manu-
facture was, Mr.. Baumgardner says, caused
by misrepresentation Of parties interested
in the old process, and is fast dying
out. Several of the largest gas
companies in New York and other
cities have abandoned the old and adopted
the new process, and he predicted that
within a very few years all the companies
will do the same. The process is more
simple, more economical, and furnishes
gas at least as good, if not better, than the
old. As soon as the frost is out OF the
ground, Mr.. Baumgardner says, the mains
Of the old and new works will be con-
nected, when he believes there will be no
further cause OF complaint. In explana-
street lamps. lit with gas made at the new
works burn dimly, Mr.. Baumgarder says
tho cause is that the pipe at the bottom of
the lamp post is frozen, preventing free
flow of the gas and reducing. the pressure
on the burner.
A representative of the INTELLIGENCEG
visited large number of gas consumers
this morning and questioned them re-
garding the quality Of their gas and tie
escaps of unpleasant Odors from the
pipes. In every instance those who used
gas from the old works complained of its
inferior Illuminating power and of the un-
pleasant smell and oppressive effects on
the respiratory organs Some OF them
shut off the gas last night and used can
dies Or coal oil lamps instead. On the
other hand, consumers who used gas
manufactured at the new works had no
complaints to make in re gard to unpleasant
smells, and only one or two complained of
the gas being infercr TO that in use before
the consolidation of the companies, and
these were not sure that the difficulty
might not result from frozen pipes or
pipes too small TO supply the number of
burners in use.
A Medical Opinion.
DR.. Henry Carpenter, on being question
cd as to the nervousness Of the fumes of
the city gas, said that all offensive gases
were injurious that in the gas made by
the present com l.any under their new pro-
cess, there was {. considerable portion OF
carbonic oxide sa;, which required to be
removed by lairii.cation of tho gas and
carbonic oxide is a very deadly gas of a Sc
dative character and akin to prlIssic acid and
in its effect upon tic system. The doctor
was one of the stockholders Of the old gas
company and says, what is true, that no
such sinking gas was ever furnished the
citizens 10y it. He declares that if the bad
gas comes from the works of the old COM
pany it must have been sent into
the gasomcter without passing through
the lime purifiers. These are troublesome
and expensive to prepare, but arc absolute
ly necessary TO furnish an innGcuOus and
bright gas. The doctor expresses great
contempt for the process of making gas
which tie present company established
here. He says tn It it is dccompOscd
water CREASED with coal oil, and consc-
quently Of feeble illuminating power. The
hydrogen which is obtained from
the water barns freely but without any
light, and the coal oi! is added to give it
illuminating quality; and coal oil being
dearer than water, the less put in the
cheaper the gas.
An "ExPerts ~ Opinion.
Mr.. George X. Reed, late secretary and
treasurer OF the old gas company, attr;-
butes the difficulty to carelessness or
neglect on the part of the employees at the
gas works. lie says. there is no good rea
son why the covers of the purifiers should
have become frozen, as the purifiers are
enclosed in brick building. which, under
the old management, was kept heated
by steam pipes. lie states further that the
trouble may have been caused by negleciing |
for too long time 20 change the lime in
the purifiers a. the use of coal containnga !
large proportion of sulphur. Mr.. Reed
says it is an easy matter for any one to !
test the parity Of the gas by iissolving = |
little sugar Of lead in water, dipping a
piece of paper into the solution and hold |
ing the paper above the gas jet. If the
gas is pure the papcr will remain uncol-
ored, but if it contains the poisonous sui !
phurated hydrogen gas it will at once dis
color the paper. Mr. Reed says the old
company guarded against such accidents
as Mr.. Baumgarlncr speaks OF by watch
fulness over the employees.