Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-12-09

In 17SO-S3 Henry Cavendish, Of
England, made the surprisingly i'm
portant and valuable discovery that
water was composed of one-third
7 oxygen, by volume, and two-thirds
hydrogen. These gases burn with
intense heat when brought together
and ignted, producing water as the
ashes Of such combustion. Previous
to this time water had been con-
sidered one of the primary and in
divisible elements of the universe
the universal solvent, and that only.
After this discovery of Cayendish
search began to be made for the
util ization of the discovery for
the manufacture OF cheap IL
Illuminating and fuel gas, as shown
My the invaluable records of the
United States and foreign patent
offices. 1t was not, however, until
1876 that the first plant for the man.
ufaCture and distribution of illumi-
mating water gas was put to use in
New York City by the construction
of the Municipal Gas Works, operat-
ing what is known as the Tessie du
Motay system. The primitive and
p yyoo+of,l ,orona.c unc coop oftor Inn
proved by the invention and intro
duction Of the Lowe system since
which time the Lowe system has been
modified by various inventors;>name-
ly: Granger, Springer, Flannery,
Martin, Moses, Humphreys, Mckay
Critchlow, Hanlon e Leadley, Pratt
< Ryan and others. These methods
have superseded the primitive retort
or coal gas processes in most of the
large cities Of this country.
All of the foregoing systems men,
--tioned for the manufacture of illu-
minating water gas are confined to
the use of costly anthracite coal or
its equivalent, coke. How to handle
cheap bituminous coal economically
and without waste so as to convert it
completely into gas and ashes by the
water gas process has, until now,
been an unsolyed problem since the
discovery of Cavendish. This prob
lem has at last been completely and
satisfactorily solved and the process
by which it is accomplished has been
put to use by the National Gas and
Water Company, 21S La Sale street,
to manufacture high candle-power
gas for the Cicero Gas Company,
which supplies gas to the suburban
villages of Austin, Ridgeland and
Oak Park.
Was Invented I'm Chicago.
The process and apparatus is the
invention Of Mr.. Henry C. Rev,
citizen Of Chicago, and has been de-
veloped by Mr. E. f. Morrell,
water-gas engineer of national repu-
tation.
The coal is first quickly cooked in
internally fred coking chambers hav-
ing Independent air supplies. The
coke then drops into adjoining gen
orators, wherein the carbon contained
in it is completely combined with
the oxygen Of the air while heating
up and with the oxygen Of the steam
while making gas, Nothing is left
but the ash and clinker.
The Siemens-Martin method Of
storing heat and handling gases as
operated for the manufacture Of steel
and glass Is utilized in this superb
apparatus. The heat generated while
heating up the apparatus preparatory
Co making gas Is stored Ia dowu.dmft
rcgcnerators, or chambers bIled with
loosely piled nrcbrick Practically an
of Che heat not so stored i stored 10
condenscrs which heat water for the
boilers. so that che boilers require
but lhe mlulmum quantity e me
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