The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-02-06

1.-The situation as a whole at the
present time" says Mr.. Fernald,
seems to be very favorable for the
gas producer plant, not only as to cost
of installation, operation, and mainte-
nance, but also as to reliability. The
successful demonstration at the gov
eminent fuel-testing plant that bitumi-
nous Goals, lignites, and peats can be
utilized with great economy in these
plants should lead to an increase in
the use of this form of power in a
few years that may surpass even the
most sanguine hopes of the manufac-
turers."
OF the Capitalization of power de-
velopment and distribution Mr.. Fer
maid says: 1T would seem ridiculous
! to predict the immediate doom of the
steam locomotive, yet one of the Off
excellent results in the gas producer.
About 20 companies in the United
STATES are manufacturing gas produ-
GERS for power purposes. AT least u
of these are fully established on a COM
merciar basis and are in position to
give proper guarantees when INSTALL
ing plants. Over 800 gas producer
power plants ranging in size from
20 to 5000 horsepower, are now in
operation in the United States. One
company alone reports twenty odd in
stallations, averaging over 1000 horse
power each, and nearly as many more,
of about the same size, contracted for
Or now being erected The number Of
installations and the persistent de-
velopment has already led the Ma
tional board of fire underwriters to
for the CONSTRUCTION, installation, and
use of coal-gas producers (pressure
and suction systems)." OF the total
installations about two-thirds. are sue
coal, q few using charcoal. Bituminous
coal is used in Is to 20 percent of the
plants installed, but this proportion
probably covers IS to rs per cent of the
|
that have proved of little value or even
worthless under the steam boiler gave
Gals of the New York Central rail-
road has publicly stated that within
10 years, in his opinion, there will be
no steam locomotives operating on the
New York Central road. Already the
New York Central has substituted
electric for steam power on its lines
from New York City to point about
40 miles from Grand Central station,
and it is rumored that before long cleo
trio trains will be running on this road
from New York to Buffalo.
These rapid changes are leading to one
| end-the Capitalization of power de-
velopment and distribution. Now that
lit is commercially possible to transmit
electrical power for distances Of $50
miles or more, a central plant could
distribute such electric current for
distance of 500 miles-that is, for 25O
miles on all sides Of the plant-thus
covering a circle comprising almost
| 100000 square miles-an area nearly
| four times the size of the state Of IL
linois. The logical location of such
plant is at Or near the mines. With 10
| or II of these great central plants To-
Gated at the various mining centers,
the great railroads of the United States
can send their trains speeding from
| the Atlantic to the Pacific coast; and
through which the trains pass, will be
entirely freed from the usual annoy
ance of smoke and cinders, and the dis
astrous fires caused by sparks from
locomotives will be thing of the past
lunnSIlal adNannes and quoted