The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-01-16
COAL FIRES.
How to Manage Coal Fire-How to Start
One, and What Kind of Coal to Use.

How to Manage a Coal Fire-How to Start
One, and What Kind of Coal to Use.
[From the American Agriculturist.l
So much of comfort, health and econ
omy depend upon the proper manage
ment OF coal fires during winter that we
offer few common sense suggestions,
which may be new to some of the read
ers of the american 4Agr;cultaurist,
who have not given thought to the sub
lect. In renewing fire in stove or
furnace, it is customary to dash in lot
OF coal. entirely covering that already
on the fire. The result is a cold spell,
cessation OF cooking, etc., for half an
hour, more or less, depending upon the
kind of coal, its size and quantity, the
draught, and the amount already ignited.
Often the fire vexatiously goes out.
This can be avoided by piling all the
fresh coal upon half or SO of that al
ready on fire. The burning portion
will partially maintain the heat, will
keep up draught, and rapidly extend
through the fresh coal. When this is
well on fire, it can be spread over the
whole, or, if needed, more coal can be
put in on the other side, leaving the
new coal we'll burning. In this way a
continuous heat can be maintained,
with far less risk of extinguishing what
we have. This may seem a small mat
ter, but it will often contribute great
deal to comfort, and often save weak OF
sickly or damp persons from taking or
increasing cold. In the kitchen it
may save the spelling Of good cooking
or baking. In large steamships steady
power is kept up by having several
tire-boxes under the same boiler, and
replenishing only one at time.
When coal fire is almost out, it can
be started afresh by first adding little
fine coal over the fire, with bit or two
Of dry wood, if needed, and covering
all around it with coal enough to con-
centrate the draught upon the little fire
remaining.
In starting fire, a great point is to con-
centrate the draught. If kindling-wood
is abundant and cheap, large quantity
may be thrown in, fired, and, when well
| tgnited, the coal thrown on freely. But
usually it is better to put on little
kindling in pretty compact heap in one
place at the middle of the grating; when
we'll started, put over it little fine coal,
and cover all the rest Of the CRATE with
at least coal enough to turn the draught
: of air through the kindling point. twill
burn more certainly and more rapidly,
and extend to the rest of the mass much
sooner, than if the kindlings were spread
out SO as to give no strong heat to the
hard coal at any one point. The best
kindhng for hard coal is few shavings
or paper to catch from the match; over
this a little pine, cut short, and over this
charcoal, or dry hardwood only half
foot or so in length, and split fne-all
the kindling in one pretty compact mass.
The point is to get heat enough to ignite
the hard coal. When the draught is not
strong, or or ; is in haste, cover all the
grating with few thicknesses of waste
newspaper, Or any coarse paper, with
some coal upon it, except right under
the kindlings. This will concentrate the
draught at that point, and greatly hasten
ignition. The paper will burn off as the
fire spreads, and admit the air to other
points.
In mild weather much may be saved
in large stoves, or furnaces, Or CRATES, by
covering part of the grating with
brick, or fiat stones, or clay, even, or by
covering part of the coal with fine
ashes, so that the draught of air can only
pass through part of it. A little skill
and care in this will effect a great saw
ing of fuel, and supply an amount of
heat adapted to the weather, or to the
rooms to be warmed. We prefer
pretty large fre-box in a stove or fur
mace, and, in the cookstove even, the
burning portion or surface to be con-
tracted or regulated as above; we then
have ample room for large fire when
it is wanted in extreme cold weather, or
for any emergency. The brick or clay
can be readily removed from any part
of the grating as desired.
! The smallest coal that will not drop
through the grating is usually the most
economical for all fires, even for large
heating furnaces. Large lump, or egg
coal even, requires considerable depth
of mass to burn well, or indeed to keep
ignited at all. r..