Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-06
MAY BUILD SECOND
Gas PLANT IN CITY
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMPANY CON-
slpERs MAKING GAS FROM
CRUDE Oil.
WOULD DOUBLE CAPACITY
OF ire PRESENT PLANT
Engineer sent 70 Investigate and Re-
port Says Equipment For Water Gas
Plant Can Not Be Delivered in Less
Than ,!sss.ns Months-c Company stor.
Ina Coke to vaporixe Crude Oil.

The Iowa Railway ana Light Com
pany may build a water gas plant for
the making Of gas from crude oil. An
ing the coal gas plant, has made his
report to the company the officers Of
which are considering the advisability
Of the expenditure, which will be a
large one. The water gas plant, If built,
could not be put in operation in less
than a year, but 1t would be an auxil-
larry plant to the old one and would be
able to produce gas enough, when oper-
ated in connection with the coal plant.
to supply largely increased consump-
ton.
The gas coal situation. which does
not promise to be put on an easy basis
for months. and the necessity for en-
larging the capacity for gas produc-
ton, has made the company turn to
the possibility Of erecting water gas
plant.
Would 30 Large Investment.
The investment in complete water
gas plant would probably be $4,000,
owing to the present extremely high
pFlC0 VI udtcIldIS IudI WOulu cLISI lilIO
its construction. Makers Of the metal
equipment and machinery have report
ed that they could not make deliveries
earlier than nine months, and several
months would be required to erect and
put the plant in operation
Water gas, so-called, is made by vap-
orizing crude oil over coke fires. With
the expectation of eventually erecting
water gas plant, the company is stor-
ing most of the coke it is producing,
until It has accumulated an enormous
quantity.
The engineers report says that at
the present time the cost of making
water gas Is higher than for the making
of coal gas. But this condition is not
likely to exist permanently, and it is
said that there will come times when
water gas can be made at a lower cost
than coal gas. In any event the officers
Of the company recognize the need Of
an auxiliary plant, which in situation
such as has existed In the coal market
recently, the company could turn to
for nearly all its production Of gas. In
addition both plants operated stimuli
taneously would practically double the
output Of gas. which will be needed in
q year OF Two.
Makes Large Coal Purchase.
The inability to get sufficient guam
titles of gas COAL which has findered
the operation Of the plant to its maxi
mum capacity for weeks, Is now being
relieved. at least for time. The COM
pany has purchased at Milwaukee 1000
tons Aof gas coal. which Is being de-
livefed here at the rate OF car a day,
which is twice the amount consumed
daily by the plant. The purchase will
be sufficient to supply all the gas coal
needed for sixty days. In the mean
time, and before lake shipping closes,
the company is hoping to be able to
purchase an additional quantity sufi-
cient to last thru the winter.
Two Employees Leave.
Two department heads Of the COM
pany are leaving the employ Of the
company. II. w. Haywood, who has
been superintendent of electrical dis
tribution for four years. has resigned.
He has accepted a similar position with
Camaguey Company Ltd, Camaguey,
Cube, a street railway and electrical
company that Is owned by the Mon
treal Engineering Company. Mr.. Hey
wood leaves Sunday for Cuba
John r. Ellis. who has been super
intendent In charge Of the gas plant,
has resigned and has accepted a posi-
ton as gas superintendent with the gas
company In Waxahachie, Tex. This
company is owned by a Detroit COR
poration.