National Republican., 1883-12-05

five foot gas burners Of Is candle power
each for one hour and give total OF 5000
candle power in all. The same amount of
coal burned under properly arranged boiler,
and the steam from said boiler used in an
economical engine, would produce so horse
power for one hour, which, when used to
drive the Brush generators, will furnish 80
Brush lights of 1000 candle power each, or
total of 100000 candle power in all.
The same amount Of powor would give
500 Swan incandescont lights of 10
candle power each for one hour, or q total Of
$500 candle power against 5000 candle power
from the gas direct. A good showing for
electric lights. The difference is greater with
the Brush system. The best gas coal as yet
found in this country only gives 600 feet Of
gas for 100 pounds Of coal, and some coal COOS
as low rs 300 feet for 100 pounds. Therefore
tho average is 450 feet but for easy figuring
call II 500 feet. This will give 100 five-foot
gas burners for ono hour of 10 candle power
each, or total of 1900 candle power. The
same 100 pounds of COAL which ia as good
steam coal as the English, will when burned
in the manner described above, give so horse
power for one hour; tho so horse power will
give 80 of the largo lights mentioned, and
will, through the medium of the Brush storage
batteries, give 400 swan lamps OF l6 candle
powor each for one hour, or a total of 6,400-
candle power against 1900 from the coal when
converted into gas"
In the matter of tho need of gas in tho
event of the general adoption of electric
lighting, one of the representatives of the
Brush company said: "Gas has field open
to it in which electricity cannot compete
namely, that of heating and cooking; and
whom the gas companies are ready to furnish
n suitable gas for that purpose, which they
can do for about so cents per thousand, they
will make more money than they do now. A
gas suitable for heating purposes can be made
aud put in the holders for from % TO 30 cents
q thousand feet. 1t does not require purifying
or cleansing, such as has to be done when the
gas Is used for lighting purposes, which adds
to the expense of its manufacture. They
could we'll afford to sell such gas for so cents,
and by doing so they would clear 90 cents on
every thousand feet used and there might
be ten times the amount Of gas used for heat
ing and cooking that there is now for light
ing purposes When they are ready to fur
nish gas ut this price they can heat every
house in the city for less money than it can
be done by burning coal in stoves. Then all
the coal used in the city will be hauled to the
gas works, there converted into gas, and tho
gas furnished throughout the city, thus dis
pensing with the dirt, inconvenience, and trou-
bic Of handling coal in residences and stores.
Even steam can be made cheaper from gas
than from coal direct, and is done now in
| many of the large iron works Of this country.
| The fireman will be dispensed with, and the
| engineer acts in both capacities As the cost
of producing power 10 the principal item in
| the cost of electric lighting here is man
| ner in which it can be produced cheaply.
Compound engines are the most economical
of any, and som forms produce horse power
with the consumption Of IL pounds of coal per
| horse power per hour. Condensing engines
Of proper make and size will yield horse
power with 81 pounds per hour; q good form
Of -condensing engine of suitable size will
develop horse power with the consumption
of pounds of coal per hour. Now If coal is
| S. straight ton of 1000 pounds it is
only cent per pound, thus four pounds cost
one cent; therefore, at 3 cents per horse
power, the cost would be Z of cent. This
leaves of o cent for oil, waste, and interest
But instead Of using coal that cost $5 per ton
we use coal that cost $3.50 and get as good re.
selts, the cost of fuel would be of cent pei
hour. Thiswe are now doing in many Of the
northern and western cities, and by using the
proper furnaces in which to burn the coal