Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-07
COMPRESSED AIR POWER,

II Will be Made Do Our Work, Displa ciua
Steam, Smoke and Other Dirt-A Scheme
Already In Successful Operation In
Europe.
A party Of capitalists in the city proposes
to experiment with compressed air with the
view Of using it in factories, and it bids fair
to displace steam. The plan has been in
practical operation in Paris for two years.
Large distributing compressed air plants
are in different parts of the city, which
furnishes a number of factories with power.
The company the first to introduce this
power in the United States is called the
Pittsburg Company, composed of Hon. e.
81. Stowe. John W. Chalfant, George L.
Whitney, N. W. Hartman and several
other well-known Pittsburgers. The COM
pany proposes erecting its first ICY
clone mill, as it has been
called. in the town Of Ellwood,
Lawrence county, on the Conquenessing. A
contract has been let for the building of a
dam to supply power to the plant, which Is
to compress the air and distribute it through
the town. The company recently sent an
engineer to France to investigate the work.
ings of the system in Paris, and the same
methods will be employed at Ellwood.
President a. W. Hartman said:
''The company has been interested in the
subject for almost year. It was o2r. of the
matters which occupied my attention
while abroad last month; I saw this
new system in practical operation,
Large plants are now in successful opera
tion in Paris, Birmingham and Edinboro
delivering compressed air as we do
natural gas, at so much per thousand feet.
Aside from the commercial advantages,
the sanitary \ benefit attending the
use of compressed air is regarded with
special favor by the health authorities where
it is in use, and it is regarded as the only
solution of the smoke nuisance. It would
be good idea to use the natural gas pipes
if gas ever gives out. It is applied to or
dinary steam engines without involving any
change of plant. One feature of com pressed
air is that there is no time lost
getting up steam. All that is
required is to turn on the air.
Boilers are dispensed with and engineers
also. 1t is now in successful operation in
hotels and private dwellings operating
small dynamos, besides affording the best
means for refrigeration. 1t is next to impos-
sible to compute the future Of this new force.
1t is being carried over five miles from the
central distributing station in Paris, only
losing per cent. At Birmingham L was
shown through factory having IL engines
operated by it. The gain in point of clean
illness is great feature. English manu.
facturers believe it is the coming power for
all factories, except in large mills, where
steam is essential for other purposes"
Mr.. Hartman said that ex-Assistant Post
master General Clarkson was at the head of
a company in Washington, which is now
trying to utilize compressed air for propell-
ing street cars. Several lines are now in
successful operation in France. The plant
in Paris has carrying capacity to all con-
nections of 100-horse power, and can be
regulated like natural gas. If the expert.
ment at Mlwood succeeds, it is probable
plant will be erected near this city to
operate small factories.