Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-12-03

Vt .s3|ss
n 49, m = \ W ~ = p i - n -
@ 10y p II ~ = : I % = 49, Il
- - 1Aase = ~ = =.
tss,ssl, " ~ iapsstsIss, " - : = takssp
- a1tsss aoi; saiss bsisy saesvs v
psdss 80 sbas u ~ esases. ~ ssgrsa ~
~. = ~ = issss. ~ sssssf ~ svilssf
49, - 10y ss nov coupisiaiag.
VI Asss beSpes aid that III eaisf ssssc Of
- 1sstessy arose from The quality u 10 sesl
= -, - shAs IL impsrisies sss % - sstsib-
sssd - Imperfect o. InsuMcssss nsehiaezy IN
sassaaAg i. 4 furs er invsssiessiss d ihs
N6jecs and examination u ~ nsseriAl nssd,
sssss bat . confirm oar opinis0 sdvanced pre-
viosay; tAss t,s cosl Il 70 aseh bleaded With
oskss nasass Incapable Of prodscisg inlsnna-
~ -, thss fhs qaaatiey Of III bsrning gas
y essss fbsad deficient, when n absadaat sap
~ = ssssaah,y expected. Asosker esuss Of
thh ds1eissey + the palverssd state 81 the
seal asd ssiil another--she sater which this
coai dss contains. That this dsss o. ane coal
produces no gas is evident 10 any one, il pro-
persies for producing burning gas having Ill
bsen taken away by lis conssct with tho asnos-
phsse and water, and its a6zliatioa with the
oshsf gases contained therein, which are inin-
icalso combustion: and lastly, hat this coal Il
used 10 vet state.
The use Of vet coal diminishss the amount
Of sas produced from given weight Of coal,
and produces, from decomposition Of the
water Il contains, hydrogen gas. This readily
combinss with the sasphur with which much Of
this Illinois coal shsunds, producing sulphur
etsd hydrogen gas, which is not burning gas,
bat mixing freely 10 the retort with the niumi-
mating gas, renders !, extremely difficult Of pu-
ridcst,on. Coal IN dry state, Of course, con.
tains Iess hydrogen, and the sulphur not find
ing its natural afnitics, remains In the coke, or
the fesidunm after the gas is extracted. This i'm
pure ssiphunied hydrogen gaa, smi.siag con-
staatiy with the burning gas, and gsisg into
the atmosphere in an unconsumed state, is the
cause, in part, ofthis offensive odor, the nature
Of which our citizens are TOO well acquainted
with 70 require from US an attemps ct descrip-
ton.
There does not seem to be lack of light,
and hence We infer that the Illinois coal, prop
erly selected a. it ought always to be, and suita-
bly, dry, Il capable ofproducing good gas ; but
As We see It article Of fuel, (for which it is
but little better ftrcd) it is unit for producing
good gas and emits vapor that is not only Of
feusive, but of poisonous effect when inhaled.
The coalin use is taken from thin veins and
tie mines being as yet but partially worked,
much Of II is either immersed IN water or is
fully saturated with it; and in that state is liza
bic to the objections to which we have before
alluded. Pennsylvania and Ohio coal is un-
doubleday the best; and I may be said that all
coal in its gas producing qualities must approx
mate to that coal. But much of the evil may
no doubt be obsiatea by proper selection OF
the coal to be used which is also done there and
. proper drying before it is used. With these
precautions and little more labor ia purifying
the gas, we cannot see any good reason for con-
iemning this coal altogether, or for submitting
70 the deleterious effects Of this bad odor.
We are happy to see that the city cou neil hs
aken this matter in hand, and shall exp ect mo re
light on the subject as well as better ilumiI IA
ion, from their Investigations.