Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-02-12
REW'S REMARKS TO PAYNE.
The Famous Inventor Of Gas and
Water Apparatus Threw Hot Shot
Into Kansas City.

gas engineer has attempted II In the
use of the Lowe. Granger. Springer,
Hanlon 4 Leadley, Pratt 4 Ryan and
other forms Of apparatus in which hard
coal or coke was being used.
"Thcse attempts all ended in failure
and disappointment. yet. nOtwithsta,l-
Ing these numerous discOurageinents.
writer's on The Future of Water Gas
still held out hopes that success would
be reached at last. I quote from
Clark. as follows:
81 think the direction in which in
vcntion IN this field tcarbureted water.
gas will find its richest harvest Is to.
ward the perfection of an apparatus
for the Oscillation of coal and utiliz-
Ing of It's residual coke into gas In the
same vessel. Labor and coal 20 to
make the bulk of the cost of gas, AMI
were II all made In one vessel both
would he economical
II also quote from a pamphlet issued
by Mr.. +. II. Shelton In 1891. who was
at that time connected with the United
Gus Improvement Company, as fol-
lows:
"'Much as water gas has been i'm
proved since its beginning. It's capacity
doubled. the quality of gas made vast.
~ better. the ability gained to use crude
oils. tnrs and distillates with entire
success. likewise Goals and cokes here.
tOfOre deemed impracticablc, and the
far better mechanical construction Of
the apparatus. there Is still ample field
for the water-gas engineer to work in.
Details of design and proportion that
are by no means yet agreed upon. the
utilization to the highest degree Of the
heat Of the escaping gases. In the more
perfect heating of the incoming oils.
steam. blast. ETC.. the perfcct.shaliing
crate and the absolute use Of all kinds
or fuel. are problems as much yet to
be solved as those to which the coal.
gas engineer looks forward In striving
to perfect his bench or to utilize his
reslduals.
81 believe that these problems will
bc solved and In the near future: that
soft or bltuminOus cOal-the cheapest
fuel In nearly every locality-which In
the past has been the mninstay Of the
gas.mnkcr, will SO continue to bc. but
will he used direct and completely Ia
water.gas apparatus and enriched
with some form of petroleum.
II was the first one to Invent, patent
and develop and put into operation In IL
large commercial scale the processes
and apparatus which have successfully
accomplished the predictions made by
Messrs. Clark and Shelton In the fore.
going extracts.
This result was only reached after
ten years Of artluOus work, large OK.
pense and an almost continuous rum.
mnglng Of the patent offices ana libra.
rles Of the world for every scrap Of
Information that could be gathered re-.
gar'ling what had been done and why
the efforts made had failed.
"rhc works Of the Missouri Gas Com
pnny IRE the hest development OF this
new range Of ideas up TO the present
time. Success was only reached at
last through the discovery OF method
whereby bituminous coal In any vol
ume could be brought to u high state
OF incandescence from top to bottom
by direct internal combustion produced
ut several different places. the escap-
Ing products Of combustion being 10
handled that those generated In the
lower part Of the apparatus did not
Interfere with or eXtingulsh the CON-
bustiOn going on higher up In the up.
paratus. 1t IL quite impossible to
handle soft coal without first reducing
1t to coke, but by the use Of the Rev
Gas Generators this result has been
easily and completely reached. 1t IL
very important to oil the world and Il
should now be understood which IL the
best method Of handling bituminOus
coal, whether In one apparatus or two.
II hope 20 find you disposed to back
your opinion with your money and
that you will arrange Immediately ia
deposit your funds with mine, rs sug.
gested. As am considerable Of a
stakeholder and bOndhOlder In the con.
SOsiuutVu uVuut yout sucb wv you w
certainly lOse) will partly come out Of
me by reducing my dividends. New.
ertheless ! am DESTROYS OF having the
question settled In this practical and
conclusive manner.
"This proposition Ia made contingent
upon the handling Of the Missouri Gas
Plant during the test by the gentlemen
who established the great enterprise
with their money ana who designed
built and successfully operated 1t up to
the time of the consolidation. On the
other hand, your company to furnish
the most skilled operators you can
find connected with your company OF
with the United Gas Improvement
Company Of Philadelphia to operate
| the old works"