The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-03-23

that a t%en-pound share could scarcely find
u sale at two pounds.
Explosion Retards Advancement.
Nor was confidence restored by an OK
plosion at the Westminster works in the
same year. There was a vault near the
gasmeter in which the lime machine be-
longing to the apparatus was contained
said Mr.. Clegg, in reporting the explosion.
The workmen on letting the lime water
out of the vessel removed too great a
quantity of IL, and allowed the gas to
escape at the valve, where the limo water
was drawn off into the vault. Where the
light originated L arr not prepared 10
state; whether from some person coming
In with a candle or by a communication
from the tlue OF the retorts there was .
connection of that kind-I cannot say. The
effect of it was that 1t blew my hat off my
head and destroyed 1t, and blew II to
pieces, and knocked down two nine-tnch
walls. and injured me very much at the
time, and burnt all the skin off my face.
and the hair off my head, and 1 was laid
up Il fortnight or three weeks by 1t. / was
the only one hurt on the premises"
The directors and proprietors OF the
company, however. were not shaken in
their opinion that the new illuminant
would make their fortunes in time, SO they
continued their preparatory operations In
spite of numerous discouragements. Grad
ually public confidence in the scheme was
restored, a new company, known as the
City of London Ga company, wa
formed, ard at last the original company
succeeded IN extending it's main from one
of Its stations to the heart o. the city.
The feat was duly celebrated. The direc-
tors and proprietors gathered at the New
London tavern for congratula. ions and a
feast, and there was a splendid, not to say
aWe-lnspiring gas light Illumination of the
hosiery that led to many orders being
placed with the company during the en-
suing few weeks.
This event marked the turning point in
the history of the company and gas light
ing. Soothing ceased; prejudice gave way;
people became eager to reap the proved
economical advantages of the new light.
Prosperous days dawned at last for Mr..
Winsor and his poorer associates, though
they came too late to let them realize the
great fortunes that should have been
theirs by right of works and faith.
Quality is Improved.
The next few years were evote to inn
proving the quality of the gas, the method
of production, the machinery, etc. 1t was
in 1916 that Mr.. Clegg hit upon the idea
of and made the interior meter. The part
forming the interior consisted OF a hollow
wheel or drum. which was accurately d.
vided into several compartments. The
wheel moved upon a hollow axis, and was
inclosed in an alright case. which was q
little arger than itself. Both the outer
case and the lower chamber of the wheel
We're filled with water rather higher than
the aNis, and each compartment had two
apertures. one for admitting the gas to
enter it and the other for the passage out.
When the gas was entering into any one
compartment its outlet orifice was below
the surface of the water, while the adj
joining hambe had it's outlet aperture
above the water, and, OF course. was dis
charging the gas to pass in the burners.
Thus, by the combined effect of the alter
nate and successive filling and emptying
of the respective compartments, the wheel
was made to revolVe. AS its axis was
connected with the communicated motion
TO a series of wheel work, which registered
is revolution, the exact quantity Of gas
that passed through the meter was ascer-
tanned. and the number of cubic feet was
shown hy an index and dial plate" Prior
to the invention of the meter gas was
sold by the burner and the hour.
Mr.. Clegg was with the COMPANY four
years. When he left it three stations were
manufacturing 100000 cubic feet OF
gas daily. When the company
started furnishing gas 1T had but
one gasometer OF 1,4W cubic feet
capacity. That was in 1874. Eight
years later its annual consumption of gas
was 24s, ooo,o o cubic feet, it had 100 miles OF
mains and fed 30, 735 lamps. while the four
leading companies of London had AZ gaso-
meters, with a capacity of 917, $40 cubic
feet. their annual output of gas was 397.-
o0,0oo cubic feet, and they supplied 81, 2O3
private and PCS public lamps. :
Forming First Companies.
Within the next half decade gas compa-
mics were formed in many of the cities
and towns of the island; the Birmingham
Gas company calne into being in 1925. and
in the same year New York's first gas
company was formed. The initial gas
company I'm this country was in Baltimore,
..,t -sl- t.-- H. No., y~-1- 1.A n
short While. Boston got gas in 1925, and
until Philadelphia welcomed the new IL
luminsnt in 1884 these We're the only places
in America With gas plants. T.
But gas did not come to America with
out difficulties to overcome. 1t was OBJ
jected to on all sides-by candle and oil
dealers and other special interests, by con-
se%rvatives. by those whose ignorance of
the new illuminant led them to fear tina
fires would be more numerous than ever,
and SO on.
Because of the genuine and simulated
fear and prejudice against gas the Phila-
delphia councils spent several years inves-
tigating the subject OF gas manufacture.
European plants We're inspected, thoset
close at home were studied, and the may
ors and the fire insurance companies of
the three American cities with gas plants
were asked for their opinions OF the new
illum.nant and its effect In various direc-
tons.
Gideon Lee was then mayor OF New
York. In reply to the latter sent him..
after stating That no increase in the num-
Der of fires had been noted since the in
PRODUCTION of gas. and giving full answers
to the other questions, he added-with a
bit OF pride, no doubt-that all the the
aters within the gas belt (the ompan
was not permitted by Its charter to OPP
crate above Canal street, min churches
and session rooms. the custom house, the
postoffce. the principal hotels and such
places las Libraries and ball rooms and
bankers offices were lighted by gas.
Eight years after the first attempt was
made to get gas in the Quaker city this
councils authorized its introduction. After
that other cities took up tile idea. Gas
soon conquered America. and today isn't
that countryman rare who Is 30 ignorant
Of the properties OF the 1lluminant that he
blows 1t out before jumping into bed the
first night Of his visit in a city?
French Railroads Controlled.
uIp Erap moo roorly :. nj A.. 80