The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-16

n great while before the citizens OF hich-
lnond saw the great advantage or the
new light over the tallow-drps ana OIL
lamp.
In consequence. work on the first plant
in this city was begun I'm 100 ana on
February 22d. 1S5l Richmond was hghted
with gas rhe original works were punt
on Cary street between Fifteenth ana
Seventeenth. on tie site Of the old card
well Machine Works. The supply wa
made I'm four benches Of three re
torts" each. and had capacity OF o0v'
cubic feet per day
Tho first tank built had a capacity OF
10000 cubic feet but On 1853 1t became
necessary to enlarge the storage capaci-
~ and "A now tank doul lie as large as
The other was constructed. These tanks
are san used as reservoirs. but all the
Gas Is now made al the lower works.
LOWER GAS WORKS.
The popularity Of the new light soon
caused the demand 20 exceed the sup
piv. Merchants all over the city COM
planned Of the effects Of the fumes from
The works however. and when. In 1854
Il was determined 20 increase the ca
r7citv. the Council chose the size at
present occupied by the Lower Gas Works
and with the exception Of improvements
ard necessary repairs added from time
TO time. they are now as they wers when
accepted by the city in 1896.
Up 10 1893 coal gas was exclusively
used. In that year the water-gas plant
was added and the two products have
since been used I'm combination with
very satisfactory results.
The experiment Of inserting a pipe stem
IN burning coal and lighting the gas at
the other end is an old one. but the gas
thus generated would be very unsatis-
factory for commercial use. A brief de-
scription Of the processes through which
IL passes may be of interest.
In exterior appearance the generators
in the retort house bear close resem-
bance TO q battery Of boilers. such as is
seen In all large buildings. The interior
s. very different. however.
The rotorts are a number of ovens
heated to an intense degree.
I'm the Richmond Gas-WOrks there are
six retOrts i'm each group. called benches,
and three benches. These VIII soon De
doubled as the work of construction is
about completed.
HOT WORK
Every four hours the coke I'm the re-
forts has 10 be drawn ard fresh coal
thrown I'm. The coke is used I'm various
ways as will DE explained later.
The work In front Of the retOrts which
are heated TO about ]. 200 degrees Fahren-
Ieit, is very tfllnt on the men, Inc
cav and night forces consist Of a boss
and two helpers respectively. They
work twelve hours without time for din
ner except such as they can catch.
These three men must pass their own
coal. and keep up the fires In three
benches and draw and charge eighteen
retorts every four hours. Rapid work
s. necessary, as a great deal of the rich
est Pas escapes while retOrts are being
charged. there being no way to save il
while the doors are omen.
The quickness and precision with which
they throw shovelful after shovollul OF
coal distance of ten feet or more and
through the small opening I'm the retorts
s. marvellous. Rarely, indeed, does
lump OF coal miss the mark. Skilled
men are necessary as cheap labor I'm
this position is the poorest kind Of econ
omy
After the coal. IS thrown into the re-
forts and they are closed the gas rises
into large hydraulic main where 20 rs
secured by water seals I'm nearby
building IS an exhaust which relieves the
pressure on the hydraulic main. I'm
The exhaust the coal and water gas are
combined. The gas is then passed
through the condenser TO the scrubber
in both Of which many impurities are
removed by spraying with water
II then passes into the purifying house
where 80 ascende through pyrites. and
next through lime. It's next journey IS
through the immense station meter which
registers am the gas made I'm tho works
From here the gas passes into the tanks
from which II Is distributed through Sow
enty-throe miles Of mains. extending all
WATER GAS.
As before stated. water gas has only
been used I'm Richmond since 1905 "
was discovered hv fontaua. am Italian
oxperimenter. in 1850 that water gas could