Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-23
NATURAL GAS.
STOCKTON'S NEW SOURCE OF
GREAT PROSPERITY.
All Unlimited Supply Of Flowing
Gas for lighting the City
and for Fuel.

Stockton, by reason of The foresight and
praiseworthy enterprise of its citizens, has
for some years been leading manufactur-
ing point in the State. Its factories have
become prominent feature, and form a
solid bases Tor ample maintenance Of her
present population, for an inflow Of aug
mented capital, en- increased demand for
artisans, and guaranty for the city's
rapid growth and prosperity, The ma
chinery, farming implements and other
articles manufactured at Stockton are
found throughout the State and ceast, and
find their way to the trans-nontaRe regions
and to lands beyond the seas.
To supply this vast amount Of mechani-
cal productions, healthy demand is made
for the profitable investment al home of
large volume Of capital, and steady and re-
munerative employment is provided for al
most an army Of skilled and unskilled
workmen, who are thereby enabled to
build up homes and comfortably supply
their wants, and to rear and educate their
children to intelligent and loyal citizen
ship. And thus the mechanical industries
become the very basic element of munich
pal growth and prosperity and of the gen
eral good and welfare Of the State.
A NEW ECONOMIC FACTOR
Like Sacramento, Stockton as dis
tributing point, has excellent both rail
and water transportation facilities and
this has been a strong factor in building
up the prosperous industries of that city
For while it affords easy means of reaching
all localities where market is found, It at
the same time insures low rates of freight
charges, both upon raw materials and fuel
conslmed in manufacture, and upon manu-
fact ued implements and goods shipped
else There. To these natural advantages
Stockton has recently become possessed of
another and far more important economic
factor in her field of manufactures, and for
the prosperity and rapid upbuilding of
that city. In sinking artesian wells some
time since, in that vicinity, it was noticed
that gas was emitted with the water from
subterranean source and in sufficient
quantity so that by collecting it in
a gasometer placed over the we'll.
enough was obtained to supply the
owners residence with its lights
and fuel This led to Investigations
and efforts at other points to secure gas in
larger quantities and has resulted in es-
tablishing the important fact that Stockton
is located Immediately over an
UNLIMITED SUPPLY OF NATURAL. GAS
And the importance of which, in its
wealth producing influence and value, the
people Of Stockton do not yet one-half
realize nor appreciate. This they will do.
however, when, within very short time,
this great subterranean supply of gas
shall be Systematically drawn upon,
and used for fuel in Kitchen and par
lor stoves, for lighting residences, count
ing-rooms and streets, and last, but most
important of all, shall be used as fuel for
producing power at greatly decreased cost,
for the numerous manufactures which
Stockton now has, and the numberless adj
ditional ones that this economic factor of
almost free fuel and free lights will even
tually attract and locate there. In fact
the application Of the newly found cheap
fuel has already been harnessed to use
for producing power, and with the
most unqualified success. To obtain SUD-
ply of natural gas, a well is bored and
piped in precisely the same manner as in
sinking a well for artesian water. In
other words, an artesian well is bored and
the gas comes to the surface as strong
impregnation of the artesian flow and also
rises in bubbles through it.
THE CROWN MILLS WILLS.
A successful illustration of the use of
this gas for fuel and tights is seen at the
Crown Mills, owned by the Stockton Mill
ing Company. Their well was sunk i'm
mediately outside of the mill wall, and
completed last January. A nine-inch
well was sunk and cased to about 900
feet in depth, when the first show of gas
was reached, in supply of water that
raised to the surface of the around.
Continuing the boring of the well down to
200 feet, flow Of two hundred and
thirty gallons of water per minute was OBJ
tanned and an estimated supply of $4,000
feet of gas in twenty-four hours
At this point the size of the casing was
reduced to six inches in diameter, and the
boring continued 200 feet further. when
an additional flow Of about 1900
feet of gas per day was obtained and
an increased flow of water Of about 100
gallons per minute. The foot of the nine
inch tubing was left open at the bottom
and extending somewhat below and out
side the top Of the six-inch tube. so that
the gas at the ,200-foot level comes in at
that point, and to this the $4,000 feet Of
gas from the lower level is added, rising
through the six-inch casing, and making n
total supply of about 10000 feet in "a
hours.
GAS USED FOR FUEL AND LIGHT.
The Crown Mills are located at the
water front, and the well above described
was sunk Immediately beside the outer
wall of the engine-roon. A gasometer
eleven feet in diameter has been erected over
the well, and from this full supply
of natural gas for use as fuel in
running the extensive mills night and day.
and also for lighting the establishment
throughout, is constantly taken. As used
for fuel, 1t is far preferable to coal or wood
in economy, cleanliness and convenience
and for lighting purposes is purer and SUI
perior in every way. The saw
ing in the matter of fuel and LIGHTS
amounts to about $3.50 per month, or 5000
per year.
The quality of the gas is such in its NAT
nral state that by use of the Lungren lamp
1t is burned direct from the flew withont
purifying.
FURTHER PROFIT PROM THE MILL.
In addition to this vast saving for fuel
and lighting, another great economy is
gained from the artesian flow cf water.
formerly the cost Of raising water
by pumping to supply the con-
denser amounted to a large bill
each month, as $50 gallons per minute
had to be risen twenty-five feet. Now the
arteslan water rises eighteen feet above
the former level, leaving only four feet for
the water to be raised with pumps. The
saving inthis is placed by the compasy at
- per day, or about 81 ,565 per apnum.
Thus the artesian water becomes also
very important factor in favor of Stockton
manufactures, and added to the saving by
use OF the gas for fuel and lights, the ere
well at Crown Mills makes net saving. or
profit to the company, of over $500 me-
-annum. Thesentire cost of boring. casins
and fitting up the well with gaSometer 4
etc, was aboutS4, 900
NATURAL GAS FOR PUBLIC USE.
Several other srells have been s,,p,, or |
are IN process of being put down to tap this |
subterranean supply of gas, but the largest |
and most extensive in its results thus far |
IS that belonging TO the Stockton Natural |
= 4 l.