Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-02-19
REW'S REMARKS TO PAYNE.
The Famous Inventor Of Gas and
Water Apparatus Threw Hot Shot
Into Kansas City.

The growing interest manifested by
she business community in the Rev gas
process and apparatus calls attention
TO tire rafting letter which Mr.. Henry
&C. Rev. the famous inventor. wrote
over month ago TO Col. Milton j.
Payne. President of the Kansas City
.tMoJ Gas Company. We extract the
following from 1t as very pertinent at
this time. when investors. capitalists
and gas companies are giving the Rev
process such serious consideration.
In the course of his letter Mr.. Rev
says:
when the consolidation was effected
between the old Kansas City Gas Com
pany and the Missouri Gas Company
there was an understanding and u
'gpntlomcn's agreement that the Rev
process ana apparatus which manu-
iactured high candle.powcr carburcted
waier.gas from cheap bitumlnous coal.
crude oil and water In one apparatus
and operation should have u fair test.
so as TO compare the cost of gas made
10y the Rev process with the cost of gas
made at the old works of the Kansas
City Gas Company. which plant first
process and then utilities the resulting
coke in what Is known as the Lowe I'M
proved water.gas apparatus.
''rbese promises have been frequent
~ made. but although the works were
ready 10 he operated on the first Of Oc-
tober. as shown by dispatch from
your superintendent. Mr.. George =.
Clarke. to the United Gas Improvement
Company of Philadelphia on the first
of October. 1897. the promises then
made and reiterated several times since
dave not been carried out. To be sure.
II couple of men were sent from the
East (Mcssrs. Norris and Donohuc) to
operate the new plant for time before
II was shu; down. but not being famil.
Jar with either the theory or the piac.
lice of the apparatus and departing en-.
'lrely from the practice Of skilled cpcr'
aiors who had preceded them they soon
sioublcd the quantity of fuel used In
she manufacture of gas. and then. I am
led 10 believe. Informed the general SUI
pcrintendcnt of the works. Mr.. Walton
Clark, of Philadelphia, that tho nppar-
aiu. would not make gas as cheap as
the Lowe improved process 1t may
bc that you base your opinion upon the
results reached by those unskilled AMI
nnsc'cntiic operators. or course Il Is
"a very easy matter for bunglers either
10 ditch the finest locomotive or run the
most magnificent ocean steamship on
The rocks. Such wrecks can readily De
caused either by accident or Intention
ally. and l leave you to decide what
was tbe object Of the gentlemen named
N 80 'ditching' and 'wrecklng' the
Rev apparatus. In the presence OF oper-
ntors who could have corrected their
mistakes had they been permitted to
do 80.
IL have d very decided opinion that
ihc Rev process and apparatus II vastly
superior In construction, operation.
Number of men employed. the cost OF
gas IN the holder, AMI cost of repairs
when required. to the generators EN-
ploycd ~ the old plant.
IL was IN active business for many
wears in those certain 'storn-centerS
of business known rs the Albany. Bnf-
fa,o ana Chicago Boards of Trade ana
the New York ana Chicago Stock In
changes. In those places have had 20
learn repeatedly land to pay for my
education every tme) that In many
cases men do not talk to express their
real convictions. but rather to conceal
their thoughts, In order to divert their
councillors from their real transac-
tlous.
"ConseI uently what men say Is not
regarded rs OF any particular vaiue'
anless they are prepared to back their
opinion with their money
~ am prepared to back my opinion
concerning the capabilities OF the Rev
process and apparatus with my HE,
my fortune ana my sacred honor ana
therefore propose the following tests
OF both sets OF apparatus:
II will deposit $4,000 either In cash
or in marketable securities In any
.agreel.upOn bank or trust company
of Kansas City, you to deposit the
same for your company, or the United
Gas Improvement Company OF Philn'
.lelphla. Then we will give both sets
of apparatus u 30 or 10 day trial, run
ming to their full capacity, to discover
the actual cost of gas In the holder III
each case. II gas can be made cheaper
at the old plant, You have the $2o,-
900. On the contrary, II gas can be
made of the same quality at the works
of the Missouri Gas Company, my SlO,-
200 to he returned to me ana your SlO.-
600 TO be turned over TO the hospitals
and charities ut Kansas City, for do
not care for your money. Possibly you
or the parties you represent may con-
slider that you have n sure thing In
thar case, should be quite willing to
make II $4,000 in order 20 make II
very interesting not only for You but