The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-13

horse power per hour, at which prizes
gas is generally supplied to large con-
sumers in this country.
No doubt to most engineers this is
rosy picture but il seems justified by
the experience OF England and Ger
many. Within ten years practically al
of the difficulties which seemed insur-
mountable then have been met. The
consumption of heat from the water
jacket is now about 35 per cent as
against so or 60 per cent then. Some
small engines even dispense with 1t al
together. Missed ignitions," too, are
now practically thing OF the past. and
the old slide valve has entirely dis
appeared. Finally, the problem Of
starting has been disposed of with ad-
nlirable inventive skill. Almost all en-
gines of over 25-horse power are now
equipped with self-starters, and many
of these are simple and effective.
With this advance special types have
begun to appear-those adapted for
electric lighting, the portable and the
marine. The gas traction engine and
gas street car are already here. In
Germany there are several surface
roads propelled by Independent COM
pressed gas motors, exactly like the
compressed air cars now being intro
duced into this country. Just lately a
successful gas traction line has been
L
are economical and efficient.
Hardly second to it's possibilities as
a power producer is the future of gas
power transmission. Everyone ac-
quainted with machinery understands
that betting and shafts and pulleys
use up an immense amount of power in
transmitting it. Latterly compressed
air, as well as electricity, has come
rapidly into use in large manufactures
TO supDlant these. But it seems prob
able that gas will be cheaper and more
faclle than either of the new agents
Our western natural gas systems are
admirable illustrations of long distance
Observation-Disclosures such as cleo
trlclty mas not been able to compass.
Ihere seems little doubt that this use
OF gas Will have large extension in
the future
Even now it is rather remarka BILE
Iact that in many cities it is cheaper
10 buy gas from the mains and en-
ploy this either to run dynamos or
Tor house use, small thermo-electric
batteries, to generate electricity. than
10 puy the latter from the large CEN
tral generating stations. Many actual
instances of the use of gas in this Way
are to be seen in New York CITY and
other points.
Yet another remarkable modification
IN gas usage, which has had but little
development in this country as vet.
is the nny-in-the-slot system. This
mas mad larger vogue in London.
perhaps, than in any other point
where it is estimated that one com,
pany has as many as $4,000 of these
meters in use. Various attempts have
peen made to introduce them into this
country, but the companies here found
that the meters were SYSTEMATICALLY
sllasheo ana robbed, and the plan has
Deen partially given up. The curious
inference to be drawn seems to be thai
the poorer classes of London, who
mainly use these machines, slippinp a
penny into the slot and receiving
enough gas to cook meal are more
honest than the poorer classes of this
country. AT any event the system has
been an unqualified success on the
other side of the water, and has not
been here.
This is not the place to detail the
remarkably ingenius improvements
mat have been made in the mode of
manufacturing gas, by which, in many
points OF England and on the contin-
eat the price of delivered gas has fallen
10 40 and so and even as low as 40 or.
% cents per 1000 feet. The possibilities
Oh Iuei gas under new methods of
generation the hardly less than those
WnlcE the new incandescent system
(the Weisback and other burners)
nave provided for its illuminating
brother. Several companies are now
seeking franchise in New York CITY.
one of them offering to furnish fuel
gas at 90 cents per LOCO feet to house
holders and at 30 cents to large manu-
facturers, while paying 500. 600 for the
franchise and after five years 80 per
cent on the net business to go to the
city. 'e
Gas driven barges are no novelty in
France, nor gas cranes, and gas
engine yacht has been built in this
country. Many lesser appliances, many
of them of exceeding ingenuity. will
be seen at the exposition, and will fiji
IN the details of the very interesting
chapter of mechanical progress which
the latter will tell. The exposition was
conceived and it will be directed by
r. c. Brown, editor of the Progressive !
Age, the chief journal of American /
gas interests. Professor Charles F.
Chandler, the well known chemist. of |
Columbia college. is president of the /
and associated with him