The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-12
AcsTYLeNE 1eos SMALL TOWNS,
Day Not Distant when Many Municipal
titles win Use This New uluminant.

Day Not Distant when Many Municipal
titles win Uss This New uIuminant.
Acetylene is the softest. strongest
and steadiest light in the world to-day.
as IL is the nearest approach 10 sun
light. Co.ors can be matched by it at
night which is impossible 10y any other
light. II is very white. cool light and
one great feature is that il will not as
phyNiate. Wherever this light is put
in the doom OF other lights is sealed.
and naturally the electric. gas and oil
people are lighting il in every way. Ii
has been generally reported by them
that acetylene is dangerous. but statis-
ties will show that when used with
the same care as other gas or electric
ity IL is as safe as any artificial light.
or course one must use modern gen
orator approved by the National Board
OF Fire Underwriters at Chicago. IL a
machine is found by them 10 be safe IL
is put on the approved list which
means you can install il in your cellar
without paying any extra insurance.
Insurance statistics show that in the
600 generators known TO be In opera
ton in the United States. the fire loss
caused by acetylene amounted 10 the
enormous sum OF SO. while the loss by
electricity. gas and kerosene ran into
the millions
Calcium carbide, from which acety-
lene gas is made is produced by tus-
ing with 5000 degrees OF heat, coke and
lime. With this intense heat they are
first liquiied. then cooled into large
cakes or cubes weighing about ton.
Next these tubes are crushed into the
different commercial sizes. The car
/ bide is made to-day at Niagara Falls
and at SAINT Ste. Marie The price
/ has decreased within the last few years
/ from So TO S375 a hundred pounds. 1t
sells for $40 by the ton
| A pound of 2x31a carbide will produce
/ five cubic feet of gas and n pound OF
/ the granulIted about three and a half
cubic feet. A burner that consumes
half a foot of this gas an hour will
give twenty-five candle power light,
while city gas will produce about
fifteen candle power by using a six.
foot burner In other words. lip less
acetylene gas will produce nearly twice
as much light as twelve times IS much
city gas, and it Is OF much better
quality, being whittier and cooler. with
no blue centre which indicates the
burning up Of oxygen that you need TO
breathe. Acetylene is not accompanied
by constant and disagreeable flicker
as is city gas.
When one owns his own generator
he can produce this beautiful white
light at a cost less than kerosene, all
the danger and disagreaablc care of
kerosene lamps age saved and there are
no chimneys to buy or break. Acety'
lene Is becoming more and more popu
lar every year, and the day is not far
distant when all small towns will be
lighted with this new illuminant. This
will be done either from individual
generators or from town plant sys
TEN.
There are to-day over 200 towns
lighted satisfactorily with central acety
lene plants, and many more town
plants are in process Of construction.
From records il seems TO be good in
vestment, for the cost of maintenance
can be accurately estimated. and thus
an investor is not cropping in the dark
The price Of carbide will be lower as
its use increases.
If one took pains to look at the records
they coulG find that in most all cases
where accidents have occurred it is
with imperfect drop feed type Of gener
atOrs. Always select a generator with
the fewest parts TO adjust or tamper
with and one that makes easy an ex
animation Of the inside at any time ir
order TO see that the attendant has per
formed his duty properly. Generators
that are soldered so the interior Of the
generating chamber cannot be exam.
ined become foul, and this condition
greatly shortcns the length Of time
that they worl; properly.
1t is always best to use the large %
3h carbide instead of the sranulatcd
as there is twenty per cent more gas
in IL. The less water required the bet
ter. especially whore there is a scar
city of water and no running water
supply. These are points to be looked
out for when buying. The United
States Government has adopted acety'
lene for its Indian schools and forts
and is contemplating putting it in the
lighthouses II is possible in almost
any town for n few citizens 10 promote
an acetylene town lighting plant II
would be a frst-class investment FOR
them Individually. and would also be
q great benefit TO their town.