IMPORTANT USE OF NATURAL GAS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5589, 23 January 1879, Page 7

IMPORTANT USE OF NATURAL GAS.

(IVonv the Scientific American.) The petroleum product of Pennsylvania now reaches tho fabulous sum of 80,000,000 of dollars per year, while tho exportation runs to about 60,000,000. Until recently, or at least within a few years, but little use has been made of tho neutral gas which has discharged into either the open uiv or been burned in huge torchlights through the oil regions. In Beaver-falls, a manufacturing town of considerable note, located about 30 miles west of Pittsburg, on the Fort Wayne and Chicago railroad, one well was put down about 16 years ago for oil, and struck gas at about llCDft. in depth, whence it poured continuously until about two years ago, when it was leased, cased up, and brought into use. This induced the Harmony Society to put down more wells in different localities (five in number), all of which gave out liberal supplies, some as high as 100,000 ft. every 24 hours, which is now being used in nearly every manufacturing establishment in tho town. About one half of the gas used for lighting the town comes from these wells; it is also used under the gas retorts for heating (five in number). The large cutlery works use it in- 49 heating furnaces; tho hinge woiks in three largo heating furnaces; the pottery works, in two large kilns and two very large furnaces for drying ware; the shovel works, in one large heating furnace; the file works, in seven large annealing furnaces ; the saw works in one very large heating furnace, 14 feet long by Hi feet wide, which is run to a very high heat. It is also used in one forging furnace. Two drying kilns for seasoning lumber use it. And it is also introduced into dwe’Ung houses, heating furnaces and stoves, and cooking stoves, and is exclusively used direct from the wells for lighting one large dwelling. Other wells are now going down, and everything indicates the exclusive use of this gas for all heating, illuminating, and manufacturing purposes. Its value is really incalculable in working steel. It is said to bo fully equal to charcoal, if not superior, there being no base substance like sulphur or other matters so damaging to its quality. A remarkable feature about it is tnat men work right along in a room filled with it, take it freely into their lungs, in short, breathe it as they do air ; and it appears rather healthful than otherwise, while manufactured gas is actually dangerous to inhale. Tho flame is clear white, and gives an intense heat with very little smoke. There seems no diminution in the supply ; there may bo a limit to the supply, but the gas is in all probability being eonstantly produced down deep in the earth.