Evening star., 1896-12-15
A G A S ExPoSlTI o NJ
illustrating hsReosnt Progress IN Cd.
AatAs ,ahd Using.
How Far This Country is Behind
England and Germany in the En-
- plOyment III This Illunxinant. |
written for The 1alnins Star.

square Garden In New York opening on
January "a. an exposition OF gas. Although
similar exhibitions hare been held on the
other side of the water; notably in Berlin,
for several years. this will be the first of its
Kind ever held in this country. 1t is de-
signed to do for gas interests what the fine
electrical exhibition in New York city last
spring did for the electrical interests, to IL
lustrate the present progress and the won
derful varfefXeof uses to which gas is now
put.
In this country. at least, we are only be-
canning to realize the possibilities of gas
as an industrial agent. Apparently, too,
not only in this country, but Everywhere,
its possibilities as an illuminant. are tssa
beginning to be appreciated What I'M
proved burners have done to enhance the
value OF gas for lighting purposes, hundreds
OF other~anyentions and improvements are
doing to extend its usefulness in almost
every branch of manufacture. :
Inc Madison Square exposition, aside
from showing everything that Is new In
the way Of Improvements for the manu-
Iacture OF gas and means of burning 1t. VIII
also nave on view a great variety of gas
engines and appliances for it's use; in dry
ing paper molds after type Impressions In
printing Offices; melting zinc and other
we etass ,anq making gaskets In; electrical
work; drying and ,pkessing felt hats; iron.
ing leather in glove factories; brazing in
Dicycie factories: heating tar in brewerfes:
heating laundry irons and finishing rolls:
Japahning and soldering, shrinking tires on
locomotives and other wheels; heating rolls
Tor hnfshing silk and plush, for enameling
hafr-drying, frfpening bananas, in photo.
graphic work. in incubators, and no end Of
similar things. =
A Wonderful Tovver.sssssS.eFs
CONSIDERED merely as a spectacle and q
show, the exposition will be brilliant in the
extreme Its piece de resistance, as it's
managing director would say, will be
wonderful tower of gas and glass and iron
which will stand in the center of the hall.
It will be 80 feet in height, with a diameter
OF 20 feet at It's base Over 1900 open Jets
WIZ glow and glisten from it's countless
prisms, and spaced here and there row
after row of tncandescent gas lamps will
add to the br1lliancy of the effect. The cost
OF the tower will probably exceed $35 600
and 1t Is designed not merely for exhibition
at this time but as the contribution Of the
american gas interests to the Paris world s
fair of 1900 -.
Chiefly the exposition will tell the story
or progress In gas, as it could not be told
in figures and type. A few years ago. when
electricity seemed likely to sweep every
thing before 1t in its rapid and victorious
ADVANCE there was many prediction that
AT not distant day gas would cease to
be made. 1t is a rather remarkable com
mentary that in just this period gas MAX
ing and using has undergone almost as
great revolution as electricity itself.
AT the PresenS time something like 70
per per cent g; of all ~ sat made f,f this ccya-
had hardly made grehter progress than
acetyline has nov, Furthermore, the con-
sumption of gas has steadily Increased, and
IN his late address before the St. Louis
convention, President Humphreys of the
Gas Light Association estimated this in
crease at something like 80 per cent in the
last five years.
In EnsIabd and Germ.ny.
But even now %e- are far behind, popu-
lation considered. the countries OF Europe.
London alone, withNa population of 5000,
90, consumes moreSthatf half as. mtich gas
as the whole United States. Comparing
English towns with those in this country,
the, average consumption in Britain is three
and four times as much per capita, as over
here 1t Is true that generally the rate
per thousand Is less than with U.S. but the
difference In price is not SO great as to ac-
count for the difference in consumption
But 1t Is In the. use of gas for power pur-
poses that the most striking contrast be-
tween Europe and America is seen Over
here the gas engine Is almost q stranger
1t Is looked upon with suspicion and some
times with contempt There are more gas
engines ia London alone than in all this
country. The total number in use in Great
Britain is above $4,000
In Germany, which shows within recent
years, perhaps, the greatest mechanical
and industrial advance, and now ranks as
probably the first Industrial nation in the
world, there are 5000 gas engines in use
Remarkably ingenious improvements have
been made in the mode of manufacturing
gas, by which. in many points Of England
and on the continent the price of delivered
gas has fallen to 20 and 60 and even as low
as 40 OF 80 cents per 1000 feet The possi-
bilitfeS of fuel gas under new methods Of
generation are hardly less than those which
the new incandescent system (he Wells
bach and other burners) have provided for
its Illuminating brother. Several companies
are now seeking franchise in New York
city, one of them offering to furnish tuel
gas at 50 cents per thousand feet to house
holders and at 35 cents to large manufac-
turers, while paying 500, 900 for the fran
chise. and after five years 31h per cent on
the net business to go to the city.