ORIGIN AND USE OF NATURAL GAS AT MANITOU. 33 



as often happened, one of these nasal stoppers become dis- 

 phieed, tht^ workman wonld precipitately bolt for the surface 

 with a shout of pain from the sharp sting of the gas in the 

 nose and air-passages. Tears would flow from the eyes of 

 those engaged in working at the bottom of the spring. 



The material of which to make the bell was important 

 from the fact that the water of the spring must be used for 

 bottling. Iron rust would destroy the clearness of the water; 

 lead, copper and zinc would add poisonous salts, which, 

 although present in very minute quantities, would yet cause 

 distrust in the minds of users of the water; silver was the 

 ideal metal, but its then high value barred its use. Block-tin 

 was accepted, though the difficulties in the way of its use 

 were quite serious. The form of the bell adopted is shown 

 in sectional elevation and plan in the annexed plate. It was 

 built by The Hartt Manufacturing Co., of Chicago, after plans 

 of the writer. The sheets of block-tin (No. 12 American wire- 

 gauge thickness) were held in place and stiffened by a skele- 

 ton frame made of heavy iron wire encased in tin pipes. The 

 frame as thus made has been found in subsequent use to be 

 too light, and the bell requires the most careful handling to 

 prevent distortion and cracking; otherwise it has well fulfilled 

 its purpose, and now (Jan. 1895) is almost as good as when 

 first set in 1890. In order to show to the many visitors the 

 flow of gas in the spring, the top of the bell was mad > of 

 plate-glass, and just below the glass hung an electric incan- 

 descent light. The bell is held firmly in place by iron stays 

 fastened to the curlnng.* 



The temperature of the springs (about 60'' Fahr.) is so 

 high that the gas is loaded with moisture, and condensation 

 in the conducting pipe results, especially in cold weather. 

 In order to prevent a stoppage of the pipe a drip-trap (see 

 plate) made of gas pipe was inserted at the lowest point in 

 the line, and an escape for the accumulating water provided. 



♦ Before closing tiio description of apparatus for catchind,' the gas, it should be 

 added that at one of the Hiawatha sprinjjs the owners have caught the gas by the 

 use of an iron dome cemented upon the curbing of the spring. There is no way to 

 get into the spring to repair pipes, etc., except by breaking the cement sealing. It 

 would appear to be a wise measure to have proviiled a manhole with a movable 

 cover in this liomo to obviate that ditliculty. A couple of iron bolls placed in other 

 springs are rusting rapidly and render the waters turbid. 



