New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-12
BRINGING GAS FROM THE COAL FIELDS

| THE PROJECT PRONOUNCED IMPRACTICABIE AND
| FOOLISH BY THE OFF ERs OF THE GAS COM
| PANIEs-GENERAL ROoME's EMPHATIC AssER-
| TONS
| The project to bring gas by pipeline from the
| coal fields of Pennsylv nna to this city and other
cities in the East is regarded as utterly lmpractc-
| able by the leading gas companies OF TINS city.
The presidents and principal officers of these com
| panies declare the scheme to be "wlld," "sense-
| less" foolish "chimerica' nonsensical" and
| ainfeaslble.r They say that they do so from no
fear of competition or apprehension that their busl
| ness will be affected. Companies like the Munich
| pal and the New-York would not be Affected under
any circumstances they affirm, as they manufacture
| water gas the former entirely and the latter
| largely SO.
| Thomas X Lees, president Of the NewYork Gas
| Light Company, said tho other day al keep one
| pigeon-holc solely for papers marked wild
| schemes In that have carefully laid away the
| pros pectus of Mr. Baker, Mr.. Hoey and others,
| which they have issued concerning this project.
The plan is entirely mpracticabe. Engineering may,
| il is true, accomplish anything. But aside from
| that the expense involved is enormous. There Is
| no doubt on that point at least. They say that
$ij, 100000 will be required-to start with Most
men would not regard that a small sum. Bua
| Mr. Baker seems to take 1t very lightly. The
| have each contributed $4,000; well, $4,000 Is
very short step toward $45,0O0,00O. Where are
| they TO get the remainder From the gas com
panies
AS to the feasibility of the plan, we have only
TO consider the difficulties encounter in carry
| ing gas from Twenty-third-st. to the Battery.
There is great trouble from leakage, friction and
pressure. The experience of the London COai Gas
Light Company shows lie difficulties to be met IN
TRANSPORTING gas for u considerable distance he
works are situated at Bcckt0n station rom there
to 1t. Pauls is a distance of ten miles In order 10
transmit the gas, two pipes four ieet III diameter
are LAID side by suc. Now Mr.. Baker Will nave To
carry his gas 4S6 miles. Allowing an eXhaustlng
engine for every twenty-five miles, according Ia his
estimates, he will require twenty-five OF these.
For the hrot $50 miles he proposes 10 use one pipe
six feet in diameter: Tor the rest OF the distance
pipe four feet IN diameter. III the London Company
requires two pipes four feet III diameter Tor ten
miles, how will single pipe OF the PROPOSED dhleh-
sons serve for 1856 miles, And this pire IS 10 sup
ply New-YOrk and four other large cltles besides
any small towns that may be taken ln
%Were the plan feasible there Is one strong OBJ
lection. 1t would place these large cities at tne
mercy of a population which is the worst In Penn
sylvania You know what mining population Is
This scheme Will necessltate the formation OF a
mining community OF several thousand people IN a
single place. There was strike III this city III
1873 and men refused TO work. Suppo-5 the same
thing should happen IN tins PENNSYLVANIA Vllllge
All New York and the otuer large cities supplied
from there would be at the mercy OF the strlktIs
You know how a whole district Is affected there
Il
cities would be under the control OF single min
ING population Pshaw 1t Is a waste Oh INK 10
write about it. railroad to the moon Wonlu DE as
feasible | said this thing to MIR. Baker wears
ago, when he first began to Talk OF IL. Nny' the
interest on this $ij,Oo0,O00 would pay Tor the
TRANSFORMATION OF all the coal company Wouid use
dnrinc ira entire Incorporation If you got the gas
here, You couldnt run 1T into the Tan emu oil our
pipes: you'd have To tear up all the stleetS Irom
Harlem to Ienth-st ,
I've would not be affected one way or another by
the scheme. We not making coal gas, but
water gas. We have been doing 80 Tor Two Years ears
The Municipal Company has Tor I'VE years. one
third of all the gas sold in New-(ork IS water gas
The answer to this whole scheme Is its fallacy
and will not work. . re
H. +. (;awtry. vice-preSident OF the Municipal Gas
Light Company gave his opinion as follows; ihe
scheme is not feasible. Here III tins city there Is
large difference the amount OF gas sent out IRON
the holders and that received at the points oil delV-
ery There is leakage from imperfect joints. The
sinking OF is also another Gauss OF loss as
| was recently the case in Fifty sixth and Fifty
| seyenth-sts. We are manufacturing water gas en-
| tlrely There is decided tendency toward the
manufacture of this KIND OF gas. III gives thlrty
candle power where only sixteen candle power IL
given by coal gas. and 1t Is sold at the same rate
not very well posted IN matters Pe[tainn n 20
leads me to believe that The plan proposed Is I'M
practicable" ,,.-,:.
| Company, was also lncredulOus IN regard TO the
| scheme The thing" he said, cannot be done.
Even if il could the cost OF bringing the gas here
wouId more than balance the gain from mannfac-
turing il Oh the spot Friction and the question OF
pressure would be very great elements tor SO great
q distance. There would be great leakage But
that would not he of so great consideration as the
loss of light. l cannot give the percentage OF loss
in light of the gas i'll this city owing 10 distance
through which il is carried bat 1t is very con5Id-
cradle and "A most important factor. The further
Won carry the gas the more light you lose. Ihe
whole plan set forth Is too vague and INDEFINITE
TO afford any basis Tor the consideration OF It, II Is
a very wild scheme"
General Charles (Oome president OF the Manhat-
ton Comnanv was very emphatic in his characterl-
zation of the project " don't want to say word
about it," he exclaimed with considerable impa-
tience Still you can say this: have seen the
General and he says it Is d-n nonsense and only
n fool would have anything TO do with it, There,
vou'ye cot 1t in strong Anglo Saxon. Put 1T down
'nst az | say It, This thing has been tai eel for
forty yeaIs It's d-n nonsense and that's all OF
IT,