New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-09-28
GAS FOR CLNCINNATL.

The age of bronze and the age OF iron have
passed the age of steam and the age OF coal.
There has come the age of steel and OF gas.
Even the greatest deposits eff coal can be ex-
hausted, and the demands of miners make the
cost of coal a matter of such uncertainty that
manufacturers will avoid its use If they can.
But gas lifts itself from the earth, and the
scientific theory that its supply is constantly
renewed in natures vast laboratory within the
earth seems to receive new confirmation every
month. At many points far distant from eacn
other in Pennsylvania and in Kentucky as we'll
as IN other States, burning wells have bNen
ablaze for many years with no perSeptiDie
diminution in their volume. At other points,
where great numbers of wells have been opened
within so narrow a tract that they may be sup
posed to tap the same sources OF supply the
flow of gas in the older wells has rapidly de-
creased, but this is just the result which the
later borings might be expected to produce.
The fact that at some points the same springs
have continued In full blaze for many years,
like the burning spring described by Washing
ton in his report of the survey of Virginia, which
is said to have lost nothing in its how OF gas
for century and half, goes far to sustain the
claim of scientific persons that the process OF
manufacture and renewal is going on continu-
ally, and will furnish inexhaustib.e supplies.
The utilization of gas ut Pittsburg has revo-
lutionized many things already, and threatens
10 revolutionize many more. The rapid sub
stitution of gas for coal as fuel in nearly all the
great manufacturing establishments OF that
region is stronger testimony as to the superb
ority of the new supply than any assertion OF
individuals. But the manufacturers who have
used it claim that they would use the gas Mt any
reasonable cost in preference to coal IL laid
down mt the furnace free of all cost. For the
gas is pure and clean; it makes no clnders
which are costly to remove; 1t requires far less
labor in handling; it is free from impurities
and of unvarying qualities, so that IA far better
quality of product can be secured, and it does
not burn out or destroy the furnaces in which II
is used. These claims are made by those who
have had the most experience in the use OF the
new fuel, and they consider these advantages
so great that they believe all the iron aud steel
manufactures of the great central region, anu
all the glass manufacturers of tho country,
must go to Pittsburg unless other supplies oil
gas can be obtained elsewhere.
The Cincinnati manufacturers, at all events,
appear to be convinced that manufacturing in
that region cannot be expected to thrive much
longer unless they can compete with PIttsburs
in respect TO fuel. Hence n project is seriously
entertained to bring supply OF gas from the
Tug Fork region, OH tho border between Ken
lucky and Virginia, $50 miles, ut cost
varionsly estimated from $2.25O.OOO to
So, 5OO,0 0O to supply the works at lronton'
Portsmouth, Catletsburg. Ashland, and Cincin-
natl. 1t is claimed that the two great gas wells
which have been opened within a few years in
the Kentucky region are the largest producers
of natural sas yet discovered. The pressure of
gus at the burning well has been estimated by
scientific investigators ut 400 TO 700 pounds to
the square inch. and it has been pouring out
unused for years quantity of gas equal to the
duly consumption of 10000 bushels of coal.
1t is believed that all practical difficulties in the
TRANSPORTATION of this fuel so great distance
have been solved already in the supply of the
Pittsburg region. There seems To be reason to
suppose that the completion of this great work
will not long be delayed.