The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-05
THE COST OF COAL
DOES EFFECT GAS

Goal is the most important item of
cost in the making of gas" said M. II.
Sherman, who is experimenting the con-
struction of the bi-product coke furnaces
at Ensley City. Mr.. Sherman is a rec
ogn.zed expert on such matters.
''The distance of a gas plant from, a
good grade of coal makes a great differ
ence in the cost of the product. Bir-
1ningham is in a particularly favored
section and there is no denying the fact
that there IS good gas coal to be had
at very low figure. 1 understand that
the price is 81 per ton.
81 am unable to understand how the
annual consumption of gas in Birming-
ham can be only 100000 cubic fe st.
Birmingham has fully 10000 population.
Ten thousand families can certainly be
found in this number of inhabitants, by
only averaging to the family. Half Of
this number of families must surely use
gas. Average each at 5000 feet per
month on half year basis. The con-
Sumption would be 9O,OOO,OO0.
Birmingham in my opinion could
have cheaper gas. OF course there are
many things to be considered. In some
European cities where the advantages
are nothing like as great as in this sec
ton, the manufacture of gas is figured
far below 81.
IF the citizens of Birmingham are
paying more than 81 per ton for coke
they ane paying too much. In the Bee
Hive furnaces ton of coal makes about
CLIO of ton of coke. The fuel for cox
Ing 1t is on the inside and possibly some
of this may be counted. In a gas plant
the coke is made in a sealed retort and
the fire is on the outside. This may pos
sibly make some difference in the guam
tity but very little.
The average output of gas is from
5000 to 10000 cubic feet from one ton of
coal. This figured at 5000 would be
$500 worth of gas from each ton of
coal.
THE bi-product plant will use much of
its gas output for coking, but win have
about 100000 cubic feet surplus per day."
Whether this could be made available
for Birmingham Mr.. Sherman could not
say. 1t might be done and it might not
Mr.. Sherman did say, however, that if
the present gas company was charging
$1.e5 per thousand feet there was a splen-
did showing for an opposition company
He expressed the opinion that a good
profit could be made on 81 gas in Bir-
mingham and that il the price was not
lowered and that quickly, other compa-
mics would be knocking at the doors of
the Magic City"
An example of the profit of the perquis-
ties of gas plant can be seen from a
glance at the bi-product plant. The
capitalists erecting the plant at Ensley
furnish the coke to the Tennessee Coal,
Iron and Railroad company and expect
to make their profit from the bi-products
Our bi-products are just such as
those of any ordinary gas plant" said
Mr.. Sherman.
Mr.. Sherman is very much in favor of
municipal ownership of lighting plants
and waterworks. If this cannot be done
he believes that the corporations own
and water works. If this cannot be done
cent of their profits into the municipal
treasury
''There is entirely too mcuh Iemency
in granting franchises" he said. "They
are often granted with no restrictions of
any consequece, even without a stipula-
tion that the city can buy the plant af-
ter limited period. In fact, 1 believe
the city should have the right to buy
any time 1t thinks it advisable There is
not one city in twenty-five that throws
| the proper restrictions around the cor
poration to which it grants franchise. "