Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-01-30
From the Boston Post Of Jan. Is.

We have been shown by Col. w B. Slaugh-
ter, map drawn by MIR. Hough, of Madison,
Wisconsin, and county surveyor Of Dane Co.
containing estimates, by actual measurement,
Of the length, breadth, and depth of the pent
beds lately discovered seven miles West of
Madison, and Immediately on the Milwaukee
and Mississippi Railroad. According to these
measurements there are in the several beds
S48, 800 solid cords. Among the many ey.
dences of the value attached to this discovery,
which we have seen, we give the following as
q specimen
Uai0ersityof Wisconsin, Dec. Is, 1856.
Col. Slaughter-Dear Sir The sparseness
Of timber in this region, and our distance
from the coal measures of Illinois, render the
discovery of your extensive and valuable peat
deposit matter of very great interest to our
citizens. The experiments have witnessed,
demonstrate its ready combustibilitv and fine
heating qualities. You have my best wishes
in the enterprise you have undertaken to in
tTodace the article into domestic use and to
make it available Tor productive purposes in
the arts, and thus to supply felt want in the
community.
am looking to the results of your enter
prise for the means of reducing sensibly the
expense of heating the rooms of the State
University, which lheincreasing price Of wood
will render matter of very serious concern
to the institution. Hoping, dear Colonel,
that you will not forget yourself in your ben.
eisctions towards the community, am very
truly yours, ]. Il. LArHRoP,
Chancellor of the University.
We concur in the above
]. w. STERLING, 0. NJ. CoNovER, C. s. CARR,
Professors Of the University.
DR.. Carr suggests further experiments here,
and that you take with you specimens to Pro-
fessor Hayes, of Boston, for analysis and trial.
Extracts from Professor Hayess report -
''ln ordinary peat we have much eonsoli-
dated water, and the volatile parts are largely
oxidised products of carbon. affording much
less heat in combustion than the hydrogen
compounds do, and affording far less amount
of flame Taking the fifty eight parts Of in.
hammable compound as representing the pos
live combustible matter OF this peat, we have
calorIe closely corresponding to that of oak
wood, and | am led by my results to expect
M equal weight of this peat, burning in com.
parison with wood. For fires requiring a
moderate daily consumption the amount of
ash will prove the only drawback to its eco
nomical use. Open fires will not only present
cheerful blaze, but the radating power of
the burning masses will equal that Of btu
minous Goals similarly burned.
You will-see by the certificate within, that
your peat has a marvellous power III produce
ing gas-it exceeds all common cannels, and
OF course is far above any bituminous coal
1874 pounds of Pictou coal would have afford
ed 536 cubic feet Of gas-fve feet being equal
to II candles--or 1879 candles 1874 pounds
OF Plctou coal added to l6 pounds of Wiscon-
sin peat afforded $40 cubic feet-fve feet be-
ing equal to 20 4-l0ths candles, or 3645 can
dies There are only two or three camel
Goals known, which afford so much llumin.
ating material, placing this peat in the first
class of gas Materials
We understand from high authority that
there are other uses to which this peat may be
applied with great benefit to the proprietors,
such as forming picture frames, mantel orna-
ments, and artistic mouldings all of which
may be made Of marble polish and any desired
color--in addition to this cement may be
formed by the addition of ten per cent. of
common tar, and twenty per cent of lime, i'm
pervious to water, and durable as lime. We
understand those beds OF peat were valued in
Wisconsin for fuel alone, at one million of
dollars. Surely this late analysis and tests
will add another million to its true value. We
understand Col. Slaughter on his arrival here,
offered one third Of this property for one hun
dred Thousand dollars. 1t is probable it will
not be offered again.
We have copied the above from the Boston
Post, in order to show that the value Of peat as
source of calorc, is attracting public attention in
other States than Massachusetts,. The value of
the deposit which Col Slaughter has discovered,
is perhaps oyer-estimated, but there can be no
doubt that it will prove fortune to its possessor,
in locality where it is SO difficult to procure
wood and coal.
The analysis of Dr. Hayes however, shows that
this peat is not valuable for fuel as the average
of the peat deposites in this State-some Of
them, that of Worcester, for instance, yielding
from l6 to 20 per cent. more of 'inhammable
compound" as shown by the analysis Of Dr.
Johnson.
As regards the "marvelous power" of this
article in producing gas" we may say that
twas discovered many years since in France,
and that in Paris company has been formed,
for the purpose of supplying gas from peat, upon
an extensive scale, the gas being much better
than that made from Goals, and requiring much
less cost and trouble in its publication, than is
required by GOALS but it may be many years be-
fore any gas compsny in the United States will
have the temerity to try an experiment to ascer
tain II similar results may not be attained.
As regards the quantity of this valuable sub
stance which Col Slaughter has discovered in
Wisconsin, and which is estimated to be worth a
million Of dollars, we may say, in this connection,
that it is not larger than is to be found in some
single townships in this State, and yet so little is
known Of that the owners themselves do not
know that II will burn.
In order to make beginning in the develop
ment Of such an unexhaustible resource for fuel,
company was formed in this city last spring,
with capital Of $4,000, and carried on its OPP
erations last season in this city, upon somewhat
extensive scale, giving employment to from so to
30 men through the summer months. It's success
has been gratifying 70 all concerned, and the bus.
mess seems likely to be highly remuneratiye lac
the Superintendent informs us that it sells freely