Evening journal., 1890-09-25
THE NEW GAS WORKS.
The 0xy-hydrogen's New Plant at the
Foot of Madison Street.

ROOT Oh uAAuiabu
The gas ks of the 0xy hydrogen
Company are slowly nearing completion,
and in a short time the city will, per.
haps, be supplied with an illuminant by
this company.
The works Of this company are stu
ated at the foot of Madison street, along
the line Of the p, w. & B. railroad. The
president OF the company and largest
stockholder is J. Edward Addicks, the
millionaire Spectator,
The buildings in which the employees
will work are of brick and are about
s0xl00 feet for the main building and
about one half those dimensions for the
annex. South Of the main building is
the tank in which the gas is stored
The entrance to the main building Is at
the western end. The interior Is after the
most approved plans for such buildings.
The furnaces, Ia which the gas is gener--
ated, are in the southern part OF the
building and are simply largo furnaces
burning soft gas coal, fitted up with
the appliances necessary for the manu-
faeture Of gas.
Mr.. Addicks will introduce new meth
DDS and will make what is known as
water gas, so much used in Great
Britain, instead Of coal gas Gs used
here The manner OF making the latter
gas is essentially as follows:
Soft coal containing a large quantity
of various kinds Of gases Is placed IA the
furnaces and burned. The gases are
driven off first and these pass through
pipes to the receiver. The products of
the combustion Of the coal, which run
of through other pipes, are coal tar and
sal-ammoniac in combination. This lat
ter Is changed into a common aqna am
monia Is every day use in the household,
by the application of water.
The residue Ia the furnaces is simply
waste matter but this is very small in
deed when compared proportionately with
the coal used
The Illuminating gas which escaped to
the receiver is a mixture of carburetted
hydrogen and defiant gas or bi-carbur-
cited hydrogen. This gas has great ex
pansive power and is brilliant illumin-
ant
The receiver or 'gas tank" as it is
commonly called, is made Of iron in
sheets like that used to sheathe vessel,
and like ships plating it is riveted
solidly together This tank at the 0xy-
| Hydrogen works Is Just completed
In England and other countries where
the water gas" is used, the price of gas
per /, 900 feet never exceeds 75 cents, and
is generally much less, while in this
country the average price is 1926
The Oxy- Hydrogen Company will en-
deavor to make gas for the former price
or but little above It,
The employees of the new company are
connecting the gas main with the re-
ceiver, and when permission has been re-
eeivad to tear up the streets the company
will be ready to furnish the gas
The formula for the manufacture of
water gas" is not generally known but
the method is about the same as used in
making common gas.
1t is claimed by the manufacturers, Mr..
Addicks included, that this latter gas is
better and can be made cheaper than the
old kind Of Illuminating gas.
The Street and Sewer Department ha s
refused to allow Mr.. Addicks to dig up
the streets Of the city to lay his pipes
and he will probably apply to the Legis-
lature this term. for permission to do the
| work
Pipes have already been laid to Thu
railroad track but although Mr.. Addicks
threatened to lay the pipes without per
mission, it is thought that he viii wait
for the action Of the Legislature