Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 218, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1913 — PROPOSES WATERS GAS PLANT HERE [ARTICLE]

PROPOSES WATERS GAS PLANT HERE

Promoter Talked With Mayor, the Councilman and Others About Installation of Plant. Arthur J. Smith, of the American Gas Construction Co., of Newton, lowa, was in Rensselaer Thursday and remained over night to discuss with Mayor Meyers, members of the city council and citizens generally a plan to install a water-gas lighting, heating and cqoking plant in thip city.

Mr. Smith has been the assistant superintendent of a plant at Indianapolis and when he stopped off at Rensselaer he was on his way to Dell Rapi,ds, S. Dak., where he will become superintendent of the water and gas plant. Mr. Smith states that water-gas plants are practical in cities not as large as Rensselaer, and that they ean very successfully be run in connection with water and electric light plants. He made an estimate that $20,000 would install a plant here equal to caring for the number of meters apt to be used at the outset. He stated that it would pay as a privately owned plant. The process of water gas making is simple. Coke is blasted to a high heat, then steam is turned on the bottom of the coke, the steam forming hydrogen and the coke the carbon, crude oil is then sprayed on top of hit brick and the gas is formed. It is fine for illuminating purposes, for cooking and for spring and fall heating. A water-gas plant at Ames, lowa, supplies gas for the town of Nevada, 12 miles away. Mr. Smith stated that there are plants in a number of cities of less population than Rensselaer and that users are delighted with the product. The light is considerably cheaper, that electric and for cooking purposes it can not be excelled except by natural gas. He stated that 33 pounds of coke and 3% gallons of crude oil are required to manufacture 1,000 cubic feet of gas. While several were interested, Mr. Smith did not arrange for another meeting with the comicil nor with any possible investors for a stock company.