The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-01-02

supplant naphtha in gas making. And
acetylene can be obtained in unlimited
quantities wherever coal and lime are
found, for they nre its only constituents.
1t can be seen ut glance that the ma
terials for making acetylene can never
be monopolized. Coal and lime are found
in almost every State, for example, in
the Union, and gas can be made from
them ON the spot, without the necessity
of long haul of naptha, for example,
from the petroleum fields.
Baron Jerzmanowski, who is not only
real baron, but coal and gas expert,
says acetylene can be liquified and trans
ported to any place and used by individ
uals, even through their old gas pipes.
He says there would be no danger of an
explosion in such everyday use. A gen
tleman connected with him in business
gave me yesterday, in the baron's pres
ence, the facts about acetylene's in
fuence on our present gas supply sys-
TENS, and the reasons why gas, even
with the aid of the new acetylene process,
can not be deliverey in the residence of
the consumer, the gas companies think,
at much less cost than it is now.
"There are $7O,O0O,00O worth Of gas
York City today" he said. I'm fact, no
body could duplicate the gas pipe supply
system now in use for that sum of
money. When persons talk about cheap
gas. and wonder why the consumer has
to pay so much more than the actual cost
of the gas he burns, they forget that this
enormous pipe system must be main
tanned, that men must be employed to
take the indexes. that meters must be
| hnh nd hot Gc a
Why, the Consolidated Gas company of
New York owns $15,000,000 worth of
real estate alone. 1t is precisely be-
cause it costs to maintain this great plant
and carry on the business, that gas can
never cost New Workers muct less than
81 per thousand. 'te .r
Consider the reductions that have al
ready taken place in the cost to con-
sumers of illuminating gas. The first
method of lighting American cities was
by coal gas. 1t was the only method
known then, and is even yet in use in
England. In the forties this gas, made
from bituminous coal, cost the user So
per thousand in New York, the lights
varying from ~ to 10 candle power.
Coal gas is made today in some American
cities for $1.25 per thousand, the price
varying according to the locality with
the price of transporting raw material.
ElSnteen Cauule power Soui BUS 10 LII
| nished today where II candle power was
| used 80 years ago.
"rhen came improvements in the pro-
cesses and reductions in the cost of
| transportation, and coal gas in New
York came down to So per thousand.
Next succeeded the discovery of petro-
leu,u, which water gas makers speedily
found they could utilize, especially in
| its by-products. The Tessie du Motai
/ &c ysr,fx fnr II1fr
duced in New York about 70 years ago.
Marke7 improvement resulted. 1t was
found = It this water gas could be en-
riched by Haotha, q petroleum product,
and that gas could be elevated in quality
and reduced in price to as low as $1.25
per thousand. Twenty-six to 30 candle
power gas resulted, and most of the big
gas companies in the country changed
from coal to water. OF course, in cities
| coal gas is cheaper even today, because
coal is so cheap; the residuum, after
making the gas, being valuable as roof
ing tar and asphalt.
"The next step in the evolution of bet
ter gas and cheaper gas for the consumer
was the accidental discovery of carbide
of calcium in solid masses, which in con-
tact with water generates acetylene gas.
This is the highest illuminant hydro
ready an industrial product and can be
made anywhere. Wherever we find
power sufficient to supply the electric
current requisite to the production of
acetylene there we find its raw mate
rials-coal dust and lime dust. Charles
M. Dietrich, an expert and high official
in several gas companies, at once saw the
value of acetylene and took it up with
his friends. He it was who brought it
can be used to enrich water gas. 1854
1T was not the intention of the owners
of acetylene to wipe out the gas COM
panies and knock down prices, even if
they could. They have in the main dealt
direct with the gas companies already in
existence and sold the acetylene rights
to them, instead of organizing rival COM
panies. When the electric light was
brought out everybody said the old gas
ruptcy, but they haven's by any means.
Dietrich foresaw that acetylene, iudici-
ously handled, would work out similar
! results"
At Niagara Falls the Philadelphia conf
| pany is constructing large plant for the
manufacture of the calcc carbide. If the
electrical furnaces there can produce the
carbide in sufficient quantities to supply
the demand of large city, and on an
economical basis, there can be little doubt
of acetylene's future success. Scientific
men agree on these points, but some are
not as confident that the ends desired can
he accomplished as are those interested in
the Philadelphia corporation.
The carbide will be brought to Philadel-
phia in Jumps, then liquified, placed in
cylinders and distributed to householders,
who will connect them in their cells with
service pipe from the street mains, whence