Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-10-04
TO MAKE FUEL GAS.
The Allegheny Heating Company is Now
CDnsideripg Plans-An Experts Trip to
Enropc

Thu Allegheny Heating Company is Now
Considering Plans-An Experts Trip to
EnrOPc.
pITTsBURG, PA, October 3.-The natu-
RAJ gas question Is becoming so serious
that the supplying companies are already
looking around for substitute for the
natural product. 1t is realized that ere a
great many years have elapsed the wells
via cease TO yield that clean, easily
handled fluid that has been such boon TO
Western Pennsylvania for half dozen
years. The officers of the Allegheny Heat
ing Company have looked ahead, and tnd
the prospect Of continued yield Of natural
gas so dark that they have had agents
searching for a substituts.
John Young Of the company recently re-
turned from u tour OF investigation in En-
gland and France, and will make known
the result Of his enquiries To the board OF
directors at the meeting on October l3
Mr. Young was asked yesterday concern
ing the processes which he investigated
and those which impressed him as being
capable OF use here. He was unwilling to
make detailed statement before his re-
port TO the directors, but consented to give
the general outlines OF the plan ne believes
wouid be practicable here.
"I investigated several processes for
manufacturing cheap fuel gas," said Mr.
Young, land hit upon plan whereby
some Of the principles of each could oe
used TO advantage here. Our location and
requirements are such that l believe we
could make gas for domestic purposes and
sell it at a rate not higher than IS now
charged for natural gas. | calculate that
to supply Pittsburg aud Allegheny 40,000.-
900 cubic feet OF gas would be required
daily. To manufacture that quality we
would require 400 tons Of coal. You will
see that very large producing plant would
be necessary. We would also require a
large number Of men. In ordinary lllumi-
mating gas-bouses one man handles only
three tons of coal daily, but by the process
l propose each laborer would handle twenty
tons day
BY the process mentioned we would pro-
duce large quantities Of tar and ammonia,
both of which are now being imported in
quite extensive quantities. The amount
we would realize from these products
would be an important factor in enabling
us TO sell gas cheaplY. But on this point l
do not care at present 10 speak at length.
The gas we would produce would not have
as high heating power as natural gas, but
il would be about the same as ordinary IL
Illuminating gas. I think il could be sold
at about fifteen or twenty cents per 1000
cubic feet. II would have 10 be as
cheap as that or we could not sell 1t
for heating purposes. AT first il is proba-
BILE the manufactured fuel would be used
simply 10 supplement the declining supply
of natural gas, but when that was exhaust
ed, as it undoubtedly viii be in few years,
1 believe we could supply all the gas need
ed for domestic purposes"
"Would you also supply manufacturers q
was asked.
"0h, no, we could not do that. as the gas
would be too expensive for them. But
that does not mean that manufacturers
would b e compelled to return 70 the use OF
coal for fuel. They might manufacture
Gas for themselves. They could do It nucn
cheaper than we could supply them"