Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-26
The New Gas.

one hears conflicting opinions as TO the
quality OF the city gas wherever that sub
feet Is discussed in a company of half a
dozen or more. Some people declare that
n gives a good. steady. rich light. Others
Sust as intelligent and sincere say that In
their opinion 1t Is not equal TO the old
gas. which was manufactured wholly of
coal. Some are happy enough to be able
10 say that they can detect no odor from
the new gas: others aver that the odor
pervades every nook and corner OF their
houses. and that II Is much more offensive
than was the smell of coal gas.
Can these opinions be reconciled? Not
altogether. perhaps. but they are not so
utterly irreconcllable as one would think
from n hasty glance at the subject
Where the pressure IL good, where the
street-ppes and the house-pipes are suffi-
Gent In size. and the gas-hxtures are In
perfect condition, we believe that the new
gas gives a satisfactory light, reasonably
free from odor. Indeed. IT may be safely
said that where all OF these favorable
conditions concur the new gas is better
than the old gas. Where such conditions
do not obtain the new gas is worse than
the old gas.
Certain II Is that the gas-fitters are now
sjsys kept quite busy answering calls for
their services at houses where 1t has been
discovered that the pipes and fixtures
which have been In satisfactory use for
many years. are now leaky. 1t would.
therefore. seem that the new gas escapes
easier than the old gas. or, at least, makes
its presence more Conspicuous than the
old gas.
Usually. we believe, where houses are
filled with stencil from the gas 1t is the
result OF leaky pipes rather than OF fumes
put forth invthe process OF combustion.
IL this he true all such persons should
have their pipes and fixtures put In good
order. This done. they may be reasonably
sure OF escaping the disagreeable and un-
healthy odor
There was a time when the opponents
OF water-gas set forth as one of the chief
objections 10 Il. that It was "odorless, -
and. therefore. that II was ever so much
more likely TO prove dangerous than
coal-gas. The gas we are now furnished
with In Richmond Is a mixture OF coal
and water-gas. we believe. but we honora-
bly, acQuit II OF the charge OF being odor-
less. We do not think that any adult
person when awake will be killed by Il
because he or she cannot smell II when
IL Is escaping from a leaky pipe.
Water-gas Is now In general use in
this country and Is being rapidly adopted
In foreign lands. The makers OF coal-gas
cannot compete with the makers OF water
gas. Water-gas has come 70 stay. and the
Dispatch points out its shortcomings IN
ofder that they may be corrected and
that Its future here may be happy one.
"here there are leaky fixtures In houses
the honseholders must have them re-
paired for the sake OF health and OF
economy as we'll Where mains and
sueetpipes are too small. the City Council
should forthwith order new ones to DO pu,
aown There is no use to duly-dally about
" II wiz have to be done. and the longer
y Is delayed the more public prejudice
there viii be to overcome.
90 We conclude that whatever else Is
necessary 20 the perfection OF our plant
should be done without days unneees-
sary delay.