The morning times., 1895-10-14
NEW and INTENSE Light
AcelyIine Gas, the Cheap I|Iunli-
nant, Exhibited Here.
POWERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL
A Small Cylinder VIII Hold Enough
TO Last "a Large House for Three
Months-Undcr Favorable Condt-
tions Ii Can be Furnished at FIJI
teen Cents Per 900 Feet.

The power and beauty of acctyline, the
new iliuminant, were practically ana inter
eStingly demonstrated saturday evening al
Sl9 Seventeenth street northwest by Mr.
+. l.. Payson, who is Interested in IN" com
pany about to be formed for the purpose
of introducing the new gas into general
use in Washington.
AT the demonstration and exhibition were
a number of persons invited hy Mr. fayso
among whom were Mrs. NJ. l.. liitchcrck,
\ sSistant Secretary OF the Navy McAdoo,
Mrs. McAuoo, Hon. John y. tasson, Mr..
Arnold Hague. Mr.. Arthur f. Bricc, Mr..
ana Mrs Charles r.tNson, Hon. j. J. Hemp
hill. Commander ana Mrs. chanw!ck, Rev.
Howard Wilbur Ennis, Dr z. {. Sewers,
Hon. W. r. MIttInsly, Coz. +. W. Huiie-
kopcr ANA Mr.. Nathaniel W hsnn.
Ine lower and second floors OF lhc
building were Illuminated with the ga>, the
burners Of the Washington Gas Light Com
pany being used in the exhibition.
Acrtynnc has been succincuy described
as pure carbon Yapor, ana 10 use II
simiIc that viii be understood. its light
is to other gas lights as the diamond is 10
other Jewels. Wnilc as II gas IT has peeh
Tor nearly Il century kIpwn 10 the cneinlslS :,
il was recently discovered by Mir. I. l..
Wilson, Of North Carolina, that 1t could
he produced III large quantities ut 4 small
I cost.
In fusing quantity OF lime and powdered
rokea crystalline ma IS was produced, which,
when thrown into water, caused the new
compound to cffcrvcScc and give out acety-
lneEas. The fused mass Is known rs caicic
carbide.
A NEW DISCOVERY.
One pound of the carbide was found to
produce five cubic feet of ac.tyline and this
was further demonstrated To he equal 10
IAN illuminating power oI $50 candles per
pound of CarbiuO." On the heels of this
"A new discovery was made, that is, that the
gas could be converted into Il liquid. This
allowed two methods of conveying the gas
through the pipes. One method is to pro
duce the gas 10y evolving II out OF con
verter i'll wni'h the calcic carbide and water
are placed and the other by using the liquid
gas in cylinders and regulating It's HOW
through the pipes by pressure.
Mr.. Payson exhibited both methods last
night. In the gas jets he used acetyline,
which was produced from n reservoir ur
converter in tbs basement. He II lso had "a
number of cylinders of all sizes In which the
liquified acetyline was stored aud into
which small pipes with barners We're run.
In the upper parlor one of the most inter
eStiis experiments was given Two or
+ dnary gas Jets were supplied Win actX-
line. The light produced was soft and Drill
liant, like the light OF the sun. 1t was es-
timated that the effect was that which IL
would reuiqre fifteen times the volume of
the aCetylne in gas to produce.
The acetylinc was Then cXtinSuiSled
and the local gas was turned on with the
same force and through ihc same orifices
and the room was practically in darkness.
1t was an astonishing and convincing test.
II is not known what one of the Washington
gaslght Stockholders thought, who was
present, because his 1acc COULD DOT lac stt.u
in the light of his company.
one cubic foot per hour OF acctyline has
an illuminating power ofahnui fit candles.
As IL is expressed with reference 10 the
ordinary gas: The equivalent in aCctylinc
gas to an ordinary five-foot burner rated
at twenty candles with ordinary coal or
water gas would be Two hundred and fifty
candles"
'ThecOmhustionisp perfect whenthe water
does not follow the gas in appreCiabie
quantities, in which case the light fuckers.
The pure acctyline has direct, intense
brilliant light and Is without odor when
lighted. Unlghted and escaping it makes
its presence felt by very pungent Odor
which OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES yxiationaccidents
to zero or at least a minimum.
AT 10 CENTS PER 900 FEET.
1t can be stored in lamp posts, it can be
used on railway trains, it can be used in
residences, public buildings, and as an
iIluminant for streets it can be provided
at half the cost OF gas. II lie already
largely used in Philadelphia, 1t Is also
claimed that under the most favorable con-
ditions it can be furnished at fifteen cents
per thousand feet.
The portable cylinders can be made so
small that they can be used as bicycle
lights. A cylinder six inches in diameter
and about five feet long will contain
enough liqueried acetylene TO last a twelve
or thirteen room house for three months.
A company 10 suppl acetylcne to Wash
ington consumers will be organized shortly
with Mr.. Charles Payson, of this city, as
president. A great deal of The stock has
already been taken. The gas for Il short
time will be supplied 10 this center from
New York, but only until plant can be
erected here for its production.
One everyiutercstingfe gfeaturcofthetestsSa Sat
urday evening was that colorS appcar under
this light as they do IN the sunlight. For
instance, ii is easy To distinguish blue from
green and the other colors preserve their
natural effects on the eye. Practical tests
were also made iii the reading of brilliant
type, the smallest made.