New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-04

HOW THE ILLUMINATING POWER OF
GAS IS MEASURED.

po,6prHINo ABOUT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
rowaR NOT MERE sxpnrss1oN-THE
CANDLES USED HERE COME
FROM ENGLAND.
Most people know in a general way that the ilu-
minating quality of burning gas Is measured IN
candle-power but few probably are aware that IN
this city the gas used-at least all used on Man
haitian Islands tested every day with actuai
candles This Is o part Of the work done by Aa-
ward q, Iowa the analytical chemist employed oy
the city to keep watch the gas produced by tho
several companies doing business here The oandes
used are of a special quality. and they have I" De
tust right In order to give satisfaction
While not literally made to order. they arc ."
imported from England. none manufacturer IN
this country VIII Ill the bill. They are mace ..
pure spcrmaceti mixed with small quahu'y VI
wax. II takes Just elk of them TO weigh pounu.
and when lighted they must burn at the rate Oh ~
grains an hour small margin is allowed IN TINS
matter. and II candle burns anywhere from IA 70
12s grains an hour Il IS not thrown aside furtheI-
more, the wick must DO composed OF a certain mum
Der of strands. with certain number OF 'nfeaos
In each strand. and II must bend over IN sum
way that the end will remain Just within the edge
OF the fame willis on the tip a pright glo"hs
point must appear. Then. too. these candles are
REQUIRED TO burn without guttering when properly
protected from draughts.
The quantity Of such candles which the city has
to pay for each year is not SO large as might Do
supposed In tho two gas-testing stations the aver
age number of candles consumed s four or five
weekly, or a little more than 200 annually. One
box Of candles contains 26, and VIII last ciose "
q year. They are taken on approval by the cheiis..
and II on trial they do not come up TO the standard
they promptly rejected
When a test f. about to be made the conical END
of the candle Is first removed and then the canoie
itself Is cut In two. The two pieces are burned at
one time IN the photometric test. Inc cahoies"eA
forms part of an accurate balance SO ,hau ING i"e
at which the candles are burned may De accurately
measured This arrangement is at one END OF the
photometer Near the opposite end is gas-burner'
into which gas from any one of the companies may
be conveyed at will. At this end also is gas meter
and clock combined so arranged tnat the ra'e
at which the gas Is being burned may be instantly
determined. Tho clock has only single haho'
which revoves once a minute Announcer mana re-
wolves apparently the same pivot. but this meas
ures gas not time. BY a delicate governor, which
controls the gas pressure tho two hands may Dc
made to revolye together, and then the chems'
knows that in the ten minutes during which the
test continues-a fve-foot burner being used-one-
sixth OF Ave feet has been consumed
THE SIGHT BON
The most important part of the photometer Is the
sight box. which IS placed between the burning
candles at one end and the burning gas at the
other II is here that the human factor enters the
problem for after ALL 1t is the eye of the observer
which determines the candle-power OF the gas.
The sight box is arranged as to slide along
graduated scale. On direct line between me
orncInal feature Of which is a numerously pointed
star on each side Of the star Is sma "a bn sta
from the opposite sides are conveyed 10 me eye,
The purpose of the observer IS TO get the DISK IN
such a position that the two stars. or rather the
two reflections OF the star. present me same APP
n simple one-the cande-power can be determined
by observing the point on the scale marke i Dy ,ne
candles are used. If. for instance the Indicator
reads 1874 the candle-power is n
meters in daily ss in tho s re ober eas
that do not need to be mentioned in general arti
Gle and various mathematical calculations are
se sams device IS IL S Ss ondo Where
full tests of gas are constantly MADE, ana IN al
By one arst-ciass candle In France the Carcel
lamp is employed-a lamp which burns rape-seed
English candles. In another lamp sometimes used
for testing gas. pentane light product OF petro-
burned.
GAS IN LONDON AND NETWORK.
In talking with the writer about his work for the
city, Mr.. Love said: 1.-The gas burned in this coun-
try is much better than that in England The
usual candle-power here is from 22 TO p. but In
London they use gas Of 16 II candle-power.
What a howl there would be here II such quality
Of gas were put out by our companies! Nearly all
the gas for London is coal gas, but little camel
gas is made of 90 candle-power. A close watch is
kept on the gas there however, and If it falls be-
low the standard the company is at once fined.
With us no penalty is provided the companies lie
reouired by their contracts to furnish gas OF a
certain Illuminating power and II they should fail
TO do they would probably have trouble In col
iectine their bills from the city;
.However they hardly ever fail 10 up to
the requirement. They are naturally interested in
a matter of accommodation TO them L generally In.
form them Of the result OF my observations. They
d a not ie busy fiji them out There have never
been any orders on the subject from downtown eX-
of : once when Rollin NJ Squire was Commissioner
I'm makXerks- o.s,,u ,.-
Hour Peopie somet nd burning 1--WE feet OF gas an
Ing about the QUALITY Of the - me- when complain
that get better results because II nse exI,snsirc
over them. The burners / use can be bought By
anybSody for 90 cents dozen and the pressure is
1t Is true that five feet of gas can be forced through
Being red through o b & tel 'Se
the flame and the straight lines OF unburned gas
curl too much. as they viii If the pressure is too
great. II Is well-known fact that moro light Will
be given by one sx-foot burner than by two three
r sy TSo w s: ssS so of the electric
There are none at present. said MI Love. in
tested ana found to be well above the Contract re.
auirements TIE contracts call for 900 candle
degrees below the level at which the lamp ID Is
placed With such lamp it makes no 10. difference
portant thing IS the amount that reaches the
and sidewalk, am prepared TO make such tests
at time may be called on"
Mr. Love then showed a device Of his own inven-
ton for use in radial photometer. in which the
sight box Is provided with a revolving disk that
may be turned as 20 measure the light entering
from any angle. while the standard-that is. the
candles-is maintained in a horizontal position.
TIE ENGINEER HELD FOR HOMICIDE.
William p. Doty. the engineer Of the train which
on Friday night ran over and killed Patrick Flan-
nigan while he crossing tho tracks OF the ele-
waited road at Third-ave. and Eighty-ninth-st was
arragned In the Harlem Court yesterday morning