New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-10-24
PEA7 FUEL

INocOnh AII'H'I
Plat AND COAL DUST FUEL"

hooD developed within the past year. and which
nromses 10 be of great Importance, not only to re-
vions distant from coal mines, but actually to the
o,,,o,s of the mines themselves is the combination
focal dust with peat in such manner as TO produce
ar small cost really valuable fuel. Simple as this
annears to most persons 1t is fact that 1t has baed
the ingenuity of multitude who have undertaken III
ond eventually abandoned the work poorer, perhaps
wiser men Upon this question, the following ex-
tract from LedUS Feet journal, will be found OF sur
fcient interest to readers TO be repubhShed III
"For several years past DIR. H. s. Lucas, Of Chester
Mass devoted time and attention to the practical so
tanned such results gave promise OF good success until
the Spring If when his experiments which until tha
OF so marked character that it was deemed 10
test the whole matter on somewhat larger seale. anu ~
more public manner; the results OF which have gwen
proof beyond question OF the Perect success % Snp
method of manufacturing the iuei, anu o its sIio
value article Of fuel especially lof steam anu si''
Ie coal dust is mixed with crude peat in given pro
portions aud by very simple process is manutacIuIed
into blocks of convenient size ana 1OrI "ct "C
and cohesive and may be used Tor fuel alef week
T6e cost Of manufacturing the fuel the materials
trial of this new fuel was made in July last upon
the Western Railroad OF MASSACHUSETTS,, when de-
mOnStratCd its value beyond any possibility OF Cafl
aTb" trip Was made upon that part of the road known
be the most difficult portion OF the whole line TO tray
erse having several short and some double curves with
grade OF 50 feet to the mile for part of the distance
and requiring the most severe steam service ron 1000
walton between the stations is $50 feet.
1--WE weighed and took Oh 1900 pounds of the fuel and
started the station at 3l5 p. M with 90 pounds
steam engineer Theo. Dandurand who has been on the
orr traj6 consisted Of eleven freight cars three Of
them loaded which is equal to fourteen empty carSa
heavy train ior tilis grade. X Ill bad -
The grade on leaving the station rises LOT nan mle
and then descCudS io perhaps the same distances ana
Nine minutes after staTtng the steam had run up to
140 and We had 10 open the furnace door
"Twico VIC pumped cold water INTO the DOher-Once
with both pnls-wnen the steam fell ten degrees, from
to 100; but 10 ave minutes was up again TO 800 HAD
been burning wood aud used both pumps IN the same
manner ia this cSe the steam would have run down
1.-THE furnace door open nearly four-ffths of the
time: ,.,,-...,... ,..,...o...s
the worst curves aud tine heaviest grade.
Here our fuel gave standing at $780, and we
five miles the Tip Steam fell to l2O and We were
unable to RAJ IL above that point. ,..,
run the inst miles, by far the hardeStp0rton
Of the route in minutes, with the fuel; while the
remaining I'VE lniies with wood, took 45 minutes -
woodburniug euIe, though, if it come into common
use we snail doubtless fire boxes specially adapted
viii teach economy M It's use. The exhaust pipes should
Comhnstlo apcre TO he almost perfect; there was no
caRIng Of the fuel in the fire box, and made but very
little smoke. Tie heat clear, steady and extremely
intense
CoNpENSING PEAT BY MACHINERY.
cubic foot OF crude peat as taken irom weuoiained
This same quantity is condensed by machinery from 80
10 40 per cent recording the character structure Of
OF The wafer cortancd i'm the mass.
In this State it formed into blocks OF convenient size,
which then exposed IN the open air. where eyapOra-
ton takes place very rapidly aud is found 70 be greatly
accelerated by the treatment the material has received III
passing through the cOadensiug MILL so that the time
ordinarily required m the summer season ior dryng
from four TO ten days. according to the weather
and by evaporation il still to about one
quarter its original bulk and WILL at this stage. have been
found lost about twOhirds TO threequarers OF
the foTcibe election of the air in the process Of CON
densing ana me lss oi N"I ~ CIV Of the
water. 9. q.
and about 100 cubic crude material are required 70
produce one tun OF dry fuel Some very compact peats
However require not more than l4O 100 cubic feet
one block, as il comes moist from the moids meas
ures sxlx25 cubic inchesl and weighs about 5 o.
The machines turn out respectively 30Vto ana COoOO o.
9e hest pacs To- dry the blocks is OH the grass
In the open air, where they dry most rapidly ana uni
a Very economical method Of drying is undoubtedly o.
racks consisting of light frame about seven feet Ion
by three feet wide, crossed with ordinary lats con
senient 10 receive AZ blocks each sxG4 and are eas
handled by men. These may be piled ore upon aI
other, while good ventilation is secured and inc cost
handling less than by any other method except upo
Ofthose blocks, wet as they come from the mill, 6l
AS these blocks arc aid dry, an acre of land vii
be covered by about 80 tuls-spTcad the grass.
If spread on racks frames above described, on
One acre of land then allowing nefourth the fo
drive-ways. etc, will accommodate 1850 frames Zone
me same area covered with frames tiers high, will
Peat can be manufactured and dried in this manner in
good weather. make good fuel, and be suitable
10 burn in ten days; but like good dry wood
undoubtedly much improved in quality when housed
and allowed 10 cure for season, say three to six
months.
An acre peat of fair quality well drained II one feo
i'm DEPTH will generally contain 1000 TO 1900 tuns yield
ing go to Of dry fuel Greater depths III proper
ton
Few pcats, however well drained contain less thar
90 per cent and contain 65 10 IS per cent
COST OF PUTTING UP PEAT WORKS.
The cost of starting peat manufacturing eStab
Eshment capable of working up 100 tuns of crude
peat and producing % to 80 tuns of fuel per day. tn
present year, may be estimated as follows:
Engine and boiler, II horse l,J0O
SbaftinC. betting and fixtures. 500
Buildings roughly constructed. 1900
IOtal...-.-- S''V'J
There may be smaller and cheaper machines bu
we should increase rather than diminish the abOV
estimate.
PEAT FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES.
Those who Use peat for fuel should understand tina
it igntes quickly burns freely, and gives an intens
heat almost from the moment it is klndled. IL Il
therefore reasonable to suppose that 1t should b'
oil diffprenflV from coal wood.