Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-16
THE MAKING OF GAS
HOW IT CAN BE PRODUCED HCoSoxr-
cALLY AND RxPkpITIoUsLY
relative Merits Of the Articles Produced
from Coal ana Watsr-An Impor-
tsnt Report
The public desire is for better and cheaper

The public desire is Tor better and cheaper
gas.
People are no longer content with an arti-
Gle such a. they have been served with for
yesrs past
They want more Illuminating power;
lsey demand lower price. Ia default OF
thcso many consumers have ceased TO be
rairons Of the gas-vorks and are now pa
irons Of the Electric Cowpany's mean
descent lamps. While the latter at times
fail 90 meet reasonable expectation, they are
much superior 10 gas, light sud price con-
sidered SO while the city Is growing with
considerable rapiditg, the consumption OF
gas does not increase. JUDGED. during
the past winter there was decrease.
REPORT.
On all hsnds Il Il agreed that Richmond
ought % furnish richer and cheaper gas,
but how 20 do IL n question.
At the lsst meeting OF the Committee on
Light the following report was presented;
BIcRMoND. April 90, 1889.
To the Committee on Light:
Gentlemen. AT your last meeting the iol'
lowing resolution. offered 6y hr. John VI.
Higgins in the Council aud referred 10 tne
Commlice on Light, wSs by them referred
70 rs rs subcommittee 10 report NJ your
next meeting;
" Rc-olred. Thst the Committee on Light
he instructed 20 recommend TO the Council
spcb measures IS they deem best to prevent
decrease IN the receipts from the gas'works
as well A. the depre citation OF the value OF The
gas plant"
n rs well known ~ all OF you that the de-
creaSe I'm abe rcyenQe from gas Is due 10 but
aue cause. and that Is the very large number
nj incandcSceat electric lights that have
snpcrsedcd tue Use oi gas.
The oniv remedy thSt we can suggest 10
compete with this ligh. - TO adopt the most
improved nstbods OF manufacture and to
use every means 10 cheaper the cost aud i'm
prove the Illuminating power Of the gas.
From careful inquiry as 70 what other eSs
companies are doing IN this respect we ieel
constrained 70 again recommend the CITY to
put in g wsfcr.gas plant to he used as an
auxiliary 20 cur present cOa-gos works.
The introduction OF a water-gas ap-
uaraus Of sufficient capacity into our
works would enable Us 10 safely
operate the works vi.h 4 much SMALL
er hoidcr capacity than II we arc de-
peudent upon couLgss alone. This would
he, a. We an know, owing 10 tie Tact t1at
watrr-gas apparatus IA much more elastic 80
tocspaciiy. Fer instance, we can mske but
few thousand feet day with It, or we can
mske the fuH capacity Of the apparatus. and
the auctuati0us Will not lu5 IRE the apparatus,
"a would he N the csse Of coargss benches.
SO well recognized IL this advantage OF a
waier-rss apparatus to-day tDat even the
most rallid of tho cOzl-Ras men ot the country
are pttitBc 10 watCr-gis apparatus, 50 "a 10
take care Of the fluctuations sRd output.
Especially is this valuable In places where
the output has a wide fluciuatou nom dsY
10 dav. We need scarcely say that cOai'sas
benclee can bc practically run at one capa'
city. And TO provide Tor emergencies
beaches have 10 De kept under nre. or par
italy drcd. 30 as to Boz bronghtin operation
qutrkly. 10 will he impossible 10 bring Up
csal-gas bench without injury much Inside
of three or four days. AyateT-gAf apparatus
can De broueht MP iu i1rcc or four hours
and no injury wiN he done 20 n.
Annfher very decided advantage would De
with the candle power ui The whole miX1ure
OF caa. which cOl,d b" increased. ard very
much more economically ihan win camel
coal. This cau bee done without danger OF
smoke: iu other words. coal-ges OF twenty
candle power would show as much tendency
t. smoke as wltsr-gas Of tweniy-cight or
thirty candles. THIS is further Sao"n nV
the tendency ~ natural gs OF or'r light or
draught-. Tine maintenance of COAL and
wster-g4s plant botu gives Us two strings
10 our bow. lt enables us 10 control the
market IN regard 90 materials for manuiac-
turc, aud also The market FOR residuals.
Electric-hght companies have great
deal more 10 fear from water Gas tnau from
co-l-eus, apart from the question II iliuni-
rafion. Water-ras has "a brilliant aud at
nartiys app, arsnce which com:nsnds Itself
60 TIE Ordinary consumer. la order to in-
crease the consumption OF gas some induce
ment should be- offered 20 those who do not
use TO-, and also to our present consumers
in order that we may hold them.
rs tie Introduction Of waler-ras plant
Won can furn'sn your consumers gas OF
much higher candle-powcr, and for less cost.
And We are clcariv of the opinion that no
thing that we could Suggest would protect
your p!sut better or add more largely 10
your revenue than cheap gas Of high illuml-
mating power. WILLIAM :. GUNN,
WILLIAM &. ADAMS,
Sub-COmmlttee.