Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-12-05
@Offester 4aiIg Spy,
From the Providence Journal,
COAL.

We expect to be laughed at. Inveptorsand
torerunners always are. The world has al
ways stoned its prophets. But this shall not
prevent US from declaring our deliberate
Judgement, founded on considerable obserya-
ton and study, that there is beneath the sur
face OF this state an abundant supply of coal.
suited to all the purposes of heating and to
many purposes OF manutacturing-and that
larger part of the money which we send ont
of the state for fuel might be retained at home.
Unquestionably this coal is of inferior quality.
although it is not improbable that further ex-
animation would discover a better article
But the coal of the quality that has al
ready been mined has proved a valuable ar
tcle, well worth the cost of raising it, at pres
ent prices. We know what it is; for we have
burned more than ton of it in the Office
where we are writing And although it re-
quires more attention than the superior arti-
Gle, and the stoves ought to be little differ
entity arranged for it, it burnt well. We also
saw it burning for many days in the house of
the late Christopher Rhodes, who telt deep
interest in everything that concerned the nat
ural resources of the state, and who had spent
years OF time and thousands of dollars in ex-
plorations for coal. Gen. Rhodes, as all who
knew that excellent and true Rhode Island
man will remember, adhered with marvellous
tenacity to his opinions, and one of his opin-
ions was that there was plenty of coal in the
state. This he proved. To the other opin-
ION, that the coal would burn, he was not quite
SO fortunate In the number of his proselytes.
But In his own house, where his views had all
the weight of patriarchal authority, it was
Cranston coal or no fire all one cold
winter. sometimes 1t was one and some
times the other, and sometimes it was both.
In vain tha l. 1.t..
not cook with it; in vain the household shy-
cred around the parlor grate-the old gentle
man always declared that the fault was in
making the fire, and that he could make the
Rhode Island coal burn. And he did
The Jumps that seemed as incombustible as
stone, and on which charcoal and pine kin
ding made no more impression than argu-
ment upon Vallandigham democrat, yielded
to his treatment, as though recognizing the
hands that had labored so long to bring them
into honorable notice, and after resisting all
other persuasions, and sometimes adurations
that were not wholly persuasive, would shoot
up in grateful flames to reward his steady
faith. Wethink that there was some cheat
ing, and that portion of Pennsylvania an
thracite would sometimes adulterate the gen.
uine Cranston; but the bulk of the coal was
OF Rhode Island origin, and it burned very
Coleraoly' we tmnk tnat any man to whom
economy in full is an object sufficient to make
him take charge of his own fire, could save
half his coal bill and keep his house as COM
Portable with Rhode Island coal.
This coal requires little peculiar treat
ment. 1t does not ignite readly-you need
not laugh-and consequently requires strong
draft tor kindllng. Once kindled, it burns
very freely, and if the same draft which is re-
quisite at first, is continued, portions of the
coal melts and hinder the combustion. But
if the draft is shut off at the proper time, and
is properly regulated, the coal will burn; yes,
burn; for we have seen it and felt its genial
glow. Now, it seems to us, that this mineral
treasure is worth developing; and that some
of the skill and energy which are manifesting
themselves in so many of the channels of
commerce, might be very proftably employed
here.