St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-04-14
GAS ON RAILROADS.

| 1ne Notorol Ax0ao - 0opplooe Oool ~
10sa oa Locemoilves.
Within the past nine months more
improvements have been made in rail-
road equipment than in any like period
in the history of the country. Per
haps the most daring one now being
attempted ID Tho utilizing Of natural
gas - fuel for engines and to furnish
light and heat for the cara Several
master mechanics In the country hold
thai his product can Be confined and
used At will and the master mechanic
Of the Fort Wayne Cincinnati 4
Louisville road has demonstrated his
belisf so plainly that the officials Il
that line have placed at his command
all the money. men. and material nee
saaaxy - . aAseoagA tese 1hs route
Of that road is through the heart of the
immense gas regions Of Indiana. many
of the wells being Of great pressurr.
and flowing from 8. 000. 900 to II 600. I.
600 cubic feet every twenty.four hours.
Several weeks ago the master me.
chanic and superintendent had con.
structed . wrought-iron cylinder.
eighteen feet long and two feet in
diameter with heavy ends screwed in.
The cylinder was subjected to the most
critical and scientific tests and was
provided with gauges to register the
pressure It WAS placed on board a
car and transported to Montpelier.
Ind. whore there are located two
strong gas vella The cylinder was
attached to ono Of them. which had
rock pressure q $50 pounds to the
square inch When the gas was
turned on the gauge showed that it
was full in less than one minute. The
tank was then loaded on the cars and
taken to the shops 1t Fort Wayne.
Here it was attached to the usual nat
ural gas burning apparatus with
regulator" that controlled the enor.
nous pressure Of the gas 30 that il
flowed out in steady. regular current
Of ono ana half oun ces to the square
inch. the pressure at which natural
gas Is burned The gauge showed
that the gas had lost but little Of its
pressure. and it supplied light in the
burncss in the shops for several hours
besides heating one large stove aud
one forge.
s. much Of . success was the first
ties; that others have been made with
lager cylinders and the gas trans
p,rted each time . distance Of thirty
dght miles. The officials and experts
arc % we'll satisfied with the expert
ment that orders have been issued TO
squip the road engines with tanks. and |
he workmen in the shops are now
making the necessary changes Large
'tcel tanks or cylinders some what after
he pattern of the Standard Oil
cars are being made. and
hese win b attached to the engine in
he rear Of the tender They will have
} capacity equal to as many thousand
cubic feet Of gas - will represent
'nough Of coal to make a trip over the
Dad. which is about one hundred and
en- miles in length The attachment
o the fire box of the engine and stoves
n the cars will be BY means Of .
'ipe leading from the tank. and will
% regulated BY ahand screw.
The cost ID exceedingly small - an
ngine can bs supplied for about twen-
: cents day.
The experiments made at Fort
wayne have been watched By expert
,echanices employed By the Erie and
companieA and these
vstems Win also commence the con.
Ruction Of gas tanks for ths same
urposeA In case the tests made BY
seee companies are successful Il will
D only Q short time until the fuel
roblem On railways = ved-Ass-
y Guy 1ySsea II