The San Francisco call., 1895-11-03

is its cost when produced on a commercial
basis. Recent tests made in New York
State prove that by using steam power IL
can be made for S23 ton. OF that amount
$40 63 is for the electrical power expended
in the process, and 10 allowance is made
for the bl-product of the lime which is left
after the gas is extracted. With cheap
water power the cost per ton might be re-
duced TO $l5 or $17, and since a ton of car
bide produces commercially about II 900
| cubic feet OF gas it is probable that acety-
lene can be produced in large quantities at
from 81 80 to 81 90 a thousand, according
as the cost OF power varies. 1t may be
that the large electric light companies will
find here means whereby their plants
can be kept fully loaded throughout the
twenty-four hours, giving them the "level
load line" which all station managers
endeavor to reach. If it is assumed that
the illuminating power OF acetylene is ten
times that of coal gas and that g. or even
5, per cent added to coal gas will raise its
candle power from twelve or sixteen to
twenty candles, it is evident that gas men
can afford to pay a great deal more than
81 so q thousand and still find it profitable
to use.
1t has been suggested that with the in
creasing demand for cheap gas for engines
and stores, the gas companies may find it
profitable to send out low candlepower
desired attach cylinder containing liquid
acetylene CT containing a stick of calcic
carbide and a little water directly to the
consumers pipes. These cylinders could
be replaced by fresh ones as often as might
be necessary, and the cost of attendance
would not be great.
In cases where cheapness is not 50 great
an object, such as isolated lighting plants
in country homes, lighting of yachts, dec
Grating of houses for social gatherings,
etc., acetylene is sure to be largely in de-
mand. Already company has planned
the manufacture of calcic carbide with this
end in view. 1t is intended to furnish
steel cylinders about four inches in
diameter and sixteen inches long. The
calcic carbide will be cast in sticks about
foot long and an inch in diameter, and will
be coated with a glaze which is slowly
soluble in water. The sticks being placed
inside, the cylinders will be securely closed
to prevent the atmospheric moisture act
ing prematurely, and when it is desired to
produce the gas it will be necessary only
TO add little water, seal the cylinder and
connect 1t to the burners. A stick of this
size will give 20-candlepower light for
ten hours.
Aside from the commercial aspect of the
new discovery the subject affords sur
passing interest to the scientific world.
Only a few years ago the line between
organic and inorganic substances was
drawn almost as sharply as that between
living and dead things. 1t was held that
the organic comprised only those which
were, or had been, endowed with the
mystery of life. At present we are step
ping over this imaginary line in many
places, and it is not at all certain that in so
doing we are not simply following out
nature In her operations. AS an example,
1t is more than possible that the vast reser-
volrs OF natural gas and petroleum are
INN f,a1 I,r,
such process as has SO lately been made
commercially practicable. 1t is well known
that the ocean bottom is covered with a
deposit of minute Shells the remains of
my1Iads of shell-fish which live in the
ocean. 1t is probable that this process
has been going on for ages, so that
it is within the bounds Of probability
that somewhere in the interior of the
earth these shell deposits may be mixed
with the coal, which we know is there
Here then would be carbon and lime and
only heat would be necessary to produce
calclc carbide or similar substance. The
heat we know is present aud we have only
to imagine leak from the ocean bed or
some other body of water to produce
acetylene or something similar. Nearly
all the hydrocarbons of this kind are
readily convertible. one into the other, so
that 1t is not difficult to imagine condi-
tons which would produce the actual re-
suits.
The possibility of manufacturing all
kinds of organic substances from the inor-
ganic, not only our light and heat giving
compounds, but also our foods, forming
them pathetically from the elements |
of the SOIL is a most fascinating one to the
men of science. This accomplished, that
is to say thorough knowledge of the sub
ject having been acquired, it is only a
step, possibly no more of a step than the
one just made, to acquire the ability to
endow material things with life. In the
chain of evidence Of the evolutionist such
ability would be a far more valuable link
than the missing link"
ALLEN II. BABCoCK.