The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-05-31
AcETYLENE FOR SMALL TOWNS,
Day Not Distant When Many Municipal
tiles win Use This New Il1uminant.

Day Not Distant When Many Municipal
tiles win Use This New Illuminant.
Acetylene is the softest, strongest
and steadiest light In the world to-day,
as 1t Is the nearest approach to sun
light. Colors can be matched by it at
night which is impossible by any other
light. 1t is a very white, cool light and
one great feature is that it will not as
phyxiate. Wherever this light is put
in the doom of other lights is sealed,
and naturally the electric, gas and oil
people are fighting it in every way. 1t
has been generally reported by them
that acetylene is dangerous, but stats
tics will show that when used with
the same care as other gas or electric
ity it is as safe as any artificial light.
Of course one must S a modern gen.
orator approved by the National Board
of Fire Underwriters at Chicago. If a
machine is found by them to be safe it
is put on the approved list, which
means you can install it in your cellar
without paying any extra insurance.
Insurance statistics show that in the
first FIVE months of 1908, with over TO-
900 generators known to be in opera
ton in the United States, the fire loss
caused by ~acetylene amounted to the
enormous sum of SIS, while the loss by
electricity, gas and kerosene ran into
the millions.
Calcium carbide, from which acety-
lene gas is made, is produced by fus-
ing with 5000 degrees of heat, coke and
lime. With this intense heat they are
first liquifed, then cooled into large
cakes or cubes weighing about a ton.
Next these tubes are crushed into the
different commercial sizes. The car
bide is made to-day at Niagara Falls
and at Sault Ste. Marie. The price
has decreased within the last few years
from SIS to 1915 a hundred pounds. 1t
sells for $40 by the ton.
A pound of 2x3R carbide will produce
five cubic feet Of gas, and a pound of
the granulated about three and a half
cubic feet. A burner that consumes a
half a foot Of this gas an hour will
give q 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 as much
city gas, and it is Of a much better
quality, being whittier and cooler, with
no blue centre which indicates the
burning up of oxygen that you need to
breathe. A~cetylene is not accompanied
by a constant and disagreeable flicker
as is city gas.
When one owns his own generator
he car produce this beautiful white
light at a cost less than kerosene, all
the danger and disagreeable care OF
kerosene lamps are saved and there are
mo chimneys to buy OF 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 q 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 it seems to be a good in
restment. 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 lookat the records
they could 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 in
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
med become foul, and this condition
greatly shortens the length of time
that they work properly.
1t is always best to use the large TX
81 carbide instead Of the granulated,
as there is twenty per cent. more gas
in it. The less water required the bet
ter, especially where there is a a
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. 1t is possible in almost
any town for a few citizens to promote
IN acetylene town lighting plant 1t
would be a 1rst-class investment for
then individually. and would also he
o great benefit to their town.