The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-24
OUR GAS WORKS.
THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE
And New AaehInsry IntrOduesd-Ths Light
That We Read By-A Comparative State
msnt Regarding Other wOrks-whAt We
. Nay Expset-Expsnss OF the works.

their size and other conditions into con-
sideration, Of any city in the country, and
that the very best results are obtained%
This question, and alfanswer, wasputlo
an IsrELLIoEScER investigator yesterday by
an old and observant citizen. The repor-
ter modestly said that having many cares
and troubles on his mind he had
not thought much about the matter. He
knew that his midnight light burned
verv well, and that was the extent
OF the interest he had taken in the illumin-
ating factory. The remark OF the gentle.
man suggested TO the alert mind OF the re-
porter that something Of interest might be
learned OF the improvements recently made
by calling on Secretary Ed Hazlett at the
Trustees office. and thither he repaired TO
find that gentleman willing TO obligc tho
1NTELLIGENcER man aud impart any know.
ledge in his possession.
! NECESSITY FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS.
In introducing the subject Of the i'm.
provements made, Mr.. Hazlett said that
the works had been taxed to their utmost,
and that the old machinery was not equal to
the demands made upon it. For instance,
the maximum daily supply was 100000
cubic feet Of gas, and the maximum daily
consumption 42S, 900 cubic feet. The appeal
OF tho Trustees to Council was successful,
and the changes and additions to the
works suggested by them were ordered TO
be made, and last fall they contracted with
William Gardner, gas engineer OF Pitts.
burgh, Pa, to furnish and erect for the city,
all the latest improved gas machinery
necessary 10 make complete new sixteen
inch works.
The work OF Mr.. Gardner and his fore.
man, Mr.. Geo. W. Jones, has been most
satisfactory and his business relations with
the Trustees pleasant. Mr.. Gardner carried
out tho letter and spirit OF his contract
without bubble, and the Trustees have &C.
cepted his work, and expressed themselves
highly pleased with the results attained.
NATURE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS.
In the first place there were erected
three complete benches Of six retorts each,
Of Gardner Bros latest improved setting,
with hot air tlues, the same being used ex.
clusively by the Pittsburgh Gas Company,
and recommended by some Of the leading
gas engineers Of the United States as the
most perfect bench Of retorts now known
to the profession. a
The new retort house is covered with
wrought iron trussed roof with ventilator,
angle iron purlins, covered with peach bot.
al nd ot Ihl
machinery consists ofone horizontal boiler,
forty.two inches in diameter, by fourteen
feet long, with two fourteen inch tiues, and
capable Of standing pressure OF one hum
dred and twenty-five pounds to the square
inch, with tire.front, CRATE bars, fittings,
complete steam connections, breeching
and smoke stack, Also one upright boiler,
forty.two inches in diameter by twelve
feet high, having one hue thirty.four inches
in diameter by nine feet high, with steam
dome on top, breeching into the main
stack, complete steam connections and
smoke stack.
There is one rotary exhauster and en-.
gine complete, with all the necessary six:
teen-inch connections, valves, bypass and
governor. The capacity OF the exhauster is
seven hundred thousand cubic feet Of gas
every twenty.four hours. There are two
multitubular water condensers with sixteen
inch bypass connections, with one six.
teen.inch blank outlet for an additional
condenser, when Il shall become necessary
to have one. Each condenser is seventeen
feet high, and has two hundred and twenty
two two.inch tubes with water connections,
and over flow pipes. The capacity OF the
condensers is eight hundred thousand
cubic feet OF gas every twenty four hours.
STANDARD scRuBnER AND OTHER MACHINERY.
One standard washer and scrubber, with
engine and all necessary steam connections
completed, has been put in. The capacity
Of the scrubber is five hundred thousand
cubic feet Of gas every twenty.iour hours.
This kind OF a scrubber is now being used
in all large works 80 as to save the ammo.
niacal water which is a merchastable pro.
duct. iL
There are four cast iron purifiers, each
eighteen to twenty-five feet, by thirty.eight
inches deep, inside measurement, with six.
teen inch loots cast on, four wrought iron
covers, holding down clips, &C., and four
layers OF ash lime trays to each box. Each
purifier rests on three bars oil six inch
channel iron, supported by six cast iron
columns. Also, one sixteen inch centre
seal with rotary wheel and pinion, tar
reservoir and syphon with all necessary
sixteen inch connections from centre seal
to the boxes and from the exhauster to the
centre seal and to meter bypass. Con.
nected with this department are two
hydraulic lifts for raising and lowering the
purifier covers, having lattice girdes with
carriage for carrying the covers. The puri-
tiers are capable OF purifying one million
four hundred thousand cubic feet OF gas
every twenty.four hours.
The station meter, with meter bypass
and all necessary sixteeu.inch connections
TO and from same, is capable OF passing
and registering one million cubic feet Of
gas every twenty.four hours 1t was made
and erected by Helme 4 McIlbenny, OF
Philadelphia, Pa. A large portion oil the
new gas machinery was constructed by the
Kerr, Murray Manufacturing Company, OF
Fort Wayne, Ind, and erected under the
personal supervision Of the company.
"What Is the cost Of these improve
ments?n asked the reporter.
swell, )" said Mr.. Hazlett, "nearly thirty.
nine thousand dollars" H,,s.l
"Of course there have been other out.
"ob, yes. Some repairs have been made,
mains have been extended and lamp'posts
erected ?" -. ..
hAny surplus onhandP' -.v}
"About $4,000"
"Well, we get gas pretty cheap, don't WEI"
ayes. There are only two cities that !
can recall who are served cheaper than we
are. Those cities are Pittsburgh and
Baltimore, where gas only costs 81 per
thousand cubic feet. The larger the con,
sumption, Of course the cheaper tho article.
For instance ittakes us much labor to make
7O,OOO,0O0 cubic feet as II does TO manutac.
inra 81 nnn nnl cuhin feet pittshnrRh. as