Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-03-22
FUEL GAS IS CHEAP
A Correspondent Estols the Value
Of the kem Fuel.
RELATIVE COST TO CONSUMERS
How IL Viii BECOME the Fuel or the
fusare---it- CLEANLINESS and Ia
smokeie>s Qualities.

Enirog GsASp kApIDs HfKsLD-The
term fuel gas i u comparatively re-
cent origin. aud Was nrst used al tho
tine inventors were desislng means for
conveying and utilizing natural gas for
Industrial aud domestic purposes. Its
us's have increased 80 prodigiolsly that
like the words telephone" AMI ''phono.
graph. fuel gas il fast becoming a
hoaseholiword Fuel gas. which Is per-
haps better expressed by the words
gaseous fuel. Is one Il the latest ideas
81 our modern civilization. and the only
wonder Is that this convenience con
veaience that viii before long develop
into an absolute necessiry--was not per-
fected sooner. When one contemplates
the enormous wastefulncss which the
burning 81 coal in stoves and furnaces
entails the difficulty and annoyance at
tending liz uses in the handling u coal
and removal Of ashes. a. we'll as the in
jury 10 health occasioned by the pres
encc Of dust and refuse from the coal
and ash. one need be no prophet 20 fore
tel the near approach Of the era III gas
oous fuel
Modern inventions have demonstrated
the practicability VI the conversion OF
coal into gas by a single and inexpen-
site method, and IL Is now beyond dis
pute that this Gas eau be better and
more economically utilized for domestic
and industrial purposes than the coal
itself. Ii must not be supposed
that this conversion Of coal from
the solid into the gaseous form
ACIDS anything 10 the original energy OF
the coal. What it does. however. is 10
put it into form in which it can be
better and more efficiently consumed.
As an illustration. il may be shown that
in burning coal in the ordinary range
we lose from SO tn 10 per cent Of its
heating value. while in burning gas we
lose but 40 per cent. Hence. although
our capital stock. expressed in heat
units. is less with the gas than with
coal. at the commencement, our returns
from gas consumption is so much larger
than from burning coal that economy is
largely in favor of gaseous fuel.
The question Of fuel gas is Of vast i'm
portance as a means--in fact. the most
efficacious mcans-for the prevention Of
smoke. One only needs TO walk in the
lower part Of the town during misty
or damp cloudy day TO realize the in
tolerablc nuisance the use OF soft coal
under steam boilers has grown to be.
Those familiar with the city Of Pitts
burg before and since the introduction
OF natural gas, cannot fail TO appreciate
the great boon 10 health and comfort
tho use of gas has been in this particu-
lar. To return 10 solid fuel is like turn
ing day into night. Even in cities where
hard coal is cheap enough for general
use. the question Of utilizing soft coal
must sooner or later be faced. The
vast coal beds OF this continent
are composed entirely Of soft coal, ex-
cepting a small area in Pennsylvania
which must eventually become ex-
hausted like the natural gas wells. Ii
is very certain that future generations
will have but one kind OF fuel to rely
upon, viz: soft coal. So that gaseous
fuel will as surely become the fuel of
the future as electric light will be the
future illuminant.
Ii is quite possible for Grand Rapids
To possess as clear an atmosphere as
Philadelphia possesses. providing manu-
facturers will only consent 10 gasify the
coal in place OF dis;illing it and emitting
its black yapors from chimney. The
question OF economy alone ought to
suffice to bring about a universal de
nand for gas. Where soft coal ut 81
can be gasified without smoke and
furnished 10 consumers. it would seem
a foolish waste Of money TO pay e. and
8 per ton for anthracite. Like the fele-
phone. the electric light and the trolley.
fuel gas" has come to stay. and il is 10
be hoped that Grand Rapids will be
among thu first 10 avail Itself of this
modern convenience in order TO abolish
the smoke nuisance. il for no other
Ieae,O. h.