El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-16

Eeepfng fully ABREAST or Jne times IA
considering subjects dealing with the
newer Developments of gas with re-
lation to its value as a pubic uullts'
as a commercial product and the lat-
est ideas regarding It's man uLe
and the uses to which IL Is BENG put
The fact that this year terminates the
century which has elapsed since the
introduction Of gas for lighting PuI
poses was first agitated in the United
States, renders the consideration o.
its numerous uses and their extension
OF especial value at present
In 1893 gas illuminattons were IlIst
exhibited i'm the Lyceum in London
under the direction Of a man named
WinsOr who was so enthusiastic over
the new discovery that he promised
every one investing five pounds SIerl-
ing in the promotion of the new Cpter-
prise a return of 900 pounds- ne
urged the government TO take IL W
as a means OF paying or the EIisLlSu
national debt as well as or securing IL
large revenue to the nation ChleIly
as a result of his enthusiasm, the sum
OF 100000 was raised and the NaJlOn-
al Light and Heat company formed IN
1910 under a charter OF parlaInent,
This company first lighted Pail Mali
and afterWard car led the gas ser
vice to all parts of London Mr. IN
sor was at first IN charge. or TINS
ok. hut as he was-~ar1'- eI1t nos Itstlc
Scientist father Than a man Of prac-
teal affairs. he was succeeded Dy
Samuel Gleg, who invented the ny
and the wet gas meter
Baltimore First TO install Gas
Baltimore was the first city In the
United States TO install gas Tor llIuLn-
nation and this was not until the
year 1921 In 1922, Boston erected 2
gas plant and between the years 1919
and 1927 gas lighting became general
in New York city The gas used tOf
Illumination has been chiefly secured
from coal, although water gas mas
been more recently manufactured.
At first no attempt was made TO
secure any Otner prOQuct IMAM gas
from the coal consumed for that pur-
DC Sc but with the development II gas
came the discoveries OF many uses 70
which the waste prooucts res ultlns
from gas manufacture could De ulll-
ized so that each year adds materially
to the commercial value OF these ny
products. The products Of gas distu-
Iation contain vapOrs OF tar and nap
tha, together with steam lmpregnated
with carbonate Of ammonia and sui
Dhide of ammonium These VapOrS
condense in the pipes and clog them
I'D. Now their value not only pro
vides for the expense OF removing
them, but is also a source of revenue
adding greatly to the assets OF the
In the United States. the coal treat
ed in the coke ovens Of all kinds and
in coal gas works amounts TO 80
233.523 tons in year. The sulphate
of ammonia which could have been
produced from this would have
amounted TO 1 percent, or S52.3
tens The amount actually produced
amounted 10 about 40 percent OF this
The value of ammonia as terulzer
is so recognized that over 100000
tons valued at SllS,O0u,OOO were con-
sumed upon the farms Of this country
: last year. The coal gas industry, es-
pecially in the southern states, where
fertilization is in greatest demand,
furnishes but a small portion OF the
ammonia which could be utilized and
= = M
value Of this by-prOduct to the farm
er and the interest IL is TO the gas
manufacture to produce it in greater
quantities, is now being carried on
Water Gas Used Largely.
W alter gas is being used more large
~ each year for Illuminating purposes
especially IN the United states. S aver
Eas has the peculiarly Of being aDso-
lCtely OdOrless, and for that reason IS
rather dangerous since many deaths
have resulted from its unconscious IN
EalatiOn. Burned in the usual gay, e
gives a blue flame OF high heating
power. but for illumination II is
b. ought into contact with a comb COM
Lcsed Of thin magnesium rods, the III
aments Of which are heated by the
flame TO a white heat, thus producing
q bright glow OF high Illuminating
power which is coming into growing
Popularity for lighting purposes Wa
Ter gas is produced by passing steam
through incandesCent carbon Be
siGes being used for illumination II IS
used extensively for heating and weld
ing purposes in mctallurgy- As water
gas is Comparatively a recent dlscOv-
cry. its full capabilities are as yet un-
known, although at recent meellns
Of the New England association OF Gas
engineers IL was one or the SUBJECTS
receiving most attention. The remoV-
al of tar is one Of the difncultlesc
connected with the manufacture or
water gas. The candle power results
obtained depend largely upon the
manner in which this is accomplished
In New Haven. Conn, there Is water
gas plant which has recently oeen
put into operation with satisfactory
results.
Notwithstanding the growing popu-
larity OF electricity in many lOcaIlIles,
there Is still an increasing demand Ior
gas throughout the country ana no
town considers itself properly equip
Fed without its gas works Like most
public utilities gas companies nave
frequently exceeded their rights ana
given cause for complaint. so that in
many places the demand Tor puoIic
public policy viii be conslQeFeu az
the Jacksonville meeting me num-
Der Of state commissions for the con-
troll OF Dublic utilities are increasing
and progressive gas men are IN many
instances advocating public regulation
and are encouraging their consumers
TO advance I'm this direction
Candle Power Measurement Passes
From the beginning Of the gas indus
try. its test OF efficiency has been
recently has full recognition been
taken OF its caloric value W hen gas
was Of the simple type and was used
only for illumination as luminous
flame a great deal Of time and money
was wasted fin trying TO determine
what is candle power with the
multiplication of the types or gas, the
multiplication of its uses and the al
most total abandonment OF the simple
flame the candle power measurement
is a thing OF the past with the gas
manufacturers themselves. although Il
is still used to convey measures Of ef-
fcienCy to the public.
One of the matters now most inn
pCrtant is the heating power and sew
eral instruments for testing the heat
qualities Of gas have recently been
Perfected. It was formerly supposed
that the higher the candle power. the
greater the heat. but this idea has
been proved to be erroneous Some
gas has a high heat power and low
candle power. and others may have
great Illuminating value but give I'M
satisfactory heat results. 1t is now
generally conceded that heat unit
value is a better gauge tnan anything
else. Tt is the heat power that is
anted I'm the cook stove and it is also
the heat that is wanted in the manteI
burner because fl is the neat general
HNaHna