THE IMPERIAL GAS MACHINE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1325, 21 April 1877, Page 17

THE IMPERIAL GAS MACHINE.

' Elsewhere, in , our advertising columns, , will ,be, found, details respecting, the r lmperial gaa machine, an American invention, and the patent" rights of Vhich for New Zealand and the.Austrahan Colonies have been secured by " Mr Hepburn, off, Messrs M'Landress, Hep-, burn,, arid Co. The. machine for .nearly & month past has been in use at the drapery' establishment of Messrs A. and T. Inglis at l??,,*?^? of ffigh.arid Princes streets; and the t bnlhant quality of the light' oh the nights in •which its illuminating powers have been called' -rnixt requisition .could not fail to attract the B P e 9JS n 9tice of the passer-by. , The apparatus occupies, b.ut.httle space, and appears to possess the merits ' of simplicity, nonliability to get out of order, cheapness V fitftiair^up " cleanliness in use, -and; furnishes ;a^brilliant light, which, in Dunedin is to be; had at-a cost of ftrperj 1000 ft. •, .For residences, hotels, and. small towns, it, can t easily be foreseen that it will'have a very "extensive use.' Ihe machine fitted up; on the r premises' b'f Messrs A. and T^lnghs has, it is testifiedi worked most satisfactorily, giving a light from eight.burners equal, to anything they have had from 24 of the Corporation lights., Messrs A. and T. Butt, in their, letter .published' else- J where, specially point out that they find the machine of the simplest -possible construction' that any intelligent gasfitter can put it up with. : the greatest ease, and that ordinary 'gas pipes and. burners, may,. be .used.; Mr Hepburn's attention was first attracte'dto the gasoline.iri-' vention under the '.following circumstances •'— , When in San' Francisco - he found two wellknown Dunedin colonists, Messrs Duncan and > Redmayne,' jointly using one of the machines for lighting their houses, which were contiguous to each other. Perceiving the simplicity arid the many advantages 1 of the invention; 'thS idea struck him' that it could be introduced with benefit* into New Zealand ' When he got- to. Ne,w York, he > enquired further and carefully into the respective merits of the numerous gas machines, and he found that the one of the most improved type and which approached nearest to perfection:' was the Imperial., i He put himself into com- ' mumcation with the proprietors, the Imperial. Manufacturing Company, and bought the patent rights for, New, Zealand and the Austrahan- Colonies. • Mr .Hepburn "saw the machines at work-in agraat number of places m'New York,'and'found that though they had been in use for a considerable time they, worked without a Jiitch l ; Mr , .Hepburn, also learned, ' that at Port auPnuceoneqf the machines, a very large one, being a" 1500 burner/ had been' ' muse for 18 months successfully, anil ; ligbted a theatre and' a monster, hotel. ' After-having • made the fullest,enquiries,he is convinced that so far as lighting, hotels,, private: residences, -churches, theatres, public. buildings' of every