The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-22
THE WATER GAS PLANT.
A PART OF THE MACHINEhf ALL
READY IN POsIJI0N
But IL VIII Hardly be Complete" Dei"'o
August-An Extract From the
tendent's Report to the Mayor

In December last, after good ueai OF
discussion. the City Council appropriated
the sum of s25 700 in per cent. city bonus
for the establishment Of n water gas
plant in connection with the two existing
plants for the manufacturing OF coal gas
The Committee on Light subsequently
awarded the contract to the western
Gas Construction Company OF fort
Wayne, Indiana, with the understanding
that the work be completed by July lst.
Several weeks ago the first parts OF the
machinery arrived here in this city, and
were at once taken TO the Lower gas
works. where the plant was 10 De con-
structed in the retort house. Ihere mas
been, however. great deal OF uhiore-
seen delay, especially in the transpofta-
ton of the various parts, and Superin-
tendent William G. Adams is Of the opin-
ion that II will be nearly the middle or
August before the plant viii be in opera
ton.
Two large generators have already been
erected. where the gas is 10 be produced.
They Will be filed with anthracite coal or
coke which will be kept at neat OF
$500 degrees. The two generators are
lined with fire bricks from six TO nine
inches thick. From there the gas Will De
conducted INTO the ,twO superheaters,
where It will come I'm contact with the
oil, and from the superheaters II VIII
find It's way into the two washers, where
IL is 10 be purified and freed from the
ammonia before # enters the condenser.
Workmen are at present engaged In
riyeting together the heavy iron plates,
no
for the water-gas, with a capacity OF
5000 cubic feet. In this holder the gas
will be conducted from the condenser
before II finds its way into the pipes. The
whole apparatus will have a capacity OF
10000 cubic feet TO J. manufactured In
day Of twenty-four hours. At present
there Is a large amount Of coke piled up
I'm the yards Of the Lower gas works,
which has been accumulated during the
summer months. and it is the intention
Of superintendent Adams ID use this coke
before he fails back on anthracite coal.
In his last annual report 10 Mayor Ely
son, Superintendent Adams made the fol-
lowing statement.
The maximum production Of gas I'm any
one twenty-four hours was on the 2lst
Of December which was $4,000 cubic feet.
At the date Of last report street mains
measured as follows: SiXty-seven miles.
los feet; laid during the year, 1.jl2 feet.
making a total Of sixty-seyen miles, $3.50
feet
There have been put I'm for new con-
sumers 21 service pipes. renewed and
repaired COG OF various sizes I'm different
sections Of the city removed sixteen
lamp posts. raised and lowered III stop
cock boxes on account Of alterations I'm
grade Of the streets.
I
our limited purifying surface. With the
growing increase in the consumption Of
gas / am afraid II will be impossible
TO run through the coming winter and
give the public pure gas. This is an inn
portant matter. and l would respectfully
ask your cooperation to secure the eX-
tension necessary 10 give ms ample purify
ing surface 10 meet the increase demand
for more gas
/ would also call your attention to the
difficulty we experienced the past winter
in getting the gas from the lower 10 the
upper works. This gas has only l4-inch
pipe TO convey II 10 the distributing hold
ers on Dock and Fifteenth streets: the
capacity when first put I'm was 100000
cubr feet per day. We have already been
forced TO send out l0i3.O00 feet 7 would
respectively recommend that n 2i-inch
main be laid from the lower TO the upper
works some time during the present year.
unless this is done am afraid fl viii Do
impossible 10 supply the demand for gas
during the coming fell and winter months.
This improvement with those recon-
mendei above viii put the works in n
condition TO meet tine demands upon t
for some years 10 come
The officers and employees have been
diligent and efficient I'm the discharge OF
their respective duties and 20 them am
indebted for their hearty cooperation and
aid
When the Finance Committee OF the
CITY Council was about % make up the
budcct OF the various municipal depart
menis for the present year. the Commit
tee on Lichts upon the suggestion of
superintendent Adams asked for an APP
preparation Of $1,000 for the LAYING Of n
2i-incn gas main between the upper and
lower works The committee. however
deemed 10 impossible 20 appropriate the
whole amount. and upon their recc--
mendation only one-half Of the sum re-
quired was provided for in the budget
The work of laying ne new main was
commenced a few DAYS ago from the
lower works. and 10 will be completed as
far as the money has been provided with
I'm about eighteen DAYS. The new main
VIII then be connected with the old H.