Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-12
REDUCING THE COST OF GAS,
Effect ofthc Introduction of Hydro.
gen Into Its Manufacture.
FroNl "a CAIcaq0 Neaos.


The Chicago Gas Light and Coke Com.
pany made It's first practical move yester-
day in the Invasion of the territory Of the
Vest Side Company Mr.. Watkins COM
pany asked the public works department
for permit to tunnel the river at Taylor
street. The tunnal will be run seventy
feet below the surface Of the street, and It
will connect with shafts on each side Of
the river.
In the further interest OF the invasion,
1t Is said, number of prominent gas men
are in Chicago negotiating with Mr.. Wat
kins, President OF the old North Side Com
pany, for the Introduction of a new pro.
cess of gas manufacture into mis- present
works. Mr.. Watkins desires to abandon
the old coal gas process now in
use and to secure cheaper
system that Will make it practicable, Is
not profitable, TO enter MIR. Billings field
OF labor. Inventions of the last few years
have greatly cheapened the cost or max
ing gas and several systems for the same
end have been devised. In an the sNs-
! TENS hydrogen gas is mixed with gas
made from crude petroleum or nAphtna.
The fact that the hydrogen is secured by
converting water into steam and then re-
moving the oxygen by combustion gives
the name ''water-gas" to the compound.
Hydrogen gas is combustible but non.
Illuminating, and 1t costs about 1d
cents per 1000 cubic feet in the gas-holter.
Crude petroleum gas costs nearly 80 cents
per 1000 cubic feet. By introducing
small amount of hydrogen into the
petroleum gas the compound is more
valuable for ordinary purposes than pure
petroleum gas. The more hydrogen In-
trOduced the cheaper the gas. Before a
committee OF the New York Legislature
recently il was shown that good ulum-
mating gas could be made for AZ cents per
1000 feet.
The systems of manufacture submitted
to MIR. Watkins combine a number of in-
V6ntiOns, but the processes involved IN
each are on substantially the same prfn-
ciple. Three systems are under cOnsidera-
ton for adoption by the old company and
the matter of cheapness OF production
will probably largely decide the selection.
The United Improvement Company, one
OF the three competitors, claims that the
processes OF the other two are infringe
ments on its own system in some import
ant features, aud the prospect OF suits Ia
Fdeclare the right to the patents may have
some bearing on MIR. Watkins choice.
The Improvement Company is a Phila,
| delphia concern whose largest stock
| holders are SAID to be identified with the
Standard OIL Company. This company
practically controls the production OF
crude petroleum, and by reason Of it's
powerful Organization ana influence with
| transportation lines can furnish the
material for the manufacture of gas at
lower prices than it's competitors can ac-
l'cept. The Improvement Company owns
a number Of valuable patents which 10
has combined in a system OF manufacture
that is sold to other companies. Where a
sale cannot be effected and it is desirable
to introduce it's system the company pur-
chases the works of other companies and
speedy drives out other competitors by
low prices. The free admixture Of hydro
gen cheaDens the product and the COM
| pany loses nothing.
The company now controls the gas sup
| ply in Harrisburg, Paterson, Jersey City,
St. Louis, san Francisco, Omaha, Louis
VILE and Savannah, and has a large in
| terest in New Orleans.