The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-26

lene gas for use throughout that city
and Southern Pennsylvania. Much Inter-
est centres about the plant now m build
ing here. and there are companies IN no
/ less than II States who are watching ana
( waiting tor the development OF this plant.
1 Inasmuch as the new plant here is the
first of its kind. at the start Of operations
it will be important TO ascertain the
amount of electric current which will
prove the most economical for, SO Tar.
the experiments have been made with the
currents varying from 30 up TO 23l-horse
power. The contract OF the company
with the Niagara Falls Power Company
calls for 1000 or more horse power one
important feature Of the plant Is that
an alternating current furnace IS 10 be
used as all the other electric manufac-
turing plants at Niagara Falls use direct
current furnaces The current Is received
all on one phase and used at a voltage
OF about 100.
The size of this carbide plant Is 80 by
90 feet. The structure is OF brick, the
front portion being two stories high. lt
contains a furnace room. a crushing and
grinding room, a laboratory, a switch
board room, a transformer room, and a
room for the help employed. The crush
ing and grinding portion or the OUTFIT IL
TO be Of sufficient capacity 10 supply
capacity OF the plant at the start will
be al least five tons per day. A two-phase
75-horse power motor will operate the
grinding plant. In the furnace room four
furnaces have been built, each containing
cast-iron crucibles feet inches long.
. feet inches deep and feet inches
wide The current Will be kept on each
furnace for about three hours, one fur
mace being operated at a time. Each
horse power used is supposed TO give
- pounds Of calcic carbide every q hours,
and each pound OF the product IL sup
posed TO produce a little over five cubic
feet OF gas. The plant is expected 20 be
In operation on February lst-a busy scene
at at plant. for on the eth instant the
General Electric Companys force Is ex-
pected 10 come on from Schenectady.
Considering the fact that calcic car
bide is made by the use OF such low-priced
materials as coal dust. lime dust, water
and electricity, and that IL can be made
anywhere, there is no telling the reyolu-
ton IL may create. especially as 10 - re-
cognized as the highest illuminant hydro
carbon known in chemistry. The COM
pany that owns the plant here make tho
claim that acetylene gives more light.
throws out less heat, consumes less oXy-
gen and can be produced at much less
cost than other Illuminating gases II Is
capable OF being stored as a solid In the
shape Of calcic carbide, as liquid or "a
a gas, II may be shipped long distances
as a carbide or as compressed liquid
gas manufactured from IL. and IN the lat
ter state may be applied 10 all purposes
of isolated lighting. especially as I'm rail-
road trains, street cars, carriages, blcy-
Giles, steamships or sailing vessels, street
lighting and IL may be used In dwellings.
stores or manufactures, its application
for the latter purpose permitting the
manufacture Of a gas sufficiently low
priced 10 be used for fuel or heating pur
poses. IL was once a boast here that
some day great trains OF storage batteries
would be sent 10 all parts OF the country
from Niagara. but IL may be that acety-
lene gas cylinders will take the place Of
d the storage batteries In this respect.