Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-13
DAILY HERALD.
THE L. A. GAS COMPANY,
what IL Has Been Doing
Recently.

what II Has Been Doing
Recently.
As an evidence of the rapid growth
Of this city, perhaps nothing can be
named that would go to show that
fact more conspiciously and in more
practical manner than the improve
ments and enlargements that
have been made necessary to many OF
the old established business houses
and corporations here in order to
supply the increasing demands made
upon them by the public. Take the
case of the Los Angeles Company as
an instance, to show the remarkable
increase and expansion OF business in
one direction during the past few
years. This Company commenced
operation in this city in 1867, and for
the first nine years Of its existence,
only four miles of pipe were required
to supply the demands made upon
them for gas. At the present time
the Company has forty-6ve miles OF
mains laid in the principal streets OF
this city, and has large force OF
men employed in laying mains as fast
as pipe can be procured.
The Los Angeles Gas Company has
recently erected a new two-story brick
building, corner of Also and Howard
streets, q building made necessary by
the continually increasing demands
upon it by the public. This build
ing is 45x96 feet, and among other
things worthy of mention, contains
the new station meter Of the company
probably the finest on the Pacific
coast. This meter is s feet 6 inches
by feet 6 inches, and cost, when set,
$2500. In large room on the Sec
ond story of the building are the new
purifying works, consisting in part of
four large iron pans IA feet 6 inches
by Is feel 5 inches each, and each
weighing $4,000 pounds. Adjoining
this, on same story, is room with
cement floor, used for slaking lime,
and for the preparation Of oxide OF
iron to use in connection with lime to
remove impurities from the gas, with
which up to this point Of manufacture
it is loaded. Conveniently under this
room is store-room for lime, capable
of holding 1000 barrels of that ar
ticle.
All of the improvements recently
made at the works of this company
are of the latest inventions. In
stead of raising the covers of
the purifying pans by the old-time
process, a hydraulic lift now
does that work in a way that
causes astonishment and admiration.
Conley's automatic governor is in use
here, an instrument which regulates
the supply OF gas to consumers by
night and day-one of the greatest in
ventions of this inventive age-and
performs its work with greater precis-
ion than any man can do the same
work. That portion Of the company's s
works which is used in the manufac-
ture of coal-gas is capable Of generat-
ing 5000 cubic feet every twenty
four hours. In addition to the plant
used in the manufacture of gas from
coal, the Los Angeles Gas Company
has recently completed, on the east
ern portion of their grounds, new
works for the purpose of making gas
from oil. The new brick building
which contains the oil-gas plant is 32
feet by 55 feet and 30 feet high. The
plant is probably the largest used for
similar purpose west of the Rocky
Mountains. The boiler is of 75-horse-
power. The two new engines are 210
horsepower each, and when running
each makes 400 revolutions per
minute. Two of Sturtevant's
blowers, capable of making 1900
revolutions per minute, are used
as aids in heating the gas gener-
ators. The two generators used here
are each feet in diameter and rs
feet high. The scrubbers and con-
densers in use are each feet in diam
eter and 26 feet high. The oil works
are capable of generating 100000
cubic feet OF gas per day OF "a hours,
which, with the coal gas plant, enables
the company to furnish, if required,
], 100 1000 cubic feet of gas per day.
OF the residual products of the coal
used by the company in the generation
of gas, tar, which was once considered
of little value, but is now in great de-
mand here, is utilized by them. The
demand for it far exceeds the supply.
The coke produced furnishes a very
desirable and cheap fuel for many
purposes, and is readily disposed Of.
The entire works of the Los Angeles
Gas Company cover about eight acres
of ground. The present management
OF the company have, year by year,
since 1876 lat which time they as
Eumed control Of the affairs Of the
company, when gas made from
asphaltum sold for $3.50
per thousand, gradually reduced
the price of gas to So per thousand as
the materials used in its manufacture
became cheaper, and as increased con-
sumption enabled them to supply it at
less cost. In pursuing this course they
have been actuated by no other mo-
tive than desire to deal fairly with
their customers, no pressure having
been brought to bear upon them to in
duce them to lower their prices. They
now have tirst-class plant, complete
in every particular, and, from the very
necessities Of the situation, propose to
use it. They will continue to supply
their customers, as they have done in
the past, with superior quality of il
Illuminating gas, and at as low prices
as any other company will furnish a
similar article. The recent invention
for the mixture of common air with
gas for stove use, a proportion Of about
seventy per cent of the former to about
thirty per cent of the latter, enables
the company to furnish for heating
purposes gas which will give great
heat at small cost.
The Alhambra Hotel
Is now open for the reception Of
guests. The hotel is located at Al
hambra, seven miles from Los An
geles, on the s. P. R. R. Parties
wishing to engage board and rooms
- Il J L IL 4