DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR

378

RESULTS OF PURCHASING COAL UNDER 

GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATIONS

WITH A PAPKK ON

BURNING THE SMALL SIZES OF ANTHRACITE 

FOR HEAT AND POWER PURPOSES

DWIGHT T. RANDALL

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1909

CONTENTS.

Page.

RESULTS OF PURCHASING COAL UNDER GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATIONS, by

J. S. Burrows........................................................... 5

Introduction........................................................... 5

The Government as a coal consumer..........,...-.................'.... 5

General plan for coal purchases......................................... 7

Nature of specifications........................................... 7

Advantages of purchasing under specifications...................... 7

History of buying under specifications.............................. 8

Value of coal as a fuel................................................. 9

Contracts for the fiscal year 1909........................................ 12

General character................................................. 12

Form of anthracite specifications................................... 14

Bituminous coal specification...................................... 17

List of contracts.................................................. 18

Award of contracts.................................................... 22

Resultsfor 1907-8..................................................... 31

Anthracite deliveries.............................................. 31

Bituminous deliveries............................................ 36

BURNING THE SMALL SIZES OF ANTHRACITE FOR KEAT AND POWER PURPOSES, by

D.T. Randall.......................................................... 38

Introduction.......................................................... 38

Grades and values of anthracite........................................ 38

Drafts................................................................ 39

Commercial experience............................................... .40

RESULTS OF PURCHASING COAL UNDER UNITED STATES 

GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATIONS.

By JOHN SBOBER BURROWS.

INTRODUCTION.

Since the Government has been purchasing coal on the basis of it& 

heating value a growing interest has been manifest in this important 

subject and a demand has been created for authentic information 

concerning the results accomplished. In response to this demand the 

results of the Government's purchases of coal under the heat-value 

specifications for the fiscal year 1907-8 have been assembled in this, 

bulletin, and other information has been added which it is hoped will 

tend to promote a better understanding of this method of purchasing: 

fuel. The list of the contracts, with abstracts of specifications for the 

current fiscal year, presented on pages 19-21, should prove of speciall 

interest to prospective bidders on future government contracts, as it 

shows the places for which coal is purchased on the specification plan-, 

and gives approximately the amounts of coal required annually. In 

this connection it should be remembered that a number of additions 

not definitely known at the present time will increase this list of 

government consumers for the coming fiscal year (1909-10).

On pages 38-44 will be found a paper by D. T. Randall, on the burning of small sizes of anthracite, which is published here because of its. 

importance in emphasizing the economy of using in government 

plants the smaller and cheaper sizes of anthracite in preference to the 

larger and more costly sizes.

THE GOVERNMENT AS A COAL CONSUMER.

The United States Government purchases annually from $6,500,000> 

to $7,000,000 worth of fuel. This includes the cost of delivery and 

in many cases the cost of stowage. Each department purchases the 

coal through the purchasing officers of its respective bureaus. The 

Navy, War, Treasury, Interior, and. Commerce and Labor departmentsare the larger consumers of coal in the aggregate. Much of the coal 

used by the Government must be delivered by wagon, which limits

5
6 GOVERNMENT-PURCHASES OF COAL.

this business to dealers having hauling facilities. This is especially 

the case in the city of Washington, where coal is purchased principally for the heating of public buildings.

The Treasury Department is a large consumer of coal delivered in 

wagons, as fuel for the post-offices, custom-houses, United States 

court-houses, marine hospitals, and other federal buildings located 

in the cities throughout the country is purchased under this department. The coal for the Revenue-Cutter Service is also purchased by 

this department.

The Navy Department is a large car-lot consumer as well as a purchaser of large cargoes of coal for foreign delivery. The Bureau of 

Supplies and Accounts of this department purchases the larger 

quantities for the ships of the navy and the car lots for use in the 

navy-yards.

The War Department makes purchases for the many forts and army 

posts in the United States and foreign possessions, and for the ships in 

the army transport service. The car-lot consumers are the arsenals 

under the Chief of Ordnance .and the engineers of the army engaged 

in river and harbor improvement and other construction work.

Coal for use in the Canal Zone, Isthmus of Panama, is purchased by 

the Panama Railway Company of New York, f. o. b. at an Atlantic 

port in the United States; coal at the present time is being shipped 

from Norfolk and Newport News, Va.

The Department of Commerce and Labor purchases coal for the vessels of the Coast and Geodetic Survey and for the Immigration Service. At the Ellis Island immigration station, New York, 10,000 tons, 

mostly bituminous coal, are purchased annually. Fuel for the lighthouses is purchased by this department, the service being divided into 

sixteen districts and separate contracts made for each; these contracts range from 1,000 to 13,000 tons and are for anthracite and bituminous coal. The Bureau of Fisheries is a consumer of anthracite 

and bituminous coal in small lots, delivered to the cars of the service 

.and to the experiment stations throughout the country.

The Interior Department is a large consumer of coal in Washington, 

where it purchases coal for the Government Hospital for the Insane 

amounting annually to 20,000 tons of bituminous and 1,000 tons of 

anthracite. Outside of Washington this department's most important 

contracts are for coal to be delivered to Indian schools.

Most of the coal purchased is used for warming public buildings and 

for power purposes, though small quantities of blacksmith's or forge 

coal and coke are bought. The larger individual contracts are for 

bituminous coal and the small sizes of anthracite; the larger sizes 

of anthracite are, as a rule, purchased in small lots and delivered 

mainly by wagons.
GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAL. 7 

GENERAL, PLAN FOR COAL PURCHASES.

NATUEE OF SPECIFICATIONS.

Government specifications are drawn with a view to the consideration of price and quality. For manufactured articles and materials of constant and uniform quality they generally can be reduced 

to a clear statement of what is desired. For coal, however, the 

variation in character makes this impracticable.

This lack of uniformity is the feature recognized and provided for 

in the coal specifications prepared by the Geological Survey. Under 

these specifications, bidders are requested to quote prices on the 

various sizes of anthracite, a definite standard of quality being specified for each size, and to furnish the standard of quality with price for 

bituminous coal offered. Awards are then made to the lowest responsible bidder for anthracite and to the bidder offering the best 

bituminous coal for the lowest price, the proper award being determined as shown further on. (See pp. 29-31.) The specifications become 

part of the contract, and the standards of quality form the basis of 

payment for coal delivered during the life of the contract. For coal 

delivered which is of better quality than the standard, the contractor 

is paid a bonus proportional to the increased value of the coal. For 

deliveries of coal of, poorer quality than the standard, deductions 

are made from the contract price proportional to the decreased value 

of the coal. The actual quality and value of coal delivered is determined by analysis and test of representative samples taken in a 

specified manner by agents of the Government and analyzed in the 

government fuel-testing laboratory at Washington. The necessity 

of paying for coal on a sliding scale was fully discussed by D. T. Randall in a recent paper. 0

ADVANTAGES OF PURCHASING UNDER SPECIFICATIONS.

The advantages of this system, of purchasing coal may be briefly 

summarized as follows:

(1) Bidders are placed on a strictly competitive basis as regards 

quality as well as price. This simplifies the selection of the most 

desirable bid and minimizes controversy and criticism in making 

awards.

(2) The field for both the Government and dealers is broadened, 

as trade names are ignored and comparatively unknown coals offered 

by responsible bidders may be accepted without detriment to the 

Government.

a The purchase of coal under government and conunercial specifications on the basis of its heating value: 

Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 339,1908.
8 GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAL.

(3) The Government is insured against the delivery of poor and 

dirty coal, and is saved from disputes arising from condemnation 

based on the usual visual inspection.

(4) Experience with the old form of government contract shows 

that it is not always expedient to reject poor coal, because of the 

difficulty, delay, and cost of removal. Under the present system 

rejectable coal may be accepted at a greatly reduced price.

(5) A definite basis for the cancellation of contract is provided.

(6) The constant inspection and analysis of the coal delivered 

furnishes a check on the practical results obtained in burning the 

coal.

HISTORY OF BUYING COAL FOR GOVERNMENT USE UNDER SPECIFICATIONS.

A few years prior to the adoption of the present system the necessity for a uniform standard in the purchase of coal became apparent 

to a few of the government departments, and the plan of purchasing 

on the heat-value basis was introduced. It proved successful, especially in the Treasury Department, under which purchases are made 

for the post-offices and other public buildings throughout the United 

States. The Treasury Department had at that time a well-equipped 

.laboratory and was thus enabled to do all of the necessary testing. 

Other departments were unable to follow the example of the Treasury 

because of lack of information and proper facilities. In 1904, at the 

Louisiana Purchase Exposition, at St.. Louis, the Geological Survey 

began a comprehensive study on a practical scale'of the utilization of 

coal, J. A. Holmes being placed in charge of the work. These investigations are still in progress at Pittsburg, Pa., and they have resulted in making authentic information of great practical value available to the public as well as to the government departments.

This work led up to the development of a general and uniform 

specification plan for purchasing the government fuel supply. In 

an act making appropriation for the fiscal year 1907, Congress recognized the importance of a more careful supervision of the Government's purchase of coal and charged the Geological Survey with the 

testing of coal for government use.

The part of this act relating to government fuel purchases is as 

follows:

* * * Provided, That in examinations, hereby authorized, of fuel materials 

for the use of the Government of the United States, or for the purpose of increasing 

the general efficiency or available supply of the fuel resources in the United States, 

the Director of the Geological Survey may have the necessary materials collected 

from any part of the United States where they represent extensive deposits; and it 

shall be the duty of the Director of the Geological Survey to have examined, without 

charge, the fuels required for use by the Government of the United States, and to 

give these examinations preference over other work. * * *
VALUE OF COAL AS A FUEL. 9

After this legislation, President Roosevelt, in a letter to the National 

Advisory Board on Fuels and Structural Materials, brought to the 

attention of that body the need of an efficient and uniform basis for 

the purchase of coal. As a result of this action a specification form 

was drafted by engineers in the employ of the Government and approved by the board in March, 1907. Contracts based on this specification went into effect July 1, 1907, the beginning of the fiscal 

year 1908, and the results obtained are shown on pages 31-37. Before 

an attempt was made to draft this specification form, the general 

fuel-testing investigations carried on at St. Louis, Mo., were supplemented by analyses and tests of a large number of samples of coal 

being delivered under contracts to buildings in Washington and elsewhere, and this work formed the basis for the standards set in the 

specifications.

For about half of the first year (1907-8) D. T. Randall had charge 

of the inspection and analysis of coal delivered under these 

specifications. About January, 1908, the writer took charge of the 

coal inspection section,' with G. S. Pope as principal assistant on 

inspection, G. 0. Spitler as chemist in charge of laboratory, N. H. 

Snyder, E. J. Billings, and P. M. Riefkin as inspectors, and J. D. 

Davis, chemist, as assistant to Mr. Spitler. These men were employed from the beginning, and are largely responsible for the development of a systematic routine in the handling of this work.

At the beginning of the present fiscal year, 1909, it was found advantageous to make some slight changes in the specification forms, and 

it is possible that other revisions may be made for the coming fiscal 

year. These changes, however, do not affect the general scheme.

VALUE OF COAL AS A FUEL.

The purpose of burning coal under boilers is to abstract the heat 

for developing power, for drying various materials, or for warming 

buildings. The most valuable coal, therefore, is that which gives up 

the most heat to the boiler for a given weight burned.

Coal is now burned for power purposes in gas producers and boiler 

furnaces. For coals and lignites high in moisture or high in ash, the 

gas producer, used in connection with a gas engine, is best adapted 

to develop power. But.for the generation of steam, which can be 

used for heating as well as for power purposes, a more convenient 

method is to burn the coal in a specially constructed furnace under 

a boiler.

The aim in the purchase of coal for any power plant should be 

to obtain a fuel which will produce a horsepower for the least cost, 

all things being considered, such as the equipment, the price of coal, 

and the cost of labor and repairs. Experiments have been made 

which seem to indicate that almost any fuel may be burned with
10 GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAL.

reasonable efficiency in a properly designed apparatus. The recognized requirements are as follows:

A supply of fuel fed to the furnace as uniformly and continuously 

as possible.

An air supply slightly in excess of the theoretical amount required 

>for complete combustion. . A sufficiently high temperature to ignite the gases which are driven 

off from the fuel.

A complete mixture of these gases with the air supplied before they 

reach a cooling surface, such as the shell or tubes of a boiler.

Some of the factors which may influence the commercial results 

obtained in a boiler are cost of the coal, as determined by price and 

heating value; care in firing; design of the furnace and boiler setting, 

size of grate, etc.; formation of excessive amounts of clinker and 

ash; available draft; size of the coal (uniformity of size is desirable).

The value of a coal is indicated by the number of heat units it 

contains. This heating value is expressed in terms of British thermal 

units 0 (abbreviated B. t. u.) per pound of coal, and is determined by 

means of a, special apparatus called a calorimeter.

When coal is mined it contains more or less moisture. It is exposed to the air in shipment and may either dry out or be drenched 

by rain. The moisture, in the coal delivered is worthless to the 

purchaser and really costs him a considerable amount in freight and 

cartage and in the loss of the heat absorbed during its evaporation in the furnace. If all coal contained the same proportion of 

moisture, "or if the moisture in coal delivered by a given dealer were 

constant in amount, the purchaser's problem, so far as this factor is 

concerned, would be simplified.

Under present conditions the moisture is an important element 

in the valuation of a ton of coal. It is evidently necessary to consider the coal just as it is received in order to determine its value to 

the consumer, but chemical reports should be made on the basis of 

both the "dry coal" and the "coal as received." The dry-coal basis 

is convenient for comparing several coals in regard to the relation of 

each element to the others; this is important because the moisture 

in the same coal varies from day to day. The dry-coal basis is also 

convenient for comparing the performance of boilers when burning the 

same or similar coals. Of several coals having a similar composition, 

the one which has the least moisture and the least ash will generate 

the most steam when burned under a .boiler.

Ash is made up of earthy matter and other impurities which will 

not burn. In commercial coals its proportion may range from 4 to 

25 per cent. Coals containing small percentages of ash are most

o The British thermal unit is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water 1° 

Fahrenheit.
VALUE OF COAL AS A FUEL. . 11

valuable, not only because of their correspondingly higher heating capacity, but because there is less resistance to the free and uniform 

distribution of air through the bed of coal. The labor and cost of 

managing the fires and of handling the ashes are also correspondingly 

less and are items to be considered in the choice of a coal. With the 

ordinary furnace equipment there may be a considerable loss of efficiency and capacity through a large percentage of ash. With some 

kinds of equipment it has been found that as the ash increases there is 

a decided drop in both efficiency and capacity. In some experiments 

made to determine the influence of excessive amounts of ash, coal 

containing as high as 40 per cent would generate no steam when 

fired on a chain grate, and therefore the efficiency and capacity of the 

plant would be zero.® Such coal is not only worthless, but involves a 

direct expense, due to the cost of handling it. Whether the result 

would be similar with equipment other than a chain grate has not 

yet been determined. However, coals so high in ash that they are 

unsuited to boiler furnaces can be utilized in gas producers.

The volatile part of some coals, shown in the analyses, may be all 

combustible, but it generally contains some inert matter. The 

amount of this varies in different coal deposits, and the variation 

makes it impossible to determine the heating value of the coal from 

the proximate analysis alone. Moreover, not all coals having the 

same proportion of volatile matter behave alike in the furnace. It is 

important to know both the chemical composition and the British 

thermal units in order to determine the value of one coal as compared 

with another for the same purpose.

Of two coals of different character, the one which contains the 

higher proportion of fixed carbon is most easily burned so as to 

give the maximum efficiency. However, if the coal containing the 

higher volatile matter is properly burned in a suitably designed 

furnace it may be made equally efficient.

Sulphur may be present in the free state, or, as is more common, 

in combination with iron or other elements. Other impurities with 

sulphur often form a clinker which shuts out the air and increases the 

labor of handling the furnaces. It is possible, however, to burn coals 

containing up to 5 per cent of sulphur without particular difficulty 

from clinkers. A little steam introduced under the grate will relieve 

much of the trouble. Clinker may be due to other causes than sulphur, as any constituents of the ash which are easily fusible may produce it. There is need of further investigation to determine the 

influence of sulphur and the elements which comprise the ash on furnace fires and combustion.

a. Abbott, W. L., Some characteristics of coal as airecting performance with steam boilers, a paper read 

before the Western Society of Engineers, Chicago, 111.
12 GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAL.

The size of the coal influences the capacity of any given equipment, 

owing to its effect on the draft. With a poor draft fine coal can not be 

burned in sufficient quantities to maintain the rated capacity. If 

thin fires are resorted to, the efficiency is usually lowered as a result 

of an excessive supply of air through holes in the fire. As a rule, 

when dust and very fine coal are fed into the furnace they either check 

the flow of air or are taken up by the draft and after being only partly 

burned are deposited back of the bridge wall or pass up the stack, to 

the annoyance of the people in the vicinity of the plant. If this dust 

is completely burned in passing through the furnace there is of course 

no loss of fuel. It has been found that coal of a uniform size is most 

satisfactory, as it does not pack so closely as a mixture of sizes.

In general it may be said that in any market the coal obtainable at 

the lowest price is the most economical, provided the furnace equipment is suitable. If the furnace is not so designed as to permit the 

use of the cheaper coal, it should be changed.

The results of tests tend to show that, other conditions being equal, 

coals of similar composition are of value in proportion to the British 

thermal units in the coal as received a basis on which, indeed, all 

coals may be valued approximately. It should be remembered, however, that the value of a coal for any particular plant is influenced by 

the fact that all furnaces are not equally suitable for burning the many 

grades of coal. Aside from this factor, coals may be compared in 

terms of the British thermal units obtained for Ixcent, or on the cost 

per million heat units.

In the purchase of coal, then, attention should be given to the 

character of the furnace equipment and the load; the character 

of coal best suited'to the plant conditions; the number of heat units 

obtainable for a unit price; the cost of handling the coal and ash; 

and the possibility of burning the coal without smoke or other 

objectionable features.

CONTRACTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1909.

. GENERAL CHARACTER.

The current contracts for coal purchased on the heat-value specification basis have been arranged alphabetically by cities in the table 

on pages 19-21, which will serve as a guide for bidding on 1910 contracts. These contracts are all drawn on the specifications which 

follow (pp. 14-18).

Tw~o classes of coal are recognized and differentiated in the specifications, namely, anthracite and bituminous. By anthracite is meant 

the coal mined in the counties of Susquehanna, Lackawanna, Luzerne, 

Carbon, Schuylkill, Columbia, Sullivan, Northumberland, and Dauphin, of Pennsylvania. By bituminous is meant varieties of coal
CONTRACTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1909. 13

other than anthracite, including the several grades of semibituminous 

and semianthracite.

The anthracite specifications provide definite fixed standards of 

quality for each size. These standards so far have been based on the 

percentage of ash in dry coal. In this connection it is well to know 

that the term "dry coal" means coal free from moisture, as determined by drying a small sample at 105° C. It is obvious that the 

percentage of ash in dry coal will always be somewhat higher than in 

the undried sample.

The specification for bituminous coal is intended to give a clear 

description of the coal desired by the Government, and to secure a 

definite statement of the quality of coal offered by the bidder, with a 

view to using such standard as a basis for payment in connection with 

the stated price per ton.

The specification limits which are drawn in the interest of plant 

economy are wide enough to permit the use of the output of any mine 

or group of mines, provided proper care is exercised in mining and 

picking out slate, bone, etc. With these points in mind, it is only 

necessary for the bidder to select coal that will meet the description 

given and permit deliveries within the limits set.

It is not expected that all deliveries will be absolutely uniform or 

agree exactly with the standard established by the contractor, but it is 

necessary that all deliveries shall be within the limits set by the 

Government.

The standard established by the contractor should, howeyer, be 

such as to require the least possible correction in price on account 

of variation in heat units and ash.

The heating value, expressed in British thermal units, of coal containing approximately the same percentage of ash is essentially a 

direct measure of the actual value to the purchaser, and for this 

reason the specification for 1908-9 provides for an adjustment of payment in direct proportion to the variation in heat units in the coal as 

received. As the coal is weighed when delivered, and the payments 

are based also upon the price per ton, it is necessary to determine the 

heating value of the coal in the condition in which it is received, containing whatever moisture may be present at the time.

Under this plan neither the contractor nor the Government will 

gain or lose by change in the moisture content of the coal between 

the time it is weighed at the mine and the time it is weighed on 

delivery. The price per ton will be correspondingly lower if the coal 

is wet and higher if the coal is dry.

A further correction in payment is made for variation of the ash in 

dry coal in order to take account of the cost of handling additional 

fuel and ash and its effect on the capacity of the boiler and furnace.
14 GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAL.

FORM OF ANTHRACITE SPECIFICATIONS.

In determining the award of the contract consideration will be given to the quality 

of the coal offered by the bidder, as well as the price per ton, and should it appear 

to be to the best interests of the Government to award the contract for supplying coal 

at a price higher than that named in lower bid or bids received the award will be 

so made. The right to reject any or all bids and to waive defects is expressly reserved 

by the Government.

DESCRIPTION OF COAL DESIRED. « 

Bids are desired on the coals as follows:

 tons white ash furnace anthracite coal.

 tons white ash egg anthracite coal.

 tons white ash stove anthracite coal.

 tons white ash chestnut anthracite coal.

 tons white ash pea anthracite coal.

 tons white ash buckwheat No. 1 anthracite coal.

 tons white ash buckwheat No. 2 anthracite coal.

 tons white ash screenings anthracite coal.

 tons red ash anthracite coal.

 tons red ash anthracite coal.

These coals may be delivered from the car without being screened, but must be 

reasonably free from dust and fine coal.

To receive consideration bids must be based upon the following percentages of ash

for the various classes of coal:

Per cent of ash 

in dry coal.

Furnace.................................................................. 10

Egg............................................................................. 10

Stove. ........:.>......................................................... 12

Chestnut.................................................................. 14

Pea.....................................'..........................,...... 16

Buckwheat No. 1.....:................................-..........-....... 18

Buckwheat No. 2.......................................................... 18

Coal with less ash than the standard will be paid for at a higher price and vice versa, 

in accordance with the provisions for payment.

The coal shall be delivered in such quantities and at such times as the Government may direct.

In this connection it may be stated that all the available storage capacity of the 

coal bunkers will be placed at the disposal of the contractor to facilitate delivery 

of coal under favorable conditions.

After oral or written notice has been given to deliver coal under this contract.a 

further notice may be served in writing upon the contractor to make delivery of the 

coal so ordered within twenty-four hours after receipt of said second notice.

Contractor will be allowed to deliver coal during the usual hours of teaming, or 

between 8 a. m. and dark.

Should the contractor, for any reason, fail to comply with the second request the 

Government will be at liberty to buy coal in open market, and to charge against the 

contractor any excess in price of coal so purchased over the contract price.

a This information will be given by the Government as may be detennined by boiler and furnace equipment, operating conditions, and the. local inarlcet.
ANTHRACITE SPECIFICATION. 15 

SAMPLING.

Samples of the coal delivered will be taken by a representative of the Government.

Wherever practicable the coal will be sampled at the time it is being delivered to 

the building. In case of small deliveries, it may be necessary to take these samples 

from the yards or bins. The sample taken will in no case be less than the total of 

one hundred (100) pounds, to be selected proportionally from the lumps and fine coal, 

in order that it will in every respect truly represent the quantity of coal under 

consideration.

In order to minimize the loss in the original moisture content the gross sample will 

be pulverized as rapidly as possible until none of the fragments exceed one-half inch 

in diameter. The fine coal will then be mixed thoroughly and divided into four equal 

parts. Opposite quarters will be thrown out, and the remaining portions thoroughly 

mixed and again quartered, throwing out opposite quarters as before. This process 

will be continued as rapidly as possible until the final sample thus obtained will be 

contained in the shipping can or jar and sealed air-tight.

The sample will then be forwarded to the chemical laboratory.

If desired by the coal contractor, permission will be given to him, or hia representative, to be present and witness the quartering and preparation of the final sample 

to be forwarded to the government laboratories.

Immediately on receipt of the sample it will be analyzed and tested by the Government according to the method adopted by the American Chemical Society, which 

involves the use of a bomb calorimeter. A statement of the result will be mailed 

to the contractor on the completion of the test.

CAUSES FOR REJECTION.

It is understood that the coal delivered during the year will be of the same character as that specified by the contractor.

Coal containing more than 1 per cent of sulphur, an excessive amount of dust and 

fine coal, or a percentage of ash in excess of the maximum limits, indicated in the 

following table, will be subject to rejection:

Egg coal .........................................:.........

Chestnut.... . ...............................................

Pea. .......................................................

Buckwheat No. 2 ...........................................

7^11 QQ. TCiill 378 00 9

Per cent. 

.............. 14

'.............. 14

.............. 16

.............. 18

.............. 20

.............. 21

91
16 GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAL.

PRICE AND PAYMENT.

Payment will be made on the basis of the price named in the proposal for the coal 

specified, corrected for variations in ash as shown by analysis above and below the 

standard as indicated by the following tables:

Corrections in prices of coal on account of variations in per cent of ash from the standard

in dry coal.

FURNACE AND EGG.

Per cent of ash in dry coal.

6.01 

to 

6.50

6.51 

to 

7.00

7.01 

to 

7.50

7.51 

to 

8.00

Cents per ton to be added. .

24 21 18 15

8. 01 to 

12.00 

inclusive.

Standard 

contract, 

price.

12.01 

to 

12.50

12.51 

to 

13.00

13.01 

to 

13.50

13.51 

to 

14.00

Cents per ton to be deducted.

15 18 21 24

STOVE.

Per cent of ash in the dry coal.

7.51 

to 

8.00

8.01 

to 

8.50

8.51 

to 

9.00

9.01 

to 

9.50

9.51 

to 

10.00

Cents per ton to be added.

27 24 21 18 15

10. 01 to 

14.00 

inclusive.

Standard 

contract 

price.

14.01 

to 

14.50

14.51 

to 

15.00

15.01 

to 

15.50

 15. 51 

to 

16.00

16.01 

to 

16.50

Cents per ton to be deducted.

15 18 21 24 27

CHESTNUT.

Per cent of ash in the dry coal.

9.51 

to 

10.00

10.01 

to 

10.50

10.51 

to 

11.00

11.01 

to 

11.50

11.51 

to 

12.00

Cents per ton to be added.

27 24 21 18 15

12. 01 to 

16.00 

inclusive.

Standard 

contract 

price.

16.01 

to 

16.50

16.51 

to 

17.00

17.01 

to 

17.50

17.51 

to 

18.00

Cents per ton to be deducted.

15 18 21 24
BITUMINOUS SPECIFICATION. 17

Corrections in prices of coal on account of variations in per cent of ash from the standard

in dry coal Continued.

PEA.

Per cent of ash in the dry coal.

12.51 

to 

13.00

13.01 

to 

13.50

13.51 

to 

14.00

14.01 

to 

14.50

14.51 

to 

15.00

Cents per ton to be added.

15 12.5 10 7.5 5

15. 01 to 

17.00 

inclusive.

Standard 

contract 

price. .

17.01 

to 

17.50

17.51 

to 

18.00

18.01 

to 

18.50

18.51 

to 

19.00

19.01 

to 

19.50

Cents per ton to be deducted.

5 7.5 10 12.5 15

BUCKWHEAT.

Per cent of ash in the dry coal.

14.51 

to 

15.00

15.01 

to 

15.50

15.51 

to 

10.00

10.01 

to 

16.50

10.51 

to 

17.00

Cents per ton to be added.

12 10 8 6 4

17. 01 to 

19.00 

inclusive.

Standard 

contract 

price.

19.01 

to 

19.50

19.51 

to 

20.00

20.21 

to 

20.50

20.51 

to 

21.00

21. 01 

to 

21.50

21.51 

to 

22.00

Cents per ton to be deducted.

4 8 14 21 32 48

BITUMINOUS COAL SPECIFICATION.

With respect to delivery and sampling, the bituminous coal specification is essentially the same as that for anthracite; so that portion 

of the specification will be omitted. The description of the coal 

desired is given by the Government for each contract, in the blanks 

provided on the form, and maximum amounts of ash, volatile matter, 

sulphur, dust, and fine coal (through one-eighth inch round-hole 

screen) are specified.

The remaining and important parts of the specification are as shown 

below.

CAUSES FOR REJECTION.

A contract entered into under the terms of this specification shall not be binding if, 

on practical service test of reasonable duration, the coal fails to give satisfactory results 

by reason of excessive clinkering, or a prohibitive amount of smoke.

It is understood that the coal delivered during the year will be of the same character 

as that specified by" the contractor. It should, therefore, be supplied, as nearly as 

possible, from the same mine or group of mines.

Coal containing percentages of volatile matter, sulphur, and dust higher than the 

limits indicated on page 2 [of the specifications], and coal containing a percentage of 

ash in excess of the maximum limits indicated in the following table will be subject 

to rejection.
18 GOVEKNMENT PUKCHASES OF COAL.

For coal which has been delivered and used for trial, or which has been consumed 

or remains on the premises at the time of the determination of its quality, payment will 

be made at a reduced price, computed under the terms of this specification.

Occasional deliveries containing ash up to the percentage indicated in the column 

of "Maximum limits for ash," on page 4 [of these specifications], may be accepted. 

Frequent or continued failure to maintain the standard established by the contractor, 

however, will be considered sufficient cause for cancellation of the contract.

PRICE AND PAYMENTS

Payment will be made on the basis of the price named in the proposal for the coal 

specified therein, corrected for variations in heating value and ash, as shown by analysis, above and below the standard established by the contractor in this proposal. For 

example, if the coal contains two (2) per cent more or less British thermal units than 

the established standard, the price will be increased or decreased two (2) per cent 

accordingly.

The price will also be further corrected for the percentages of ash. For all coal 

which by analysis contains less ash than that established in this proposal a premium 

of 1 cent per ton for each whole per cent less ash will be paid. An increase in the ash 

content of two (2) per cent over the standard established by contract will be tolerated 

without exacting a penalty for the excess of ash. When such excess exceeds two (2) 

per cent above the standard established, deductions will be made from price paid per 

ton in accordance with the following table:

Ash as established in proposal (per cent).

5.........................

6.........................

7.........................

8.........................

g

10.........................

11.........................

12.........................

13.........................

14......................

15.........................

17.........................

18.........................

No deduction 

for limits

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20

Cents per ton to be deducted.

2 4 7 12 18 25 35

Per cent of ash in dry coal.

7-8 

8- 9 

9-10 

10-11 

11-12 

12-13 

13-14 

14-15 

15-16 

16-17 

17-18 

18-19 

19-20 

20-21

8- 9 

9-10 

10-11 

11-12 

12-13 

13-14 

14-15 

15-16 

16-17 

17-18 

18-19 

19-20 

20-21 

21-22

9-10 

10-11 

11-12 

12-13 

13-14 

14-15 

15-16 

16-17 

17-18 

18-19

19-20 

20-21 

21-22 

22-23

10-11 

11-12 

12-13 

13-14 

14-15 

15-16

16-17 

17-18 

18-19 

19-20 

20-21 

21-22 

22-23

11-12 

12-13 

13-14

14-15 

15-16 

16-17 

17-18 

18-19 

19-20 

20-21 

21-22 

22-23

12-13 

13-14 

14-15 

15-lfi 

16-17 

17-18 

18-19 

19-20 

20-21 

21-22

13-14 

14-15 

15-16 

' 16-17 

17-18

Maximum 

limits 

for ash 

(per 

(cent).

12 

13 

14 

14 

15 

16 

16 

17 

18 

19 

19 

20 

21 

22

LIST OF CONTRACTS.

The following list gives details of contracts that have been entered 

into for the present fiscal year:

o The' economic value of a fuel is affected by the actual amount of combustible matter it contains, 

as determined by its heating value shown in British thermal units per pound of fuel, and also by other factors, among which is its ash content. The ash content not only lowers the heating value and decreases the 

capacity of the furnace, but also materially increases the cost of handling the coal, the labor of firing, and 

the cost of the removal of ashes, etc.
List of government coal contracts for Jiscal year 

Consumer.

Do.........................

Congressional Library ..........

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do .........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Government Hospital for the 

Insane. 

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Land Office (Old Post-Office) . ..

Do........................

Agriculture buildings ..........

Do.........................

. Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Department.

Under Library of Congress.

.....do................

Congress ............... 

War..................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do... . ............

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

... ..do. .............. .

.....do................

.....do................

Agriculture ...........

.....do................

.....do................

Under Smithsonian 

Institution. 

.....do................ ..... 

Location.

.................

Washington, D. C. . .. .

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................ 

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

......do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do.................

.....do................

.....do................ 

.....'do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

do

.do. . . . - - -do. . . . . . . .

.....do................ .....do................

Amount 

of contract.

Tons. 

350

20 

100 

250 

3,700 

450 

375 

20 

400 

900 

200 

50 

200 

20,000

1,000 

9,000

300 

400 

100 

100 

50 

125 

5,000

3,600 

3,600 

20 

250 

2,000

1,200

- so

30 

30 

1,200

SO 

30

Kind of coal.

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........ 

.....do........

Bituminous... 

Anthracite.... 

.....do........

.....do........

Bituminous...

.....do........

Bituminous.. .

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

Bituminous... 

Anthracite .... 

.....do.-. ......

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

Size 

.....d

.....d

Egg

Ches

Run 

Buck

Egg.

Egg

B uc

No

Egg 

Stov
List of government coal contracts for fiscal year 1909 

Consumer.

Do.........................

State, War, and Navy buildings.

Do.........................

Do.......................'..

United States Geological Survey 

Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Do.........................

Do.........................

Custom-house, court-house, 

and post-office. 

Do.........................

Do.........................

post-office.

Light-house tender, seventh and 

eighth districts. 

Custom-house ..................

Department.

Under Smithsonian 

Institution. 

.....do................

State, War, and Navy. 

War..................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do........!.......

.....do................

.....do...... ........

.....do. ...... ......... .

.....do................

.....do...............'.

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................ 

.....do................

.....do................

Commerce and Labor . 

Treasury .............

Location.

Washington, D. C . . . . 

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

Buffalo, N. Y.........

Charleston, S. C. ......

Chicago, 111 ...........

Louisville, Ky ........

Minneapolis, Minn ....

New Orleans, La. .....

Amount 

of contract.

Tons. 

30

300 

600 

1,200

6,000

4,500

5,600 

460 

350 

600 

8,000

1,500

1,500 

400

350 

1,500 

3,000 

3,500

1,250 

3,000

8,500 

3,000

1,600

2,000

1,850 

1,200

600 

3,000

1,300

Kind of coal.

Anthracite. . . .

Bituminous... 

Anthracite.... 

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

Bituminous... 

Anthracite .... 

.....do........

.....do........

Bituminous... 

.....do........

Anthracite .... 

Bituminous.. . 

.....do........

Anthracite .... 

Bituminous... 

Anthracite .... 

.....do........

Bituminous... 

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........ 

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

Size 

Klin 

Furn

.....d

Pea

Buc k 

No

Run 

.....d

Rice 

.....d

Buc k 

No

Over 

2 inch 

.....d

If 

scre

Over 

bar

Thro

inc

Over 
Mint ... . ......

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Mint. ..........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Do.........................

Treasury

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

War..................

.....do.................

War..................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

War..................

.....do................

port News, Va. 

.....do.... ............

New York, N. Y......

.....do................

.....do................

.....do. ... ............

.....do................

folk, Va. 

Norfolk, Va...........

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do.....:..........

St. Louis, Mo.........

St. Paul, Minn........

.....do................

800

100,000

40,000

500

2,500

2,500

11,000

4,000

260,000

12,000

1,700

350

350

2,800

4,000

1,000

5,000

16,000

1,000

300

5,000

5,000

4,500

1,450

500

4,000

300

......do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do........

.....do..... ..

.....do........

.....do........

.....do.:......

.....do........

.....do........

.....do

Pea N

.....do

No. 

.....do

.....do

Run o

.....do

Egg 

.....do

Over 1 

Including sulphur, 8 per cent.
22 GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAL. 

AWARD OF CONTRACTS.

An important point which seems not to be thoroughly understood 

in purchasing coal on the basis of its heating value is the manner of 

making awards. In order to show how the lowest bid is determined, 

the proposals for supplying coal to the federal buildings under the 

Treasury Department have been selected as representing the widest 

range of coals and conditions throughout the country. This information was assembled by J. E. Woodwell, who was formerly in 

charge of coal purchases for the Treasury Department.

All bids are received on official proposal blanks, in sealed envelopes, 

in response to advertisements inserted .in the daily papers. These 

proposals are opened at a specified time, in the presence of all those 

who desire to attend, and awards are made as soon thereafter as 

possible.

The attention of coal dealers is directed to the form of newspaper 

advertisements, many of which do not call for coal alone. An 

example of such an advertisement is as follows:

POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT, 

Washington, D. C., March 11, 1908.

Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the purchasing agent of this department until 2 o'clock, p. m., Wednesday, April 15, 1908, for furnishing stationery 

(including paper, wrapping paper, cards and cardboard, copy books and blank books, 

tags, drawing materials, inks and mucilage, pens and penholders, pencils, erasers, 

knives and shears, typewriters and supplies, duplicating devices, computing machines, 

rubber goods, and miscellaneous supplies); rubber stamps, and inks, pads and racks 

for same; numbering machines, seals, etc.; copying presses; furniture, carpets, etc.; 

baskets, buckets, and boxes; dry goods; twine and cordage; hardware and trucks; 

leather and leather belting; electrical supplies; paints, oils, chemicals, and glass; 

lumber; fuel, ice, etc.; forage and household supplies, as they may be. ordered for 

the use of the Post-Office Department or any branch of the postal service from time 

to time during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1908; and ending June 30, 1909. 

Blanks for proposals, with specifications and instructions to bidders, will be furnished 

upon application to the purchasing agent for the Post-Office Department, Washington, 

D. C.

C. P. GRANDFIELD, . 

Acting Postmaster-General.

The following is a complete summary of the Treasury Department 

proposals, showing the delivery point, tonnage, character of coal 

desired, maximum limits of ash, volatile matter, and sulphur, all as 

specified by the Government; together with data furnished by the 

bidders as to the commercial name of the coal offered, name and location of mine, designation of coal bed, sizing or screening dimensions, 

guaranteed British thermal units in the coal as delivered, and percentage of ash in dry coal.
Schedule of proposals for coal, United States Treasury Departme

City.

Baltimore....

Tons 

of 

2,240 

Ibs.

2,550

1,500

3,000 

1,250

8,500

Description 

of coal.

Coking, run of 

mine.

Coking, run of 

mine.

Ant h r a c i t e 

screenings.

Youghiogheny 

or equal.

Illinois, Nos. 

1 and 2, 

washed nut.

Specified 

limits.

a

 <

Per

ct. 

8

8

18 

11

10

S3 

 !-,'

SI

oS

>

Per

ct. 

22

22

9 

35

38

I

D 

03

Per 

cent. 

1.5

1.5

1 

2.5

2.5

Bidder.

A

B

C

D

E 

F

G 

A 

A

B 

C

A

B

A

B

C

A

B 

C

T)

Commercial 

name of coal.

Georges Creek.

New River....

New River....

Reynoldsville.

Shellbark..... 

Indiana nut...

Illinois nut....

Location of 

mines.

Somerset County, Pa. 

South Fork, Pa. 

Cambria County, Pa. 

Boswell, Pa. ...

ty, Pa.

.....do..........

New River District,W.Va.

Fayette County, W. V.

Elk and Jefferson County, 

Pa.

Punxsutawney, Pa.

Marion, 111...... 

E h r m a n dale, 

Ind. 

Springfield, 111..

Coal bed.

Upper Kittanning. 

Miller.......

Moshannon . 

C'...........

Miller.......

....do.......

»

Miller.......

Lower Freeport.

No. 7........

.....do......

S

Through

Run

No.l and 

No. 2 

mixed

No. 3...

94"

3"......

Standard.
Schedule of proposals for coal, United States Treasury Department, f

City.

Cincinnati .

Louisville....

Tons 

of 

2,240 

Ibs.

3,000 

1,600

1,850

Description 

of coal.

New River, 

Georges Cr., 

etc. 

New River or 

equal.

Coking, run of 

mine.

Coking, run of 

mine.

Specified 

limits.

jd 

-^

8. 

8

8 

15

Volatile matter.

22 

22

22 

42

I*

B 

_O, "3

CO

1.5 

1.5

1.5 

2.5

Bidder.

E 

A

B

C 

A 

A 

B

C 

C 

D

D 

E

E 

F 

G 

A

.B 

C

Commercial 

name of coal.

New River.... 

.....do........

New River.... 

Pocahontas . . . 

Kanawha. .... 

Pocahontas . . .

.....do........

New River.. . . 

Meadow Brook

Quenmahoning. 

Cabin Creek... 

Georges Creek . 

Pocahontas. . . 

Pittsburg.. .

.....do........

Fox Ridge....

Location of 

mines.

McDonald. Fayfitte County, 

W. Va. 

On Loup Creek, 

Fayette County, W. Va. 

Somerset County, Pa. 

Me Donald, 

W. Va. 

Mercer County, 

W. Va. 

Smithers, W. 

Va. 

Me D o we 1 1 

County, 

W. Va. 

.....do..........

Me Donald, 

W. Va. 

Kanawha 

County,W.Va.

Decota, W. Va.

M o n o n g ahela 

River, Pa. 

.....do. ........

Bell County. 

Ky.

Coal bed.

.....do......

»

Upper Kittanning. 

Sewcll

No. 3. .......

Kanawha

No. 2.

Sewell

Throu

R

....do

....do

....do 

....do

....do

....do

....do

. ..do

....do

R

3

fr
Kansas City. .

Milwaukee. . .

Minneapolis. .

New Orleans.

New York . . .

2,000

1,200

600

800

1,300

2,500

11,000

Cherokee

screened

lump or

equal.

Youghiogheny

or equal.

Youghiogheny 

or Zeigler.

Pratt lump or

equal.

Coking, run of

mine.

15

11

11

10

8

35

35

35

22

2.5

2.5

3.0

i. 5

D 

E 

F 

G 

H

A

B

A

B 

A

A 

A

B 

C 

C 

D 

D

A

B 

C 

A

B 

C 

D

St. Bernard...

Cross Mountain. 

Straight Creek

Cherokee 

deep shaft 

lump.

Youghiogheny 

screenings.

Pocahontas. . . . 

.....do........

Youghiogheny 

lump.

Zenith Youghiogheny. 

Zeisler

Empire lump, 

Ilf.

Pratt.........

.....do........

.....do........

Acme bituminous.

Clearfleld.....

Hopkins County, Ky. 

Viva, Ky. ......

Straight Creek, 

PineviUe, Ky. 

Campbell County, Tenn. 

Bell Bridge, Pa.

Cherokee and 

Craw for d 

c o unt ies, 

Kans. 

C r a \v f o r d 

County. 

Kans. 

Y o ughiogheny 

district, Pa. 

.....do..........

West Virginia...

.....do..........

M o n o n gahela 

lUver, Pennsylvania. 

W i 1 1 i a m son 

County, 111. 

W e stmoreland 

County, Pa. 

Franklin 

County, 111. 

Peoria County, 

111. 

Franklin 

County, 111.

Jefferson 

Count3r, Ala.

Pratt City, Ala.

C 1 e a r f i e 1 d 

County, Pa. 

Ehrenfeld, Pa. .

Somerset County, Pa.

Fuller...'....

Pratt.......

Miller.......

Run

No. 2, 

50 per 

cent 

lump.

1" bar...

Run

6" or 3" .

6".......

6".......

Run 

.....do..

.....do ..

.....do ..

o Standard.
Schedule of proposals for coal, United States Treasury Department, fis

City.

New York . . .

New York. . . .

St. Louis..... 

St. Paul......

Tons 

of 

2,240 

Ibs.

2,500 

4,000 

3,500

500 

1,700

4,500 

1, 450

Description 

of coal.

Anthracite 

screenings.

No. 2 buckwheat, anthracite. 

.....do........

No. 1 pea, anthracite. 

Cherokee 

screened, 

lump or 

equal.

Coking, run of 

mine.

Youghiogheny 

or Zeigler.

Specified 

limits.

18 

18

18 

16

15 

12

12

Volatile matter.

9 

9

9 

9

43 

35

Sulphur.

1 

1

1

1

3 

2.5

Bidder.

C

A 

C

C 

C

A

B

C 

C 

C 

A

B 

C 

D 

B

E

F

A

A 

B

Commercial 

name of coal.

A n t h r a c ite 

screenings.

.....do........

Mid Valley....

.....do........

Ruby.........

B.B.lump....

Youghiogheny 

.....do........

Location of 

mines.

.....do..........

.....do .........

Lehigh Valley, 

Pa. 

E nglevale, 

Kans.

Weir, Kans. .... 

Ben ton, 111.....

Fleming, Kans.

St. Clair County, 

111.

O 'Fallen, 111.... 

Gillespie, 111.,..

St. Clair County. 

111. 

Maryville, 111.

Franklin County, 111. 

W e stmoreland 

County, Pa. 

Pennsylvania . .

Coal bed.

Weir City...

No. 6........

No. 6........

Belleville

No. 6........

Second pool.

S

Throug

RU

Ru

2".....
Toledo .......

Philadelphia.

500

4,000

8,000

2,000

New River

Georges 

Creek, etc.

mine.

's

s

99 15

1.5

A

B

0

C,

r,

r,

r,

T)

A

B 

0

T)

F,

F

0

H

T

T

T

,T

J

,T

T

K

B

smokeless.

smokeless.

.....do........

C. C. & B.

Pocahontas.

Webster.......

No. 8.

.....do........

W. Va.

W. Va.

ty, Pa.

W. Va.

.W. Va. 

.....do ........

County, W.Va.

ty, Pa. 

Ehrenfeld, Pa. .

ty, Pa. 

.....do. .........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Viola, Pa.......

ty, Pa. 

.....do. .........

Cambria 

County, Pa.

ty, Pa. 

C 1 e a r f i e 1 d

County, Pa. 

.....do..........

ty, Pa.

Va.

ties, W. Va.

C'...........

No. 3.

No. 3. 

.....do......

.....do......

D.. .........

Miller.......

D.. .........

B. ..........

E. ..........

Miller.......

Barnett.

3".....

1}"----

2}"....

Standard. 6 W
Schedule of proposals for coal, United States Treasury Department, f

City.

Washington .

Tons 

of 

2.240 

Ibs.

Description 

of coal .

Specified 

limits.

05

bo

 <

Volatile matter. Sulphur. <x> 

 a

T3

5

C 

D

E

F

G 

G

Commercial 

name of coal.

Imperial ......

Cambria ......

New River.... 

Sugar Loaf. . . .

Admiralty ....

Location of 

mines.

C 1 ear f i el d 

County, Pa. 

Cambria County, Pa. 

Robins, F a y - 

ette County, 

W. Va. 

Twin Rocks, 

Cambria 

County, Pa.

Coal bed.

j-Moshannon . 

JMiller.......

Throu

Standard.
AWARD OF CONTRACTS. 29

In order to make a proper award of contract it is necessary to 

reduce the proposals to one common basis for comparison. This 

may be done in several ways, but the method chosen in this case is 

to first adjust all bids upon a given lot of coal to the basis of the same 

ash percentage by selecting the proposal which contains the lowest 

percentage of ash as.the standard. Each per cent of ash content is 

assumed to have a value of 2 cents per ton, the amount of penalty 

which is exacted under the contract requirements for 1 per cent 

deficiency. The proposal prices have all been adjusted in this manner and are tabulated in the table. On the basis of the adjusted 

price, allowance is then made for the varying heating values by computing the cost of 1,000,000 British thermal units. In this way the 

three variables of calorific value, percentage of ash, and basic price 

per ton are all merged into one figure, the comparative cost of 

1,000,000 British thermal units, by which one bid may be readily 

compared with another.

For example, take two bids received for coal in Boston, Mass., as 

follows:

Bid.

A....

B....

Coal.

British

thermal

units.

14,658

14,600

Per

cent

ash.

5.11

8.00

Price

per

ton.

84.73

5.10

The percentage of ash in A is taken as a standard of comparison 

and the ash in B determined as 2.89 per cent higher. Each per cent 

of ash difference from the contract standard is. rated at 2 cents difference in price per ton; 2.8% per cent of ash is valued at $0.02 X 2.89 

or $0.0578; B is therefore increased to $5.1578 per ton. The two bids 

are then on an equivalent basis, so far as ash is concerned, as follows:

Bid.

A...................................................................................

B................. .................................................................

British

thermal

units.

14,658

14,600

Price

per

ton.

84.73

5. 1578

The heating values being different, it is desirable to compute the 

cost of 1,000,000 British thermal units in each case by the formula:

1,000,000 X price per ton 

2,240 X B. t. u.

In the case of A this gives

1,000,000 X $4.73 .ni44f)fi 2;240 X 14,658 = ®°- 14406>
30 GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAX,.

and in the case of B gives

1,000,000 X $5.1578

= $0.15771, 2,240 X 14,600

the results being the cost of 1,000,000 British thermal units.

The necessity for having such a basis of comparison is evident from 

an examination of the bids for coal to be delivered in St. Louis. In 

this case 7 bids were received with guaranties of British thermal units 

from 10,500 to 12,061 and of ash from 7.74 to 16.75 per cent, while the 

prices ranged from $2.04 to $2.53 per ton. Notwithstanding such 

apparent discrepancies, the comparative cost of 1,000,000 British 

thermal units ranged only from 9.0149 to 9.8831 cents.

Another interesting case appears as the result of the competition in 

Philadelphia, in which 16 proposals are based on heating values ranging only from 13,500 to 14,500 and on ash from 5 to 8 per cent, with 

prices more variable and ranging from $3.14 to $3.98 per ton. Two 

of these proposals appear nearly equally advantageous, and the relative suitability of the two coals for use in the down-draft furnace with 

which the boilers are equipped will be determined by actual trial of a 

test quantity of 50 or more tons.

In 8 cases out of 23 it was found more advantageous to award the 

contracts to bidders other than the lowest if price per ton alone were 

considered.

An examination of the table should dispel any doubt as to the general applicability of the specifications to a wide range of coals delivered 

in different loc aliti es under varying conditions. Twenty-three co als 

low-grade anthracite, low- and high-volatile bituminous, and semibituminous coals are represented, mined in ten States Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, 

Tennessee, Alabama, and Kansas.

Coal from Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Tennessee competes in 

Louisville; from West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in Detroit; from West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in Toledo, etc., 

and falls within the specification limits especially fixed in each case.

While a rating in comparative British thermal unit value enables 

the making of an award to the best economic advantage, in certain 

instances other factors than the mere theoretical heating value may 

have considerable weight. This is especially so where any uncertainty exists as to the suitability or adaptability of an untried coal 

to the actual plant conditions of furnaces, grates, draft, labor of 

handling coal and ash, storage facilities, etc.

In some plants, where boiler capacity is limited, grate area small, 

or draft weak, only the best grades of coal can be burned, and it is 

therefore desirable to take bids on a general specification, so that the 

result of making radical changes in the boiler plant to take advantage
KESULTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1907-8. 31

of the coal which will give the best economic return may be determined.

In some places it has been found desirable to test the market in 

more than one class of coal. In Chicago, for instance, two specifications were issued, one applying to'Illinois or Indiana washed nut coal 

and the other to West Virginia or Maryland semibituminous coal. 

This action was taken in order to determine whether a change from 

coals high in moisture and ash and relatively low in British thermal 

unit value as well as price, to high-grade coals at the higher price 

commanded in that locality, would be justified.

It goes without saying that the relative facilities, competency, and 

responsibility of the competing firms must also be recognized in 

making awards.

RESULTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1907-8.

A series of tables which follow show the results of purchasing coal 

under the anthracite and bituminous specification during the year 

1908.

A careful study of these tables will give a better idea of these results than any description. The tables have been arranged in two 

sections, (1) several tables covering anthracite, and (2) one general 

table covering bituminous coal.

ANTHRACITE DELIVERIES.

The anthracite tables for deliveries in Washington present the information in great detail, in order to show clearly the conditions as 

they existed from month to month throughout the fiscal year.

The general average of ash for the year as compared with the previous year is as follows:

General average of ash in anthracite.

Size.

Egg.................................................................................

Pea .................................................................................

Ash in dry coal 

(per cent).

1906-7.

10.44 

10.57

16.04 

18.05

1907-S.

10.00 

10.83 

12.05 

16. 23 

15.93

The most notable improvement in the coal used during the fiscal 

year 1907-8 over the previous year was in the buckwheat, and this 

is considered especially important because of the naturally high ash 

content of this size of anthracite and the fact that this size replaced 

furnace coal at the State, War, and Navy building. These general 

74199 Bull. 378 09 3
32 GOVERNMENT PUECHASES OF COAL.

averages are somewhat misleading, however, because they might 

be taken to mean that there were no wide departures from the specified standards. This is not the case, as will be seen from the following tables.

In this connection it should be remembered that the apparent 

discrepancies in the cost per ton for the year as compared with the 

average ash, which in many coals show no departure from the minimum limits allowed above and below standard, are due to the change 

in ratio of penalties and premiums for the greater differences from the 

standard.

, Two tables are shown for furnace, anthracite, the first for contracts on the ash and British thermal unit basis, the second for 

contracts on the'ash basis alone.

Single tables are shown for the other sizes of anthracite used in 

Washington, and one table has been prepared to cover anthracite 

contracts outside of Washington.

Furnace anthracite delivered to two buildings in Washington, D. C., 1907-8.a 

[Standard, 12,800 British thermal units per pound as received; 10 per cent ash in the dry coal.]

1907. 

July.................

 1908. 

January. .............

February............

April.................

Total ..........

Agricultural main building.

Tons delivered.

11 

39 

21 

252 

142 

325

550 

350 

325 

300 

150 

100

2,565

Per cent 

ash.

9.11 

9.41 

8.20 

9.95 

10.07 

9.55

10.12 

9.60 

11.58 

10.56 

9.95 

9.67

10.14

British 

thermal 

units per 

pound.

12, 951 

12,843 

13,117 

12,922 

12, 884 

13,020

12,924 

13.000 

12', 670 

12,909 

12, 992 

12,851

12,912

Cost per 

ton.

S5. 75 

5.70 

5. 82 

5.73 

5.72 

' 5.78

5.74 

5.77 

5.62 

5.73 

5.77 

5.70

5.73

Weather Bureau.

Tons delivered.

40 

50 

45 

36 

72 

70

30 

100 

100 

50

25

6.18

Per cent 

ash.

7.93 

9.59 

9.12 

9.96 

7.56 

12.24

10.16 

9.92 

9.34 

11.39

8.85

9.69

British 

thermal 

units per 

pound.

13, 132 

12,845 

12,935 

13, 122 

13,188 

12,658

13,138 

13, 243 

13, 196 

12,687

13,014

13,035

Cost per 

ton.

$5.98 

5.70 

5.74 

5.82 

6.00 

5.47

5.83 

5.88 

5.86 

5.63

5.77

5.80

o 3,000 tons at S5.68 per ton delivered to both buildings.
KESULTS FOE FISCAL YEAB 1907-8. 33

Furnace anthracite delivered to buildings in Washington, D. C., 1907-8. 

[Standard, 10 per cent ash in the dry coal.]

1907. 

July...........

1908.

April...........

May...........

Total.....

1907.

1908.

Total.....

1907. 

July............

November. 

December......

1908.

April ...........

Total.....

Congressional L i - 

brary. (3,600 tons 

at 85.72 per ton.)

Tons delivered.

1,024 

496

310

268

550 

242

552

3,442

Per 

cent 

ash.

9.44 

8.59

8.73 

9.03

10.16 

10.17

10.08

9.49

Cost 

per 

ton.

$5.72 

5.72

5.72 

5.72

'5.72 

5.72

5.72

5.72

Mills Building. (450 

tons at $5.80 per 

ton.)

Tons delivered.

50 

75

98 

81

304

Per 

cent 

ash.

11. 

9

13 

11

94 

73

09 

03

11 52

Cost 

per 

ton.

$5.80 

5.80

5.59 

5.80

5.73

Pension Office. 

(1,200 tons at$5.S4 

per ton.)

Tons delivered.

66

25 150- 

150

150 

150 

150

25 

25

891

Per 

cent 

ash.

9.44

9.78 

9.40 

10.35

10.90 

14.24 

10.58

10. 48 

10.67

10.90

Cost 

per 

ton.

$5.84

5.84 

5.84 

5.84

5.84 

5.57 

5.84

5.84 

5.84

5.79

Canal Commission. 

(450 tons at $5.80 

per ton.)

Tons delivered.

20 

24

25 

30 

27

126

Civil Service Building. (250 

tons at 85.84 per ton.)

Tons delivered.

30 

20 

20 

30 

37

23 

30 

20 

20 

20

250

Per cent 

ash.

10.39 

9.19 

9.92 

12.91 

12^35

8.90 

13.41 

10.01 

8.16 

10.39

16.86

Cost 

per ton.

$5.84 

5.84 

5.84 

5.66 

5.69

5.84 

5.63 

5.84 

5.84 

5.84

5.79

Per 

cent 

ash.

9.00 

11.21

11.05 

8.11 

8.68

9.55

Cost 

per 

ton.

$5.80 

5.80

5.80 

.5.80 

5.80

5 80

National Museum. 

(1,200 tons at 85. 75 

per ton.)

Tons delivered.

126

125 

124

70 

200 

100

745

Per 

cent 

ash.

8.78

9.15 

10.05

10.10 

10. 11 

9.65

9.65

Cost 

per 

ton.

35. 75

5.75 

5.75.

5.75 

5.75 

5.75

5.75

War Department. 

(439 tons at $5.80 

per ton.)

Tons delivered.

155

60

50

2fi5

Per 

cent 

ash.

8.75

10.49

9.98

 9.36

Freedmen's Hospital. (100 

tons at 86.35 per ton.)

Tons delivered.

15

20

35

Per cent 

ash.

9.10

12.97

11.31

Cost 

per ton

86.35

 6.17

6.26

Cost 

per 

ton.

$5.80

5.80

5.80

5.80*

Geological Survey. 

(600 tons at 85.84 

per ton.)

Tons delivered.

20 

15 

30 

39 

65 

61

93 

72 

48 

38 

33 

12

526

Per

cent 

ash.

9.32 

10.32 

12.15 

11. 56 

9.51 

11.05

10.74 

11.76 

13.65 

10.53 

12.85 

8.61

11.17

Cost 

per 

ton.

85.84 

5.84 

5.69 

5.84 

5.84 

5.84

5.84 

5.84 

5. 60 

5.84 

5.66 

5.84

5.80

Botanic Gardens. 

(300 tons at 85.80 

per ton.)«

Tons delivered.

142 

22

23 

20 

48

255

Per 

cent 

ash.

8.81 

11.81

11. 64 

11. 63 

9.92

9.76

Cost 

per 

ton.

85. 62 

5.44

5.44 

5.44 

5.56

5.50

Bureau of Education. (100 

tons at 85.84 per ton.)

Tons delivered.

20

34

20

74

Per cent 

ash.

6.74

11.14

10.88

9.88

Cost 

per ton.

86.05

5.84

5.84

5.91

» Six per cent ash (dry coal) standard.
34 GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAL.

Egg anthracite delivered to buildings in Washington, D. C., 1907-S. 

[Standard, 11 per cent ash in the dry coal.]

J907. 

July............

September. ....

December......

1908.

April...........

May............

July............

Total.....

Government Printing Office. (9,000 

tons (unscreened) 

at $5.82 per ton.)

Tons delivered.

405 

353 

354 

341 

711 

915

670 

835 

767 

675 

175 

475 

Q470

7,206

Per 

cent 

ash.

10.64 

9.44 

9.52 

9.18 

11.17 

11.43

10.75 

11.05 

11.15 

11.25 

11.84 

10.60 

10.89

16.82

Cost 

per 

ton.

S5.82 

5.82 

5.82 

5.82 

5.82 

5.82

5.82 

5.82 

5.82 

5.82 

5.82 

5.82 

5.82

5.82

Government Printing Office. (1,000 

tons (screened) at 

$6.35 per ton.)

Tons delivered.

250 

88 

112 

25 

175

200

"576"

1,420

Per 

cent 

ash.

11.43 

10.05 

10.32 

8.85 

11.53

11.67

"ii.'os"

11.12

Cost 

per 

ton.

$6.35 

6.35 

6.35 

6.50 

6.35

6.35

"6.35.

6.35

War Department. 

(450 tons at S6.40 

per ton.)

Tons 

delivered.

15 

103 

15 

. 17 

10 

82

49 

55 

45 

13 

21 

10

435

Per 

cent 

ash.

7.45 

9.21 

11.75 

8.45 

8.59 

9.46

10.61 

11.72 

12.07 

10.05 

9.76 

10.12

10.08

Cost 

per 

ton.

S6.64 

6.40 

6.40 

6.58 

6.55 

6.40

6.40 

6.40 

6.40 

6.40 

6.40 

6.40

6.42

Freedmens Hospital. 

(100 tons at $6.60 

per ton.)

Tons 

delivered.

25 

25 

100

50

30

230

Per 

cent 

ash.

10. 57 

11.13 

10.27

11.10

12.34

10.85

Cost 

per 

ton.

36. 60 

6.60 

6.60

6.60

6.60

 

6.60

« Completing coal- ordered in June.

Stove anthracite delivered to buildings of the War Department® in Washington, D. C.,

1907-8.

[Standard, 13 per cent ash in the dry coal.]

1907. 

July......................................................................

December. ...............................................................

1908.

Total...............................................................

Tons 

delivered.

100

2

106

2

5

100

2

25

342

Per cent 

ash.

11.34

10.46

12.23

11.11

11.62

10.94

9.79

10.85

11. 45

Cost 

per ton.

S6. 55

6.73

6.55

6.55

6.55

6.70

6.76

6.70

6.64

359 tons at $6.55 per ton.
EESULTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1907-8. 35 

Pea anthracite delivered to Post-Office building a in Washington, D. CV, 1907-8.

1907. 

July......................................................................

1908.

Tons 

delivered.

23

97

355

419

376

619

566

534

549

329

249

300

4,416

Per cent 

ash.

16.16

10.18

16.30

16.44

16.14

15.90

16.06

16.69

16.20

16.84

16.11

15.63

16.23

Cost 

per ton.

S4.42

4.42

4.42

4.42

4.42

4.42

4.42

4.42

4.42

4.42

4.42

4.42

a 0,000 tons at 84.42 per ton.

Buckwheat anthracite delivered to buildings in Washington, D. C., 1907-8 

[Standard, 18 per cent ash in the dry coal.J

1907. 

July................... 

August................

October................

1908. 

January...............

February.............. 

March .................

April..................

June...................

Total............

Land Office. (5,000 tons 

No. 1 a buckwheat at 

$3.58 per ton.)

Tons 

delivered.

430 

200 

151 

377 

492 

552

335 

579 

190

3,306

Per 

cent 

ash

14.22 

14.58 

14.97 

13.64 

14.38 

15.58

16. 47 

17.13 

16.51

16.51

Cost 

per 

ton.

$3.74 

3.72 

3.72 

3.76 

3.74 

3.68

3.66 

3.58 

3.58

3.71

State, War, and Navy 

Building. '(4,000 tons 

No. 1 buckwheat at 

$3.52 per ton.) 

Tons 

delivered.

239 

391

302 

508 

391

788 

406 

546 

259

200 

4,090

Per 

cent 

ash.

15. 49 

13.41

15.15 

15.15 

14.91

15.56 

16.41 

16.19 

16.25

16.65

15.47

Cost 

per 

ton.

S3. 60 

3.68

3.60 

3.60 

3.62

3.52 

3.52 

3.52 

3.52

3.52

3.56

Treasury Building. (2,500 

tons No. 2 buckwheat at 

S3.25per ton.)

Tons 

delivered.

44 

338 

202

218

393 

45

1,240

Per

cent 

ash.

15.40 

16. 69 

14.27

16.26

19.61 

17.40

17.13

Cost 

per 

ton.

83.33 

3.25 

3.37

3.25

3.25 

3.25

3.28

« 19 per cent ash.
36 GOVERNMENT PURCHASES OF COAL.

Anthracite contracts outside of Washington, D. C.,for the fiscal year 1908.

City.

New York. .... 

Do.........

Do.........

Philadelphia... 

Do.........

Do.........

Coal.

Screened Schuylkill. ..............

No. 2 Buckwheat,

Screened LackaBuckwheat No. 2 . 

Lackawanna and

.....do............

Contract basis.

Tons 

of 2,240 

pounds.

3,000 

3,800

3,500 

2,240

500 

350 

1,500 

5,890

Price 

per 

ton.

$2.80 

3.25

2.'48 

3.10

4.15 

3.59 

3.35 

2.50

British 

thermal 

units 

as received.

12,650 

12, 711

12,998 

12, 711

11,662 

11,651 

11,855

Ash 

in 

dry 

coal.

Per ct. 

12.00

13.27

11. 68 

13.27

17.49 

16.77 

20.81 

17.00

Contract fulfillment.

Tons delivered.

2,301 

3,191

2,053 

2,232

336 

316 

1,002 

5,406

Average 

British 

thermal 

units 

as received.

12,697 

11,110

12, 105 

11,261

11,629 

11,814 

11,116

Average 

ash 

in dry 

coal.

Per ct. 

10.91

19.20

14.58 

19.11

18.44 

16.35 

20.91 

19.87

Average moisture.

Per ct. 

4.97

5.68

5.33 

5.56

4.34 

4.71 

5.07

Cost 

per 

ton.

S2.81 

2.62

2.21 

2.53

4.14 

3.64 

3.14 

2.29

BITUMINOUS DELIVERIES.

Following is a table showing results on all of the bituminous coal 

contracts for the fiscal year 1907-8, the name of the city in which 

the coal was used, the description of the coal, contract basis or specification, and the fulfillment of same.

The figures under contract fulfillment are the averages for the year. 

A comparison of the items under contract fulfillment with the specifications will show better than any description the results accomplished. In making these comparisons, however, it is well to remember that the figures are averages of a large number of deliveries 

extending over the entire period, and that even where the averages 

under contract fulfillment closely compare with the specifications, 

there may have been wide departures from the standard on both the

penalty and bonus sides, which, in the general average, balance and 

consequently show results obtained which closely approximate the 

specified standards.
Bituminous coal contracts, fiscal year 1908.

City.

Do.......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Philadelphia. . ...............

Do.......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

St. Paul......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Coal.

.....do........................................

Pocahontas, New River, or Georges Creek... . 

Oak Ridge, Hillville, Pa. ....................

.....do....... .................................

St. Charles and Fox Run, Ky. ...............

Zeigler No. 1, 111..... . ........................

.....do.......................................

Zeigler No. 1, 111 .............................

Sugar Loaf Twin Rocks, Pa.. ................

.....do.......................................

Contract basis.

Tons of 

2,240 

pounds.

2,250 

350 

1,500 

1,350 

8,000 

500 

3,000 

1,400 

1,850 

1,600 

500 

1,050 

2,500 

10,000 

1,700 

1,500 

4,500 

1,226 

300 

624 

4,700 

250 

1,200 

500 

7,000 

500 

350 

3,000 

15,000 

300

Price 

per 

ton.

S3. 31 

3.41 

5.40 

2.90 

2.90 

2.90 

3.00 

3.30 

1.95 

3.40 

470 

3.75 

3.46 

3.45 

4.69 

3.58 

3.18 

2.89 

2.89 

2.89 

2.55 

4.70 

4.70 

4.12 

3.55 

3.98 

4.03 

2.89 

3.50 

3.75

British 

thermal 

units in 

coal as 

received.

14,200 

14,200 

14,750 

13, 770 

a 13, 400 

o 13, 400 

14,700 

14,000 

12,200 

13,466 

12,250 

14,000 

14, 474 

14,315 

12,200 

14,474 

14,474 

14,100 

13,700 

14,500 

12,500 

12,250 

12,250 

11,475 

14,600 

14,600 

14,600 

14,300 

14,300 

14,000

A

dr

Pe

' 

a British thermal units in dry coal.
BURNING THE SMALL SIZES OF ANTHRACITE FOR HEAT 

AND POWER PURPOSES.

By D. T. RANDALL.

INTRODUCTION.

In the course of investigations regarding the coals most suitable 

for use in government buildings and the best methods of burning 

them, a number of plants were visiteo]. by N. H. Snyder, assistant 

engineer, during the winter of 1907, and data collected relating to 

the successful use of small sizes of anthracite. This information 

was tabulated and furnished to the government engineers who were 

nterested in the design of furnaces for burning such coal. . Anthracite is particularly well adapted to certain purposes. For 

domestic use its cleanliness and its slow-burning properties make it 

especially (desirable. For power and large heating plants its principal 

advantage is its freedom from smoke, but with improvements in 

iurnaces for burning bituminous coal and a better knowledge of 

methods of operating them, this advantage is .becoming of less importance each year.

GRADES AND YALTJES OF ANTHRACITE.

Anthracite is graded, as to size before shipment and the'price is 

based on these grades. The following table indicates the relative

f sizes:

Sizes of anthracite.

Size.

Ege .......................................................................

Pea.............................................................................

Through 

screen with 

mesh.

Inches.

2J

}.!

Over screen 

with mesh.

Inches. 

2J

2

*

J

i

Many analyses made of coals in the government buildings show 

that anthracite as usually delivered contains about 4 or 5 per cent 

moisture, 2 or 3 per cent volatile combustible matter, 75 to 80 per 

38
BURNING SMALL SIZES OF ANTHRACITE. 39

cent fixed carbon, and 8 per cent or more ash, according to the size 

and quality. The heating value of these coals depends very largely 

upon their freedom from ash.

During one season the various sizes delivered to government buildings averaged about as follows:

Ash and British thermal units in coal delivered to government buildings.

Pea .............................................................................

Buckwheat. ....................................................................

Ash in dry 

coal.

Per cent. 

10J

15J

18

British 

thermal 

units in 

coal as 

received.

12.800

12,000

11,500

A good grade of bituminous coal such as is usually delivered in 

Washington averages about 9 per cent ash and 14,000 British thermal 

units in the coal as delivered.

The smaller sizes of anthracite are of nearly the same heating value' 

as the larger sizes and they are much cheaper. It will be seen from 

the above figures and a little study of hard coal prices that to burn 

large sizes of anthracite is expensive when compared with the possibilities attainable with small sizes of anthracite or with the better 

grades of soft coal. Buckwheat size may in many places be purchased for $2 less per ton than is charged for the large size coal. 

When this is the case a saving of considerably more than a dollar a 

ton may be made by burning the small size instead of the furnace or 

egg coal. It is, of course, more difficult for the fireman to handle the 

finer sizes of coal, owing to the fact that smaller quantities must be 

fired at a time and also to the fact that the ash accumulates more 

rapidly on the grate and requires more frequent cleaning of the fires, 

owing to the high percentage of ash in the coal. In the eastern cities, 

wherever the freight rates are favorable, small sizes of anthracite 

are burned in preference to bituminous coal.

DRAFTS.

The conditions for successfully burning small sizes of anthracite 

are not found in most plants unless they were designed originally or 

have been remodeled for the purpose. A draft much stronger than 

usual is required to force the air through the small pieces of coal 

which lay closely together. The accumulation of ash and clinker 

also retards the flow of air more than when burning larger sizes. 

The grate bars should be provided with openings as large as practicable and yet prevent loss of fuel through into the ash pit. Contrary 

to general opinion, it was found on examining the ashes from a num.-
40 GOVEKNMESTT PUECHASES OF COAL.

ber of government plants that the loss of coal into the ash pit was no 

greater in the plants properly equipped for burning small sizes than 

it was in those which burned the larger coal. The grate surface 

must be proportioned to burn enough coal to generate the steam 

required with the draft available. The .coal should be fired frequently and spread in thin layers. Fires should not be disturbed 

until time to clean the ashes from grate; fires to be cleaned after ash 

has accumulated to a depth of 6 or more inches, depending on the 

draft available and the load requirements.

A sufficient draft may be provided by a high chimney or by a fan 

in connection with a shorter stack.

Experience has shown that the relation between the draft and the 

amount of coal burned per square foot of grate is about as shown in 

the table below. These figures are in general use by engineers 

designing plants for burning anthracite in hand-fired furnaces.

Relation between draft and amount of coal burned.

Difference in pressure between ash pit and furnace in inches of water: 

Pea. ................................................................

10

0.2

.25

.40

15

0.3

.45

.75

on

0.45

.65

1.25

oc

0.05

1.00

tc\

o.e

1.50

COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCE.

Examples of actual practice in plants burning small sizes of anthracite are given in the table below. Draft readings were made at each 

plant under about average conditions.

A study of this table shows that of 25 plants visited all were successfully burning cheap coal and that in order to do so ta strong draft

was used. Many of these plants were in the basements of office 

buildings, which of necessity have high stacks. Others were supplied 

with air under suitable pressure from a fan. A stack draft of less 

intensity was then sufficient to carry the gases from the. furnace 

through the boiler and out the stack. As the load increases, the 

loss in draft" increases through all parts of the boiler and settings, 

and therefore the importance of short flues and breechings with as 

few turns as possible is obvious.

The plants studied cover a range in equipment and load conditions 

so wide that there can be no doubt as to the feasibility of burning the 

smaller and cheaper sizes for power purposes wherever it is necessary 

or advisable to burn anthracite.

« For a discussion of drafts see The significance of drafts in steam-boiler practice: Bull. U. S. Geol. 

Survey No. 367, 1908.
Summary of plants burning anthracite coal.

No.

1

4

5

6

7

8

10

11

1?!

1Q

14

15

16

17

is

19

Band of business.

.....do..................

.....do...................

.....do..................

.....do...................

.....do..................

.....do..................

Load.o

...do........

...do........

...do........

Light.......

Light.......

...do........

...do........

Light.......

...do........

...do........

52.

_CJ

'o .

Number ofb

in plant

7!

8

23

5

4

8

8

7

?,

ft

5

4

3

4

?:

V

2.

'5 -:

Number ofbin service

2

7

20

5

8

8

7

4

1

3

4

2

5

3

3

2

2

Name and type.

tube.

16 National, 1 Heine water-

\ tube.

tube.

tube.

tube.

tube. 

.....do......................

f Aultman & Taylor Babcock

\ & Wilcox type water-tube. 

Keeler Babcock & Wilcox

type water-tube.

Boilers.

Size.

63 tubes 4" x 17' 4". .......

72 tubes 4" x 18'. ..........

60 tubes 4" x 18'. ..........

258 tubes 3" x 20' ..'.......

960 square feet heating surfa

45 tubes 5" x 18'. ..........

86 tubes 4" x 17'. ...........

f90 tubes 4" x 18'; 2 drums 3

\248 tubes 3i" x 14'; 1 drum 

75 tubes 4" x 18-': 1 drum 3

f2 boilers, 1,360 tubes 2". ...

eter. 

150 tubes 3*" x 18'; 2 drums 

2,650 square feet heating s

As judged by engineer of plant.
Summary of plants burning anthracite coal Co

No.

20

21

W,

24

Kind of business.

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do..................

Load.o

Light.......

...do........

...do........

...do........

...do........

1 'o ' .

Number ofbin plant

3

5

2

3

5

'o «

Number ofbin service

. ... .

1

1

2

Name and type.

tube.

tube. . 

J4 Stirling. ...................

Boilers.

Size.

72 tubes 4" x 16'; 1 drum 

6"; 44 tubes 3J" x 7' 

3§" x 8' 1"; 1 drum 42" 

(2,375 square feet heating 

judged by engineer of plant.
Summary of plants burning anthracite coal Con

No.

1 

2

3

4

5 

«

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12

13 

14 

15

16 

17 

18

Stack.

*

S

Feet. 

64 

/ 4sta 

\ 104

f Each 2 I 

\ 90

50

123 

175

123 

155 

269 

190 

200 

125

140

105 

f stacks 

225 

160 

180 

150

Diameter.

Inches. 

36 

cks. 

36

oilers. 

42

60x60

84

60x60 

72x72 

60

60 

60x60

36

75 

48x53

Fan.

Diameter ofcasings.

In. 

48 

4 fa 

84

1 112

96 

108

96 

84 

56 

48

90

Width ofcasings.

In. 

17 

ns. 

36

72

48 

42

36 

48 

36 

18

30

Diameter ofdischarge pipe.

Inches. 

24

J36x36

60; 

each 

boiler 

8

each 

I boiler 

I 12

------

30x30

Kind of 

draft.

Forced.. 

...do....

..do....

..do....

..do.... 

f..do.... 

 {Steam...

Balanced 

...do.... 

...do.... 

...do....

...do....

...do....

Natural. 

...do....

...do.....

...do.....

...do.....

...do.....

Length of flues, boiler to

stack.

Feet. 

12

6

4

35

50 

20 

30 

100 

35 

50 

110 

60 

27 

25

30

10 

f 40 

\ 55 

16 

50 

45

Number ofelbows in

flues, a

2 

1

0

2

4 

.2 

2 

3 

2 

2 

4 

2 

3 

2

2 

3

h2 

2 

2

Draft (inches of water).

'&

£ <

+0..24 

+1.18

+ .70

+ .90

+ .37 

+ .80 

+ .55

+ .24 

+ .96 

+ .38 

+ .42 

+ .16 

+ .40

0

0 

0

0 

0 

0

PH

-0.08 

- .16

- .28

0

- .31 

- .20 

 .14 

- .13

- .15 

- .17 

- .06 

- .20 

- .45 

0

.05

.34

- .68

- .57 

- .54 

- .28

Back ofboiler.

-0.10 

- .35

- .33 

- .04

- .50 

- .23

- .18

- .61

- .62

- .48 

- .92

- .72 

- .95 

- .32

M

03

-0.14

- .38

- .16

- .70

I .88 

- .75

-1.14

o<;

-1.02

- .82

-1.15

-r -38

Lost draft through fuel and grate.

0.32 

1.34

.98

.90 

.68

fl.OO 

j .69

.39

1.13

.44

.62

.61 

.40

.05

.34

.68

.57 

.54

.28

Lost draft through 

boiler.

0.02 

.19

.05 

.04

.30 

.09

.12

.16

.57

. .14 

.24

.15 

.41

.04

- 

o Number of right-angle turns from boiler to stack, including one at en

6 Rice, barley, and buckwheat Nos. 2 and 3 are names for coal smaller 
Summary of plants burning anthracite coal C

No.

19

20

22

23

V4

25

Stack.

 a

w

Feet.

142

225

120

190

88

140

272

. ** 

®

ts

p

Inches.

60

60

36

48x48

52

Fan.

'

Sa

£1

P

7m.

60

a

"3

,0

£

In.

21

A

O) 60

* S 

§ §

P

Inches.

22

Kind of 

draft.

...do.....

...do.....

.. .do ....

...do.....

...do.....

...do.....

5

£

o

1! *3

 a

^

Feet.

50

35

50

5

15

30

/ 60 

\ 20

a

CO

1

 3°.

 -

O 3

K

1

3

1

O

2 

3

Draft (inches of water).

"a 

A

0

0

0

0

0

0

> ° .

3

^

-0.45

- .58

- .20

- .44

- .18

- .50

- .36

£

 °

0

^

03

M

-0.64

- .60

- .28

- .32

- .50

3

-0.68

- .62

- .42

- .82

 a.

p o

§

H C3

0.45

.58

.20

.44

.18

.50

.36

-a

s

!«

"3 '3

3

0.19

.02

.08

.14

.14

a Number of right-angle_turns f rom boiler to stack, including one at e

6 Ktcei barley, and buckwheat Nos. 2 and 3 are names for coal smaller 

O