BAD GAS.

Evening Star, Issue 12881, 2 August 1906, Page 3

BAD GAS.

- .. * ' LETTER FROM THE GASWORKS MANAGER. THE PLANT FAULTY AND ONE MAN DRUNK. ’The following letter from Mr' J. Hrmgerford was read at the Oity Council, meeting last night;— “In view of the numerous complaints as to the quality of the gas on the evening of July 16 and subsequent day, I beg to make the following report;— “Until six on Monday morning the men liad been accustomed to charge a number of retorts every two hours. In view of increasing the efficiency of the plant, both as regards the quality and quantity of the gas, I altered previous arrangements so as to charge half the retorts every hour. Anticipating possible trouble through this alteration, I prepared charts and personally explained them to the foremen stokers. The morning and day shifts had no trouble in carrying out my instructions, but the whole trouble was caused through the dieorganisation of the night’ shift during my absence from the works after cloven o'clock. One man was in such, a state of intoxication as to render him incapable of doing his work, thus leading to the confusion which resulted directly in the quality of the gas being inferior. Owing to the very limited , capacity of the holders, this gas had to be sent to town before it conld be enriched. The gas made on this shift has been respon- , sible for tho whole trouble since. In order . to enrich what gas was left in stock on , Tuesday morning I had to materially decrease the 1 make 1 in order to increase the illuminosity. “We lose stock all day and until eleven o’clock at night. This gives u® from eleven i o’clock at night until eight o'clock next morning to make up our stock. Any irregularity in the weather increases the de- • mand, so at times we are left with only as . much as 70,(XX) cubic feet in stock. This , precarious state of affairs must appeal to yon, gentlemen. We must of necessity harbor qur stock, and we can do this only keeping our pressure as low as possible. “During the last seven days there have been three daily outputs of over 600,000 i cubic feet. Now, as the maximum capai city of onr two holders is only 316,000 cubic feet, and our maximum make cannot reach 600.000 cubic feet of 17-candle gas, you must understand under what disadvantages I am working. “In order to meet the demand for gas I have been compelled to supply 16-candle gas, but I work to give the greatest pos sible illuminating power consistent with the requisite quantity to. supplv the demand, and with the exception of the gas made on Monday night the gas sent to town has not been below 16 candles. “Owing to the critical state of the gas supply, I have been in attendance at the works until eleven o clock on both Monda.v and Tuesday nights. No complaints reached me through the telephone on either night, and so I was quite ignorant of the state of the out ide lighting. “ On Tuesday night the gas going to town was 18 candle-power, but as our stock was_ very low I had the pressure reduced earlier. However, had I been aware of the state of the lighting in the Garrison Hall I would have acted otherwise. If these complaints could have reached me here, at the time, most of them could have been rectified immediately. ' The real trouble, here is ‘want of pressure,' and if I work on gas of between 16 and 17 actual candle-power ami increase the pressure to 4in, as I am doing to-night. I am sure we shall have no complaints on account of ‘bad gas;’ “ I have taken such steps as will ensure a non-recurrence of what happened on Monday night; and I assure you, gentlemen, I. shall use my best endeavors to prevent for the future a recurrence of what has been to you .such an anxious time.” The report was received.