The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-18
GAS LIGHT co.
Annual Meeting Held and Four Per
Cent Dividend Declared.

The annual meeting of the Portland
Gas Light company was held Wednesday
afternoon. The following officers were
| elected:
Presidept-Edward II. Davies.
Treasurer and Clerk-F frederick K.
Moore.
Dire ctors-Edward II. Daveis, Elias
Thomas, Wm. I'll. Moulton. Fred N. Dow,
Charles 5. Fobes, Rufus Lamsou.
Mr.. Lamson takes the place of Mr.. Il.
E. Rounds as the city's representative.
The annual report of President 4. II.
Daveis was a very clear snd full presen
tation of the operations of the company
during the year. The consumption OF
gas for the year ending April 30th was
"A, 404, 800 feet, against n o33, 800 feet last
year, a falling OFF of 2, 629, IS 0 feet, owing
largely to the richer quality of the gas
made since September 18th last when the
new generator plant was put in opera
ton. Four thousand. five hundred and
eighty-two tons of Westmoreland coal
have been carbonized and 463 tons of an
thracite have been used in the generator
plant. 10 enrich the gas, 2sS, 1862 pounds
of naphtha, gas oil, and Cannell coal
have been used. The yield of gas per
pound OF coal, oil and naphtha carbon
lied. was at the average rate of 5 10 feet.
The illuminating power averaged 10. 4S
candles from May to September 10, and
% 10 candles for the rest of the year. 1t
was determined by a new bar photometer
| of the most approved construction, and
the daily tests have been made according
| to the standard of the gas inspee tor of
Massachusetts. Ninety-nine thousand
| two hundred and nine bushels of coke
and l,476 barrels of coal tar have been
sold. The present number Of consumers
is 2,s82, gain OF 25s. Three hundred
making the number now in uss l,407.
Five gas engines are now in use.
The new generator plant is model
one in every particular, and has operated
perfectly from the time IL was started.
! 1t is housed in a substantial brick build
| ing IS by So feet, with so feet walls. and
brick annex for the engines and blow
,rs. The buildings are covered with steel
| truss roofs built by the Portland Com
pany, planked and slated. They are made
of such dimensions as to provide space
for duplicate apparatus whenever it
III ay be required.
The capacity of the plant is easily 500 :
900 cubic feet of gas per each "a hours,
which means that in almost any emergen-
cy it will produce gas so rapidly that the
contingency of n short supply Is practi-
cally eliminated.
The low pressure on the street mains
in certain sections of the city, especially
in the Commercial street district. in the
winter season, has shown the nesd OF ad
ditional trunk lines as feeders to equHlize
the pressure The original 16-inch main
leading from the works to Vest CONNER
cial. street, seems to be partially obstruct-
ed 1t was laid very deep in order to pass
under the bed Of the G. & o. canal. Ow-
| ing to the sandy soil and to the water
| level being above the main, it has now
been decided to lay new i6-inoh main
instead from the works to West CONNER
cial street and on West Commercial street
to Clark street, thence 12-inch and l0-inch
main will be laid through Clark and
| York streets TO Park street.
There will be also new a-inch feeder
on Pearl street, from Commercial street