Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-06-18


Frosa ttt cadasd Repubicau Sentinel
on the r4nnufrcfAare 81 0iis from Coat, ana
the Extreetion o. other New Articles
Only short time has elapsed since the
dlsllllolion Of oils from coal has become
known in this country, and this branch Of
industry begins now to attract general at
toniion. not only here, but MI over Europe
Your readers viii, perhaps, feel some inter-
est IN knowing how these different oils and
other articles are extracted from coal, as
well as 70 learn TO what different uses the
same cen be applied Engaged as amin
the branch Of chemistry, applied to indus
trial purposes, was delighted TO receive
your valuable journal, as new sign OF life
from the heart OF this beautiful country,
and i shall be pleased II you viii give pub
lication to articles / intend TO send you
from time TO me--communications which
hone will prove useful to your readers
The quality Of coal generally used in this
country for the extraction Of oils is the so
called "Cannel OoatD 1t is Of o very firm
compact structure, mostly of brownsh-
black color, and of slaty appearance,
without luster, This coal, which in Scot
landis called Parrot Coal" burns with
a very brilliant light, and was in England
sometimes used as substitute for c andes,
practice which has led to the now uni
versally adopted name of "Cannel (candle)
Coal.v 1t does not soil the fingers when
handled, and admits Of being polished,
snuff-boxes, bracelets aud other ornaments
having been made of It.
Opinions as to the origin of this Camel
Cool are various have lately examined
some specimens from Garfield, Ohio, of
Mrs. Sherwood 4 Brayton's coal banks,
and, after had subjected the coal to try
dstillation, found the coke remaining in
the still preserving the satce firm, t0oOdy
structure as charcoal made from GAc soOod of
fhe palm-tree This coal yielded next a
great quantity Of oils and parafine, (coal-
wax, also a considerable quantity Of excel
lent Illuminating gas.
This Camel coal is put in properly ar
ranged retorts and subjected to dry distll-
alton. The following is the chemical pro-
cess going on when the necessary heat is
generated under the still
From the moment in which the elements
(the elements of Camel Coal are carbon
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, potash, with
some admixture of silica, and sometimes
trace of sulpher, are forced by the heat
TO abandon their former state Of equilibrium,
the formation of new products commences,
which is due to three different causes-the
temperature the degrees Of chemical az
fnity amongst the elements being in some
instances increased by electric action and
thirdly, by their volatility. HydrogeR and
oxygen possess this property to a very high
degree it is not so with carbon. There
is tendency, therefore, in the former to
separate and pass off in the form of gas,
but chemical affinity obliges both to unite,
and form compounds, partly with each 9TH
er. partly together or single with carbon.
Hydrogen and oxygen, if not interfered
with by some other agent, combine to form
water the excess of hydrogen takes up
as much carbon as the temperatures admit
Of forming olefant gas, carbureted hydro
gen, while the united action Of the other
elements upon the carbon gives rise to other
lternary compounds Any one familiar with
chemistry will agree with me when assert
that the nature of this process admits of
Il e proGG tiOa of such an inaumerable series
of bodies, that they qoM Werer be exhausted
6y science--as many as there are mathemat-
sieal combinations binary and ternary, de-
pending upon the temperature. I give this
somewhat lengthy description that the
chemical action uay be better understood
. To the still a eoiled iron-worm is attach
ed, in which the different gases condense to
a liquid, afterward purified with different
chemicals The following are the products
which gradually, and under different tenn
.peratures, pass from the condensing worm
The first liquid is NaphtG, very light,
volatile, and highly infammable oil it is
extensively used for dissolving caoutchoue,
or India Rubber it is highly recon-
mcuded remedy for rheumatic pains, and
when purified and re-distilled, it is used to
dissolve resins and gums for the manufac-
.ture Of varnishes. 1t can also be used for
the extraction of perfumes from flowers
BY different treatment this Naphta is con-
sVerted into "BeRzole," which oil promises
to become of great commercial importance.
Wool, silk and other fabrics can most ef-
fectually be cleaned from the adhering fatty
oils and grease by simply sleeping them in
tBenzole" In England, France and Ger
many this liquid is already very extensively
used and preferred to alkalies, because
".Benzole" does not impair the colors, and
% AiSO aiOhi ASoAhOhS I1y
treating Benzole with aitric acid, "Nitro
Benz0le" is formed, which can be used as
substitute for essence of bitter almonds in
perfumery. '
The next fluid coming from the still is
light oil, now so extensively used under the
names Of kerosene" "CoaL Oa,p or "Car-
bon Oil, to burn in specially adapted lamps.
This oil is not explosive, and, properly pu-
ri6ed, has an agreeable odor, and burns
without smoke. The time has come when
steam boilers, on land and sea, stoves fur
naces, etc, are heated with this fluid
have lately patented lamp to create heat
under boilers with less expense than now
done by coal itself
Wood, when impregnated with this H.
qnid, is preserved from decomposition. Re
distilled another highly interesting article,
"CreOsote," or " Carbide Acid, ;" is extracted,
which possesses the extraordinary property
OF preserving meat, and other bodies liable
to decomposition, from putrefactioB a
quality highly important to surgery Gar
holic Acid0 added TO tannjn extracts hither-