The Red Cloud chief., 1888-09-28
HOW a is MADE.
4 Simple Explanation of the Manufacture
of Illuminating Gas.

How few people can inteIligibly ez-
plain some of the most ordinary things
in everyday life. An Official OF the
city gas works was heard 10 say not
long ago that if he might Judge by the
number OF times he was asked for
information. not more than two people
in ten know how common Illuminating
gas - made. They al seem 70 UNDER
stand. he said. that il ZONES out OF soft
coal. but they ara ignorant OF the pro-
cess b. which il Is extracted. We Go
not doubt this ~ all. tor, as We have
said 10 you several times. il = the very
common things that We are apt 20 over
look in search for information. You
will understand. therefore. why We
select subjects 20 talk about with which
you and everybody e.Se ought to be
familiar.
Now. lei Us give you = verr simple
explanation of gas-making. Break Up
a piece of bituninous coal into small
fragments and fill the bowl OF 2 clay
tobacco pipe with them. Cover the
mouth Of the bowl with wet clay and
then thoroughly dry it. Pct the bowl
OF the pipe into Il ire where it will get
red hot. and yOu will soon see yellow
ISL smoke come out OF the stem. and if
you touch a light to the smoke il will
burn brightly. for il IS nothing more
nor less than the gas from the coal.
You a purify and collect this gas
in a very simple way. Fill a bottle
with water and turn il upside down in
a bowl OF water. You know the water
will not run out Of the bottle because
the air pressure or the water in the
bowl will prevent il. Put the end OF
the pipe-stem under the mouth Of the
bottle. and the gas will bubble up
through the water into the bottle,
gradually displacing The water. and Il
the pipe We're large enough 10 make a
great deal OF gas. the bottle would be
entirely filed with it.
You have seen the immense quauti-
ties OF coke which they have at the gas
works; that Is what is left of the coal
after the gas has been burned out OF il.
Coke Is carbon. only a small part Of
what was in the coal having gone of
with the gas Take the clay covering
of your pipe and you will find the
bowl filed with this coke.
Now. that Is precisely the way gas Is
made in large quantities at the gas
works. Instead of pipe bowls they use
big retorts. and these are heated red
hot by furnace. for the fire must be
outside of the retorts. Heating coal
red-hOt in a closed retort is very diff
fereut from burning it in the open air.
A large pipe from the retort carries OF
the produc. of the coal. consisting Of
steam. tar. air and ammonia. as well
as gas. The ammonia and the tar go
into tanks. and the gas into coolers.
and then over lime. which takes up
the acids in it into the immense iron
gas-holders which you have cen at the
works.
These holders are open at the bot
tom. and stand. or rather swing, in
tanks of water, being adjusted by
means OF weights. As the gas comes
into them they rise up out of the water.
but the bottoms are always submerged.
so that the gas can not escape. The
large gas-pipes. or mains. as they are
called. connect with the holders and
conduct the gas through the streets to
the houses where il is used. The pres
sure Is given TO the gas by the weigh:
Of the iron holders. which are always
bearing down on the gas they contain.
". \. Graphic.