The morning call., 1892-12-25
NEW GAS WORKS.
A Visit to the Plant at
North Beach.
Great Buildings That Have Been
EreCted-The Model Works
of the West.

The new works Of the San Francisco Gas
light Company are so rapidly approaching
completion that an idea can now be ar
rived at as to their magnitude and ultimate
scope. They are located just west of Fort
Mason on tract acquired by the company
some years ago, when the necessity for a
removal ia order to expand the facilities for
manufacturing was decided upon by the
management When the policy of concen-
trating the plant was resolved upon the
tract at North Beach was purchased as
being liz every way adapted for this pur-
pose. The plant on Howard street is
located on property that has become too
valuable, and the company, with view of
accommodating the objections which ap-
peared among the residents of that thickly
settled district TO the odors which are in
separable from gas manufacturing, deter
mined once for ali that a site should be
selected which would never be encroached
upon, however much the city might grow,
aud that could afford facilities of distribu-
tIon Tor the product as we'll as the easy re-
ceipt of the raw material.
The site of the new works could not be
surpassed in these respects. 1t borders the
line of the bay and affords room for in
definite extension toward deep water. Two
or more blocks OF land have been reclaimed
from tue sea by using the sand for filling
which was taken from the excavations of
the new buildings, and affords an indestruct-
lble foundation Tor the massive structures
which are being erected within the in
closure.
The company determined to abandon ali
Of their old plant, retaining the works at
the Potrero and the holders at Fifth and
ings at North Beach. By this plan the gas
would be manufactured at the extreme
northern and southern sections of the city,
and leaves the holders at Fifth aud Howard
streets TO supply the central districts. The
new plant has been built for the future,
Every year increases the consumption of
the product, and it is in measurable dis
lance when San Francisco will treble its
population. ana when that time does come
the new works OF the company will have no
difficulty in supplying all demands
EXcayating for the foundation Of the new
works was begun in May, 1891. The land
IS sandy there and necessitated laying deep
and broad The walls upon which the great
new structures should rest. bed of con-
crete of massive dimensions support all the
superstructnres, and on these the generator
and purifyiDg-house and the buildings to
be used for ret0rt, etc. These structures
were completed on the 18th of January
1892, and gas was first made at the new
WORKS on that date. The generator build
ing IS the largest of the group, being 49,
feet in length and 81 feet wide Two wings,
Is feet high, branch out from a central
tower "a feet in height. Ii is constructed
OF bricks with graceful 0rnamentation and
Is further beauilied by tasteful holdings of
terra Gotta. 1t is in the generator building
that the process Of water-gas making
is conducted, and ii contains also the COM
plicated motive power which drives the
works. and consists of two Heine water
tube boilers Of $50 horsepower each, sup
plying steam to the two p horsepower
huA as.lio
and the big W0rthington duplex pumps
The engine and boiler rooms are of spntless
neatness and fairly gisten with highly pol
ished brasses. The floor of the eugine-room
and all the WOODWORK In sight are OF Oregon
pine, oiled and polished to the very acme of
its possibilities. Not speck of dust or oil
SOIL the exquisite neatness of the surround
ings An instance of beauty with utility ia
visible here.
1t will not be expected that the process of
making water gas should be described in a
brief article like this. 1t is technical pro-
cess and highly scientific and complicated
Two generators, Y feet in diameter and 80
feet high. connect with the condenserS by
24-inch steel pipes = a maze OF tubes for
conveying the oil TO the generator. into
which it is forced as a vapor. whence.
after a brief process, IL is carried
through the condepsers and purifiers
ana IN brief space passes into
the tans-holder TO be distributed through
Vut tbc Ilt1 lVt tlbutlue duu heating puT-
poses. 10 person familiar with the old
process Of manufacturing gas from coal, and
the filth and foul doors with which 1t is in
seperably connected, the manner of making
water gas Will be surprise. Everything is
| reduced to a mechanical nirety, Scarcely
| an atom Of dust is visible. There is no per-
ceptible odor, and the men who have
! charge OF the generators aud whose greatest
| labor is to pull a crank once every few
moments turn cut about 100000 feet OF gas
per day. The condenser-r0om Is SO by 60
leet ana contains the two condensers, IL
| feet IN diameter and % feet high, with the
| two scrubbers Of the same size Each of
| these eondensers contain about four and a
| quarter miles of tubing. The purifying
house is l39x12 feet, with an annex 44x72
| teet. a retort-bouse Is now building and is
all but completed. 1t is 10 by Il feet in
dimensions. will be two stories in height
| and will contain 20 benches of retorts
each. 1t is not the intention of the gas
company 10 give up the manufacture of
| gas from coal. but to have every facility for
using either material as may seem to be
| most advantageous
| The great gas tank, which will hold 2 600.
600 feet and is the largest in the country
| west of Chicago, is splendid Instance Of
engineering skill and design. This immense
| holder is 1913 feet in diameter, and its guide
| frame, consisting Of latticed-work columns
| and Orders. arises 108 feet above the brick
| foundation. Its base rests upon pile of
| CoHCEttt dUu Is UuliS 10 cUuuTc. EXD0SGU
| as it must be from its position on the
| shores of the bay to violent gales, the me-
| cessty OF strength was a prime factor in
| the engineers calculations Ii is estimated
| that gale even seventy-iye miles per hour
| would not have the slightest effect upon its
| immense surface. As a part and parcel OF
| the new system the company are now lay
| ing 1900 feet of 24-inch pipe from the
| works to the junction Of Market street and
| Van Ness avenue. This line will be used
as base OF supplies both east and west.
| ms work involves an immense expendi-
ture and Is in advance Of actual
| needs, but in view of future expansion
| it was resolved TO undertake it, It Is also a
| matter of particular satisfaction that with
the exception Of few minor details every
| dollars worth Of work about the new plant
| Is oil California material and workmanship,
| from tie brick or which the structures are
| built, the iron which form the roofs, the
| lumber which Is used for the finish TO the
| machinery which operates these great work g.
| All are of home product.
| The conclusions which were forced upon
| the mind OF the writer after only casual
| view OF the new works of the San francisco
| Gasltght Company at North Beach is that
| San francisco citizens have one more object
/ OF legitimate pride to which they can point
| with satisfaction to the strangers within
| their gates. They are built for the future
| and not single detail has been omitted oil
| expense spared To make them the equal OF
any works In the country, symmetrical a.
| architectural structures and equal in cal a.
| city for all the demands which can be made
| upon them for the next hundred years.
/