The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-25

\
the Role OF an Orator, Brings Applause
from the Friends OF the Present Gas sys-
tem-Dr. Cabell Thinks the Water-Gas
Fatal 10 Health on Account Of Its Carboiic
Oxide Properties-Mr. Todd Arranges that
the Committee Shall BE the Judge OF the
Standard OF Purity Of the New Gas, and
| Promises that IL Shall BE Free from Poi
son-Nr. Anderson, n Contractor, Guaran-
tees 10 Furnish Gas I'm the Burner at Sixty
Cents-The Entire Question Recommitted
to the Joint Commiatee.
| A called meeting of the Board OF Alder
men was held at Z O'Clock last night.
Present, Mr.. President Bass and the fol-
lowing members: Messrs. Barksdale, Bur-
well. Cabell, Chaflin, Cohen, Cole, Cren-
shaw, Crump, Dickerson, Dufield, Glas-
gov, Peasants, Rankin, Taylor, Todd,
| Wexford, and Williams.
The clerk read the minutes OF the pre-
vious meeting, and they were signed by
the President. The President stated the
object OF the meeting 10 be to hear the re-
port Of the joint Committee on Light and
| Finance.
THE MAJORITY REPORT.
Mr.. Glasgow, chairman Of the joint
Committee on Light and Finance, submit
ted the following report, which was read,
as follows:
To The Council Of the CitV Of Richmond:
The joint Committees on Finance and
Light, 10 whom was referred resolution
from your body Of August II, 1882, ac-
companied by proposal Of the United
Gas-ImprOyement Company Of Philadel-
phia to supply the city with gas on certain
conditions, beg leave to report:
On consideration OF the matter it was
! referred TO a subcommittee consisting OF
two members from each OF the two joint
committees, to which was added their
chairman. At subsequent meeting the
subcommittee reported that they could
not obtain such information as would en-
able them to make n satisfactory report on
! the quality OF water-gas, which it was pro-
posed TO supply, without visiting places
where it is manufactured aud consumed !;
thoreupon the joint committees instructed
| them to make such visit and obtain full in
formation. The subcommittee having dis
| charged this duty, presented 4 report TO q
subsequent meeting, signed by four Of its
members-viz., Messrs. Glasgow, Cohen,
Todd, and Barksdale-giying the results Of
their investigations, the substance OF which
will be embodied in this report. a mi
nority report was also presented, signed by
one member Mr.. Higgins. This will no
doubt come before you in a minority re-
port from the two joint committees.
The subcommittee say in their report:
In pursuance OF your instructions we
visited several Of the northern cities seeking
the Information desired. The discussion of
the subject at home bad developed appre-
tensions Of the quality OF what is known
aS water-gas, and that its Use was deleteri-
Gus, and to this feature we addressed our
inquiries as well as To its illuminating
power and merits generally; and as we
found that water-gas was made by various
processes and under various patents, il may
be well to state that in all it is made by the
Use of water converted into steam, the
hydrogen being obtained by decomposing
the steam and the illuminating power
added by the use Of petroleum oil or some
one Of lts products; that is, it is made from
water and oil by different modes OF manipu-
latiOn, the product being the same in all,
its Illuminating power varying with the
quantity Of oil used.
We first visited in New York the works
OF the Excelsior Gas-Light Company, at
Astoria, and spent several hours with the
| president, Mr.. Gross, and the treasurer,
Mr.. Perry. We found the small gas-works
formerly used for coal gas now used as an
experimental station TO prove and perfect
the process invented by Mr. Gross.
| Mr. Gross claims that his process is per-
! fcctcd. He exhibited TO us the works In
operation, and the gas seemed TO Us salts
/ factory in all respects. He had recently
contracted to hight the town Of Astoria,
and bad commenced digging for the mains.
! We next visited the Municipal Gas Com
pany. This company WAS organized 10
/ supply water-gas within the past two years.
The secretary stated in proof OF the merits
Of their gas that their production had al
ready grown to daily output Of 1000 900
cubic feet. lie referred lis for its quality
| 10 the New York Hotel, where we were
lodged. Our inquiries at the hotel proved
| that the gas was in all respects satisfactory,
and our own observations confirmed it.
| We next visited the Manhattan Gas Com
pany and had an interview with the sccre-
| tury and engineer. This is the largest gas
company and one OF the oldest in the city,
and supplies coal-gas only. The officers Of
this company treated us very courteOusly
and answered our inquiries frankly.
The question naturally suggested was,
why, when il was claimed that water-gas
was superior both in quality and economy,
| they still adhered to coal-gas? Their an
swer was substantially TO deny that water
Gas was Of better quality than theirs, and
| as to any difference in cost. they had never
been satisfied that it was sufficient to justify
the large loss they would sustain OF three
quarters OF million OF dollars in making
/ the change, besides the large sum demanded
| for the right to use the water. gas, that their
conclusion was at present prices they were
doing well, and it was wisest to let well
| enough alone. In answer TO q further IN
quiry they said they were bound to admit
| chat, as far as they knew. water-gas gave
satisfaction to its consumers.
We had now visited the two largest gas
companies III the city, one coal and the
other water, but neither having experience
in the process Of the other. We next con-
cluded TO visit the New York Gaslight
Company, an old company which had pre-
yjouslv furnished coal-gas. but in 1SSC
bought the water gas privilege at n cost, We
were told, Of 100000, and since then have
supplied Their customers with water-gas
We found the secretary in his Office, and
learned from him that his company is salts.
fed they did well TO make the change; that
certainly the cost Of water-gas was found
to be less than coal-gas, and that it gave hi:
customers better satisfaction. He assured
us that there was nothing in the manufac-
ture, distribution, or use Of it, that caused
any doubt Of the propriety OF the change.
The subcommittee visited, amongst
others, the Brush land Edison Electric
Light Companies, and obtained information
oi the progress made in introducing the in
candescent light in private houses. They
witnessed an illustration Of 1t in the Eve.