The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

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i.AT5%SlI/ ~ ton county, Pa, q
lN~ village about ak
HR miles from Can
~ companies are en-
" gagged in furnish.
~ ing the gas, and
their combined plants represent an outlay
in round numbers Of two millions OF dol
lars, Tho factories, mills and industrial
establishments generally have me dement,
Of competition, . company o. mn n"ners
having been formed to furnish lhslr G own
establishments with the gas lnel, THIS
company is known as the ManuIacIufeIs
Gas Company, and its gas Is Grosght %
the city limits at the North Emu lhIo9gn
the pipes Of the Wheeling. Natural Gas
Company, which organization sells the
gas to the Manufacturers Company me
Wheeling Company also furnishes gas 70
Martins Ferry, Bridgeport, bellalre ailg
Ktuaville Tor both manufacturing anu
domestic purposes, and in all these towns
but Bellsire Contemplates furnishing 1t Tor
light also. ., 1900, .,.Lou.
gas fields yet discovered and utilized, and
In addition 10 its productiveness and the
force with which the gas escapes, the
fluid has peculiar and plainly percepti;
bic odOr-a Characteristic OF the gaa Of
very few localities and q valua Vie one, as
Il makes the presence Of gas from leak
apparent to the sense oil smell before
enough aCCumulatCs to be dangerous
The Hickory field extencs over an area
greater than any other yet drawn upon,
lis limits not having been definitely h%ed
by the drill; II affords wells as strong az
those OF any field, and much stronger
than the average, and it has no bad wellsi
and the two Wheeling companies have
not only territory enough, but wells
enough and more than enough, to supply
MI possible demands upon them. WheeI'
ing's supply is practically inexhaustible,
even were she compelled to depend for
ever upon the Hickory field, which she is
not.
DANGER REDUCED TO TIE MINIMUM.
There ia probably not another Commun.
ity anywhere which enjoys the advantage
ofnatural gas fuel wherU tho danger Of
dlsastrous explosions IL 30 small, the con-
veniences so many and the whole piping
svstem 40 thorough, well laid and secure,
Hs in Wheeling. The two companies who
have plants here are composed largely oil
Pittsburph capitalists, and most oil them
have been engaged in the business else.
where before they came here. They en-.
low the advantage Of their own and others
exueriencO, and OF all that has been said
or pnblished on tho subject. When Pitts.
burph was first pped for gas fuel the bus
iness was in It's infancy, the appliances
crude, the workmGn unskilled, the bust.
ness n venture in which the risk was great
and the returns prOblematical. When the
pines were put down here the markets
were flooded with inventions and appli.
ances designed to avert danger and add to
The convenience and comfort OF using gas
for fuel; workmen had acquired skill the
experiment OF furnishing gas aa business
had proven successful elsewhere; the pa.
ners and books teemed with suggestions
byEcientisls and discoveries by practical
men, throwing light on the nature and
management OF the gas. In other cities
work was carelessly and Cheaply done;
here neither pains nor expense WAS spar
cd to make the piping systems, appliances
and accessories rs nearly perfect as posi-
BILE for human ingenuity to make them.
Tho map Of industrial Wheeling and
vicinity, on the first page OF to.day's IN.
THLIIGHSCER, shows the location OF each
gas company's mains In the streets Of
the city, where they enter, their arrange
ments over the river and other particulars
of the local system. The radial map on
the third page elbows the route OF the
pipelines from the point OF supply to the
river.
HOW TIE PIPES ARRLAI
knswn fact that thcrois no tlangeroi
the leakage OF gas from the pipes except al
The Joints, There are two styles Of joints
Pines more hanteninChes In diameter are
cast, and jointed with catch in slot, the
Joint then being Caulked with lead. Pipes
ion inches and under are wrought by ma.
Chinery, and screwed together, the screw
threads being coated with preparation
which hardens and renders any accidental,
imperceptible fssuro impervions TO gas,
The Joints are both good, as safe as can DO
desired. Tho gas Is brought from Hickory
to the city limits by each company through
twelye-inCh locked and caulked, cast iron
pipCs. At the city limits ten.inCh wrought
Iron ecrew.joined pipe Is substituted. II
will thus be seen that the gas Ia as secure
In the pipes as II could well be made.
But the companies are not satisfied nor
would they DO allowed here, as In some
places, TO stop here. Each company pro.
yides a system OF safety appliances ap.
proved byexperts and attested by expert.
ence. The Manufacturers company
places over each joint within the city a
sleeve OF iron which fits neatly over the
Joint. This Is Caulked at each end around
The main pipe. This practically makes
1nukIn Cinc and II the GAS eRCappR frOm
the inner one, the outer one oters Just
as great obstacle to It's escape. Over this
sleeve, or short section Of pipe, is again
placed box fitted tightly to the main
pipe. Out Of the apex Of this box, which
Is Cone.shaped, small vent leads, con.
Meeting with small pipe. II after oil
these safeguards gas should find It's way
into this outer box, 1t will seek the most
natural outlet, which 10 by the way Of this
pipo. The several little pipes, one from
each Joint, run parallel withthe main pipe,
and at every tenth joint Is placed on the
sidewalk a post through which ten Of these
little pines ascend. Tho ends at the top Of
the posts arc open, not only preycntingthe
accumulation OF gas, but enabling inRpec.
tors to test the existence OF leak by
simply flashing torch at the mouths Of
tho pipes. This Is don0 at brief intervals.
THE ornRR coMPANY's PLAN.
The Natural Gas Company Of West
Virginia, which has the exclusive right
IN furnish gas for fuel In Wheeling, except
That manufacturers may bring II for their
own use, guards its extensive piping syB.
fem by a different but efficient system OF
oannnSs Ahnuk aarh inint on Tia lines