The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-09
Present Waste Is "Spora- die" and Probably Less Per Day Than the
 City Uses
USED UP TO LIMIT IN RUNNING PLANTS
 OF BIG COMPANIES
Ward Explains That He Would Be Glad to Utilize By-Product Gas on
 Equitable Basis

By-Product Gas on
 Equitable Basis l W. H. Hassinger's suggestion that patri- otic efforts be exerted to utilize the by product gas going to waste in the Bir mingham district was discussed with in- terest yesterday. MT. Hassinger believed 1 1t the duty of those interested to get to- gether as measure for conserving the coal of the district now used for the manufacture of artificial gas
 | Producers of by-product gas, however, explained yesterday that, strictly speak ing, it is not waste gas which the city can utilize. The only makers of by product coke oven gas are the Tennessee company at Fairfield and the Woodward Iron company at Woodward.
 Both of these companies are now using this gas in their industrial operations. CAPACITY IN GAS PRODUCTION The Tennessee company for instance is it is understood, producing about 27,- 0o0,00o or 2S,000,OO0 cubic feet of gas per day. This is used for heating the boilers and for other operations about the ad- jacent plants. The entire city of Bir- mingham uses something like 100000 cubic feet of gas per day. The average daily waste at the Fairfield by-product plant is perhaps less than this.
 When all the plant departments are running normal at Fairfield and Ems ley, practically every cubic foot of the gas made is used At lunch time and when shifts are changed and when other periodical events occur which cut down the heat requirements a certain amount of gas goes to waste because there are no containers to catch the excess IL has been estimated that the saving would not offset the heavy cost of building such containers at this time.
 CONTAINERS NECESSARY
 If the city should wish to take this waste it would have to build containers because the waste is never uniform. The waste gas could probably be purchased as low as cents per thousand cubic feet. It would be- however. lower in heat units than was insisted upon by the city when the Birmingham Railway, Light and Pow, CI NOAlpuiy dltCllipltQ ScNSidi iiOAtuu ago to get the consent of the city com omission to sell by-product gas.
 Some of the industrial men consulted yesterday were inclined to think that the cost of pipe, ,line from Woodward would be so heavy that it would add enough to the distribution cost to make the out lay of doubtful economy
 WARD EXPLAINS CONTRACT
 President George B. Ward of the city commission, when asked about the possi- bility of the city using waste gas from the by-product plants of the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad or Woodward companies for local consumption, stated that the city had made a contract to use this gas, and that it had finally been rejected by the Birmingham Rail- way, Light ana Power company, on the ground that the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad company had decided to utilize the gas at it's own plants, and way, Light and Power company with the necessary supply.
 I am in favor of the city using by product gas, and advocated 1t at the time we made the contract" he said. We ex- pected to get the gas, and thereby effect saving for the people of Birmingham, but were informed later that while we
 
 Tennessee company had decided to use the gas for it's own industries and the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company could not supply the gas on the contract we made with them. This project was favored by myself, MT. Fornady and MT. Truss, and opposed by Mr. Weatherly and MT Barber
 T am in favor of entering into such an agreement now, and will advocate it in the commission on reasona ble equita- ble grounds.
 RAMSAY OUT OF CITY
 ErslSne Ramsay, who has been named as member of the federal board for the conservation and distribution of the coal of the country, is out of the city MT. Hassinger had suggested that Mr.. Ramsay could do a service to Birming- ham and the nation as well by getting an agreement to save wasted gas here.
 The contract made by the city with the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company was delayed on account of price, this finally being reeonciled by the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company agreeing to enrich the by product gas to the same heat units and candle power as the manufactured gas. This agreement was reached some 15 days before the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company's contract with the Tennessee company expired and when the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company informed the Tennessee company that they were ready to take the gas, the Tennessee company the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company that it could utilize the gas at it's own plants to bet ter advantage than to sell it to the Bir- mingham Railway, Light and Power under the conditions proposed
 At the time the contract was cancelled the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company had laid practically 95I per cent of the mains between the city and the Fairfield plant, but since that time the pipe has been taken up and disposed of or used elsewhere.