The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-11-23

v.u sSpNntn WHY " was lnuI NOR
was 50 much more coal consumed In
making the test OF September Il. 1895.
than was consumed In making the test
% october 18th. II will be remembered
that IN the test OF September lith there
was consumed Ga bushels OF coal. while
me engines made 1850 revolutions and
pumped 1888, go gallons OF water, and
showed an engine duty OF 43,723, 700 foot
pounds: yhile at the test made October
18Th, there was consumed 40 bushels
OF coal, and the engines, made 81 ,53a rev
olusions and pumped Q,l67.25S gallons
OF water. and developed q duty of l23.-
9.v,V9O loot pounds or a duty in excess
or what was obtained in the test OF Sep
TENDER 18th of 50, 900 foot pounds.
We hope the water board will NOT try
10 explain this excessive difference In
the duties obtained In the two tests by
Importing It to tho inferior quality of
our home coal. In order to enable the
puhln To judge i~nteillgently In regard
to this controversy. 1t will be necessary
for us to 80 back twelve months or
more, when n committee from the
Trades Assembly, In connection with
The miners committee. waited on the
water board with n view OF Inducing
them to substitute coal In place OF nat
ural gas as fuel at the Wheeling water
plant, as It would give employment to
quite a number OF men who are citizens
and taxpayers Of the city, and would
leave seven or eight thousand dollars
plr year In the city. which would be-
spent with the business people and
would rebound to the city's interest
generally; whereas. by the use OF gas,
this money Is paid to a foreign cor
poration and scarcely any OF It Is spent
In the city. The water board agreed
with u committee that 1t would be
to the best interests OF the city to have
the money that was paid for fuel left In
the city, and promised our committee
that they would make q test with coal,
and IL there was not too great n differ
lence In the cost of coal over gas, that
they would be Willing to adopt coal as
fuel. Our committee left with the un-
derstandlns that there would be a test
made in the near future, but after waltz
Ing n considerable time and hearing
nothing from the board, our committee
waited on them again. At this meeting
the board seemed 10 have forgotten that
they had ever promised to make at test
with coal, but after considerable hesita&
ton told us that the boilers were not In
condition to make a test. but would
have a new set OF boilers In ninety days
and then they would give us a test with
coal. We waited ninety days and the
new boilers were put In, but we re-
ceived no word from the board in re-
gard to making the test, and after
waiting ninety days longer, and still
not hearing anything from them, our
committee visited them again. and was
somewhat surprised when they inform
ed us that they did not remember of
ever agreeing 10 make a test with coal.
Before we left. however. they agreed
to make the test and promised they
would let us know in time, soFwe could
be present and see the test made. Short
ly after this we received notice that
the test was going to be made on Sep
TENDER II. so It is plain to be seen II
was only through the persistent efforts
of the committee that the test was
ever made, and not through any desire
on the part of the board. and when Ii
was made II was under the most unta-
vorable circumstances. every obstacle
was placed in the way of coal, and ev-
erything was done that could be done
In order to consume all the coal possi-
bic. We are convinced that the test
was not made to determine whether
coal or gas was the cheapest fuel, but
In making the test everything was done
that could be done to try to demon
strate that coal was a more costly fuel
than gas. We said in a former report,
in connection with the test Of Septem-
Der II, when there were 614 bushels OF
coal consumed and an engine duty de-
veloped OF only 43.723,7 0 foot pounds,
that one of two facts was demonstrate
ed: either the city of Wheeling. through
its agents, the water board, had been
imposed upon by the Holly Manufac-
turing! Company In accepting machin-
cry that did not come up 10 the guar
antesd duty. or otherwise the men ops
Grating the machinery were incompe-
tent.
This placed the water board in rather
an ~unenviable position. and was the
means OF bringing about the second
test that was made with coal on Octo-
Der IS. The board. In order to vindicate
themselves and uphold the reputation
of the Holly Compnny's machinery,
brings an expert from Pennsylvania.
and they make a private test with coal
without notifying our committee. II
this test of October IS was honestly
made for the purpose. OF determining
the relative cost of coal and gas as fuel.
and We would Infer from their report of
that test. that that was the object. then
our committee, being q party TO the
controversy. II the board had any de-
sire to be fair in the matter. 1t was GER
tainly their duty TO Inform our commit
tee when the test was going to be made.
which they failed &c. do; but va. are led
to believe the test a not made for
that purpose, but for the purpose Of up
holding the reputation of the machln-
cry, and their object was 20 develop
the greatest duty possible with the least
possible consumption of coal. and in
making this test, whether 1t was the IN
tention of the board or not, they have
demonstrated tibet fact that the city
water plant can be operated much
cheaper with coal than gas. rs figures
taken from their " report Will show.
According to the report of the test of
September IA, 1t will cost SSH o. less to
operate the plant with home coal than
gas, and according TO the report OF the
test of October IS, 1t will cost S3,S5I rs
less to operate the plant with coal than
with gas. the water board finding that
the plant can be operated cheaper with
coal than gas, are trying to manufac-,
ture additional expense. They claim
thai a return to coal will necessitate
the employment of two extra fircmen at
$I,440 per year, and one to wheel ashes
at $500 per year, and repairs TO furnace
CRATE bars and firing tools, $500 per
year.
We believe that there are a number
of firms that would he willing to make
n contract 10 furnish firing tools, crate
bars, and repair the furnace for less
than one-half the amount. And us for
any extra men for firing and wheeling
ashes. we feel confident the force en-
ployed at the plant ut the present time
Is sufficient TO operate 1t with coal. This
would allow four ilremen, two on a
watch, one man to wheel ashes, which
would leave six men to operate the ma
cfinery, three on each watch, which
every one will have to admit IL amply
sufficient The board also figures the
conl at a higher figure than 1t can be