Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-03-19
Acetylene Town Lighting at
Wabash, Indiana.
by Special Correspondent of the Acety-
lene-Gas Journal

lene-Gas Journal.
Wabash, Indiana is city built on
natural terraces, rising from the level of
me aOasn river, ana Il made especially
attractive by bOtn the natural advan-
tages OF lis location on the river and in
the natural gas belt, and the energy and
civic prize OF its citizens.
The nrst city electric plant" in the
United states was installed here, and
tor years the town has had the advan-
tage OF all forms of artificial light.
City gas OF a nigh candle-power made
from napntha was sold prior 10 1898, but
could moi compete with the natural gas
used either IN large fiat flame burners
or with incandescent mantles and the
electric light. The natural gas was sold
AT very nominal prices, anu owing to
favorable circumstances and the active
competition, the electric company sold
It's product al prices lower than in al
most any other Town in the country.
Al this time US9S) aceJylene was be-
ginning 10 attract attention as the most
perfect of arIincial illuminants, and il
was characteristic of the progressive spir
At OF the business men OF Wabash that
they not only Investigated the new light,
/ out decided TO abandon the naphtha gas
and substitute acetylene. AS a result,
the nrst Town lighting plant of acety-
Iene In the United States was built in
" abash in 1898 and has been in success
full operation continuously since that
time. Since its installation, scores OF
plants of various sizes have been built to
| furnish towns and cities with acetylene
through a system Of street mains and
service, and there are to-day a still
greater number under consideration,
which will probably be built in the early
spring.
The generator used is a Williamson"
of a capacity sufficient TO make easily 3 =
900 cubic feet of acetylene per day
This generator takes a charge of several
hundred pounds of carbide if desired,
and has ample water capacity. The car
Dide is fed by screw conveyOr, operated
either by hand or by water moter
which is attached from the hopper TO a
point above the center of the generator,
and dropped at that point into the water.
Acetylene is generated under the water,
and as ii bubbles up, all the dust and
lime are washed out, and the pure cool
gas passes out through the station meter
TO small relief holder.
From the relief holder the gas is fed
into storage holder of about 5000
cubic feet capacity, and is ready for use.
The quantity of acetylene needed for a
nights use is generated during the day
and stored in the holder. The main
services from main TO buildings, meters
and house piping are the same as used
for ordinary city gas, and the holder
maintains proper pressure on the en-
tire system at all times. The burners
are therefore always ready for use with
no more trouble than if ordinary coal
gas were used.
The fact that this plant has proved a
success, both TO its owners and TO the
consumers using the light, is particular
" interesting to all in the acetylene bust
ness, as the success attained has been in
the face of competition with natural gas
at nominal prices and electric light at
very low rates, as well as the usual num-
Der of gasoline machines, lamps. etc.
In spite of this competition, the num-
Der of consumers of acetylene has stead
lily increased, and more than 5000 acety
lene burners are now attached TO the
MAINS
Stores of all kinds, public institutions,
some of the finest churches, factories.
hotels, billiard room, newspaper offices,
the city opera house, as well as scores of
residences are lighted by acetylene fur
nished from this plant. The demand is
such that il seems probable thtt the
street mains will soon be extended To
supply still larger territory.
We after advised that every business
man in Wabash who has changed from
electric light TO acetyiene is more than
| pleased with the results obtained.