The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-07-13
Use COAL GAS
AS MOTIVE POWER

From The London Telegraph:
Grea interest has been aroused by the
reference made in the Telegraph re-
Gently to the economic advantages or
the utilization of coal gas as sub
stitute for petrol (gasoline). 1t has
been established by actual practice
that $50 cubic feet of coal gas-the
ordinary gas that is used for house
hold illumination purposes-equals
one gallon of petrol when applied to
the work of driving motor vehicle.
If gas costs 70 cents thousand Gu
bic feet it is equivalent to petrol at
IS cents a gallon, and at SO cents a
thousand feet is equivalent to its
competitor at "a cents a gallon.
AS petrol cannot be bought today
for commercial purposes at under AZ
to So cents a gallon, it will be seen
how great is the economy effected.
So far as the alterations rendered
necessary to the engine of a motor
vehicle are concerned, the only ad-
ditionaI expenditure is about $3.50,
and the gas bag container for the
storing Of the vapor costs $75. Thus,
for the expenditure of 1880, an or
binary. petrol using motor vehicle Of
any description can be converted
into a gas driven one, and the driv-
ing expenses reduced enormously.
e. Shrapnell Smith, treasurer Of
the Commercial Motor Users asso-
citation, who is an authority on the
question, in discussing it with rep
resentative Of The Telegraph, stated
that both the practicability and
economy of gas as a propulsive pow
er for motors had been conclusively
demonstrated, not only by expert
ments, but by actual practice extend
ing over a considerable period. He
stated that motor somnibuses pro-
PEELED by coal gas were running from
London to Eastbourne, and locally
at Nottingham, Harrogate, Grimsby,
ect was being considered at Glas-
Cost of 100 Miles.
The London to Eastbourne bus
leaves the metropolis Tuesdays and
Fridays and carries 80 passengers.
It's gas bag capacity is $50 cubic
feet and on this charge" it travels
for IL to Ia miles with a total load,
including vehicle and passengers, of
about seven tons, the fare being IS
for the double journey. The total
distance is about 100 miles, and
the consumption Of gas for the ''out
ana nome run Is ABOUT 4,UUU CuU1C
feet, the cost of which is $4.32. The
rate per thousand feet varies from
7S cents at Eastbourne to $1.40 at
Uckfield, through which the vehicle
runs. The saving on the double run
as compared with petrol is $5.48. The
motors have to climb steep hills, and
this is done without any difficulty.
Indoor tests with gas gave SO per
cent Of the power on petrol in an I'M
altered petrol engine.
The distance on which a motor
vehicle will travel on one charge of
gas depends. of course, on the size
and nature Of the vehicle, the route,
weather and other circumstances.
With $50 feet Of gas, which equals
a gallon of petrol. a motor omnibus
will run seven miles, but lighter
car would go 35 to 40 miles on the
same quantity of gas. An ordinary
taxicab could carry about 100 feet
of gas in bag on its roof, and on
this could run ten miles. 1t is inter-
esting to note, in this connection,
that petrol and gas can be used al
ternately so that should the gas sup
ply run out at an inconvenient spot
on the road petrol could be requisi-