Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1902-09-12

years. climbed into the automobile and.
giving the lever a sharp pun back and
then a push forward, srasped the steer
ing bar. and the rear wheels Of the
machine began To whirr around nj con
siderable speed. There was some noise
hut not 50 much as would have been
the case had the vehicle been started
with gasoline. There was no smell
nv moving his thumb ON the little slide
attached Ia the handle he controlled the
speed of the wheels 10 suit his fancy.
Then the visitor was asked To climb 10
the see and see how simple and easy
il was to operate the machine. with
few instructions he found that TO con
troll the machinery was something that
n small bog might learn in few min
utes II all went well.
To demonstrate further the power OF
( the new gas t.ic connection with the
tank i'm the automobile was severed
| and the pipe was fastened To big tin
/ tank on>the floor some distance from
| the machine. II was said that this tin
tank had been charged with gas sew
/ eral weeks ago. yet when the proper
! connection was made the rear wheels
/ of the automobile spun around as mer-
| rily as before. Noticing an incredulous
| look on the face of the visitor the in
ventor removed the jacks. and the ma
chine was pushed several feet nearer
To the door of the shop. The machine
was lacked again, the inventor mount
ed the seat and again started the wheel
spinning rapidly.
THAT was DONE" said he, ito show
you that we had no connection with
any steam pipe or electric wires under
the flooring"
Then the inventor brought out little
cone shaped tube from the rear or the
shop and proceeded TO show how he
could also use the gas for illuminating
purposes. There was gas burner at
one end of the tube and an opening at
the other. Putting the open end into
his mouth. the man blew into the tube.
Then, lighting match, he applied 1t
to the burner, and pale, greenlsh
flame appeared, which lasted until the
air had been exhausted. Ii is said that
the new gas can be used for power
light and heating purposes and ~that
there is no danger in connection with
its use.
w. II. Russell and his son, George b..
Russell of New York city, the latter
an electrical engineer, gave the DEM
onstration. 81 have been experiment.
ing with tflis gas for the last thirty
wears" said the elder Mr. Russell,
"and my son has worked with me for
several years. The tank containing
the gas will weigh from eight to twen-
ty-three pounds. Our plan is to gener-
ate gus from certain chemicals and ny
drocarbon which produce carburet-
ted hydrogen gas. We have tested II
on automobiles and various sorts OF
stationary and marine engines and
have met with success everywhere.
estimate that the gas is about one
third more powerful than gasoline and
, much less expensive. Under our plan
1t will cost a cent per horsepower al
J hour, while gasoline costs from l tt
212 cents per horsepower an hour. W.
have operated marine engine eight
an hour. We can produce 100 sixteel
candle lights at a cost of 10 cents al
hour.
The gas is so made that air passing
through it enables 1t to give the amoun
of power required The admission o.
[ air is controlled by valve, and thu
power and light are under the com
81 hnt
the tank has been exhausted, it can b'
\ recha sged, as oxyhydrogen gas Il
charged into tanks, but with the ex
ception of being under pressure. Thi
= new gas has absolutely no pressure.
: This is in no sense an acetylen
Il gas, which is produced from carbid
:, of calcium, to which water Is applied
This gas is entirely different iron
acetylene, in that there Is no carbid
y of calcium in it. Then acetylene l
t dangerous. This is dry, safe gas
O The expansion of acetylene is so vi
"a certain that it is dangerous CON
:, modify under almost any conditio
. when water is applied, as there is n
way of estimating its power. 1t ha
y also been demonstrated that liquid al
, is not adapted for commercial use, fo
Ii its deterioration is SO great and tn
s. machinery so expensive that its futur
Il usefulness is likely to be confined t
Ii the laboratory for experimental pul
Il poses and demonstrations.
n with this improvement I expect
|. see a fine automobile turned out whic
t. can be sold to the public for, sa.
|