The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-18
Bakers Improved Furnace.

Bakers Improved Furnace.
We have examined pam phlet issued under
the auspices of the Lawrence Scientific School,
of Harvard College, containing the results of a
series of experiments made at Canton, Massa-
chusetts, to test the merits of Bakers I'm
proved Furnace They demonstrate the SUI
periority Of the very simple and beautiful
continuance of BAKER over all other appli-
ances for the economical consumption of fuel.
Indeed, if there is any thing in human testi-
mony, or in human experience, that superiority
is now so conclusvely established by abundant
proofs, that any additional evidence must be
considered as merely cumulative, not as neces-
sary to guide the judgment of any man who,
on his own account, or as the agent of others,
is engaged in the large employment of steam
power.
"This furnace (says the Boston .4tlas) can
be constructed by any ordinary bricklayer, and
at scarcely any increased expense over the
most crude and unscienti6c furnace. 1t can be
applied to boilers already set with the same
facility as at the first setting 1t is liable to
no arrangement not incident to all furnaces. 1t
completely answers every condition required
for the perfect combustion Of the fuel. 1t re
tains the heated products of combustion in con-
tact with the boiler until the heat is all given
out. without any necessity for resort to tubes
and fiues. 1t can be applied to a boiler of any
construction. 1t completely prevents the nuts
ance of smoke. 1t diminishes the labor and
trouble of attendance. And, finally, it effects
a saving Of fuel of from fifteen to fifty pei
cent"
As mere smokeburner, without regard to
its economical properties in the saving of fuel
this furnace merits general adoption. In large
cities-and as for that in small ones-there is
no greater nuisance than one of your common
furnace chimneys vomiting forth its vast vol
umes of thick black smoke, seemingly hall
SCOT or cinders. 1t blackens every thing in the
vicinage. BAKERS furnace consumes the
| smoke SO completely that chimneys where the
improvement has been used for years are as
clean on their tops as if they had received an
occasional ablution, while chimneys exposed
to the action of the ordinary furnace will look
as if they had been painted black
We have witnessed the operation of this
improvement in numerous manufactures, and
at the navy yards both in Charlestown and at
this place. Wherever we have seen it, all
who use it bear the strongest testimony to its
great economy as well as to its great cleanli
ness. Thus the practical evidence of the ope
ration is added to the results of the elaborate
and well-studied experiments of some of the
most distinguished scientific men of the day.
Persuaded as we are of the great value of
this improvement, and of the deserts of its
inventor, we are gratiied to see that it is
winning its way into the public confidence
quite as rapidly as patented invention can
ever hope. There are so many adverse inter
ests and established prejudices to contend
with, there is so much reluctance to pay any
thing for the mere result of a mans inrention,
that we have sometimes thought inventors
would always do the best thing for themselves
by giving their Improvements to the world
We learn, however, that Mr.. BAKER is en-
couraged to believe that in his case the demon
stratlon of very large saving that cannot be
otherwise effected will appeal so emphatically
to the avarice of men as to counteract the ava
rlcious objection to the comparatively inconsid-
cradle patent fee which is demanded for the
use of his valuable and important invention