The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-10-23
PETRoLEUn As FUEL.
A discovery OF Unparalleled Importance
70 the Arts, Manufactures and Narisa.

10 the Arts, MAnuiaeturts anu S"'iss
NEW YoRk, October 2l.-Mr. S. C. Sails
bury, mechanic, has been at work for
twenty years on plan to utilize petroleum
for fuel'fn producing steam! He has hit
liz, and is in fair way to make fortune.
It was tested in the Brooklyn Navy Yard
on Saturday, and was found to work to
the utmost satisfaction Of the officers who
inspected it The furnaces were in full
blast, but no smoke was visible. Great
volumes OF white steam rolled away from
the pipe, but no coal was thrown on the
fire below. It had the look OF an effect
without o cause.
THE most wonderful sight have ever
seem" the veteran engineer lsherwood
said. at reyolutionires the iron and steel
manufacture the world over" one Of the
largest iron men OF the country exclaimed.
at opens q new era in glass manufacture.
We shall soon have glass roofs on our
houses. and French plate will be as cheap
as common window.glass," said large
giass-maker.
The results were so extraordinary in the
perfect combustion attained, in the in
tensity OF heat quickly produced, in the
enormous pressure OF the superheated
steam. in the astonishing evaporation OF
water. in the freedom from dust, .cinders,
sulphur and all impurities, that these ex-
perts at once realized that revolution in
all departments where steam is used must
occur Immediately.
The fuel Is made Of the residue OF petro-
lleum and coal-tar, which Is mixed TO about
the consistency OF molasses. II is conduct.
Il ed from the barrel TO the furnace by means
/ OF small gas pipe. At the end of this pipe
a. il enters into the door OF the furnace Is
q funnel-shaped apparatus. As the fuel
enters this funnel II comes in contact with
A current of highly super-heated steam,
which atomizes the LIQUID so that it leaves
the machine. Il induces the required
| amount OF oxygen to enter and mix at the
I point OF ignition. Thus the atomized fuel
shoots, in a fierce but delicate spray, into
4 the blazing furnace. The brick arches OF
4 the great furnaces are kept at white heat,
and the pure white fame flashes along the
whole length, registering heat OF 5,0OO
4 degrees, melting pig iron in ten minutes
Il and making LIQUID glass In two hours in
Il stead OF sixteen. An that there IS to main
tain this extraordinary heat is the slight
spravi darling in from the little furnace
which comes Just within the door. lean
send this intense white flame from the
battery 10 Grace Church II have a furnace
arch that long" said the inventor.
l. The amazing scope OF this new discov-
erymay be estimated from its effects upon
the oil trade alone. Mr.. Salisbury says he
is about to make proposition 70 the pro-
dneers and the United Pipe Lines for a
n permanent contract to take from them at
\ Pittsburgh all of their surplus and all
l their distiIlate tar naphthas o. price that
will give the producers July fifty per cent
profit, and also pay the pipe lines Tor
piping it to Pittsburgh. The ocean steam:
ship business will also feel the effect Of
this revolution in am.producing.. fuel.
Experiments already made show that in
single trip across the Atlantic saving OF
about S, 900 will be effected infreight room
alone, as the space now taken up for 500
tons Of coal will be used for freight.
But the greatest achievements OF the new
system will be in iron-making. Said the
Heading representative OF this interest:
aThis is the greatest achievement OF sci
ence in this age, and this inventors in.
come. even on very small royalties, will
be greater than that OF any living capital
list. With the mechanism invented. by
Nj. Salisbury o blast furnace OF thirty
tons per day will convert its liquid iron
into blooms or ingots OF wrought iron or
steel at cost SO trifiing that 1t enhances
the value OF pig iron 100 per cent"
Sulphur and carbon, the two deteriora-
4 tive elements that are present in all the
wrought iron now made, are utterly cast
ont BY this new process. Inthe Salisbury
furnaces the pig.metal is melted TO q thin
LIQUID in fifteen minutes. Itisthen drawn
of into second furnace, one foot lower
than the first. The second furnace is i'm
mediately charged with continuous sheet
OF hot air, and superheated steam OF 900
degrees and immense pressure, which
keeps every particle Of The liquid metal in
agitation, and burns out the carbon utter
liz in from eight TO ten minutes, when it is
ready for the puddler. At no time in this
operation can any cold air come in con-
tact with the liquid, and consequently
every particle becomes united. In the two
melting processes every trace Of sulphur
Is taken up. The instant the metal is run
off into the second furnace the first is filled
with pigs. When number two Is taken out
by the puddler the new lot Is ready to run
Into the second furnaces and SO on in
iceaseless alienation.
J, !, Note some points in contrast with the
method where coal Is used as fuel:
l. II has always been impossible to free
the iron from carbon and sulphur with the
old methods.
. Tan charges are mn ofF In n day and
q night with the present process. The
same number will lie run of in ten hours
with the new. One puddler will turn out
In ten hours the amount that four pud.
dlers and helpers now turn out in twenty.
four hours.
3. The furnaces will be kept hot for
three months continuously, as the fire.
brick, becoming intensified by the intense
heat will last that long. Under the pres
ent method lowing 70 the action OF the
sulphur and the necessity OF scraping out
the fine cinders and, ashes, which form
clinkers on the brick : the latter must be
removed every day, and new hearth
made, during which time the furnace is
allowed to cool.
Il 4. Not only is the quality (adhesiveness)
OF the iron improved by the new process,
but the quantity Is increased one hundred
pounds 70 the ton Of material.
5. 0nehalf the labor In finishing is
saved.
8. The heavy labor Of handling coal and
i removing ashes Is dispensed With.
! Z. The cost Of fuel Is reduced onc-hali,
reckoning coal at only 10 per ton.
The Dad crIrh,,rf S,r;,r,s II -1Eon.n.