Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-12-15
Making Charcoal.

Although the making Of charcoal has
been for a long time a leading industry
in our district, yet it is possible that all
the readers of the REGISTER do not
know how the work is done.
The writer having some business in
the south part of township 33, north,
of range 4 east, recently took passage
in the coal wagon of his old friend Mr..
Joseph Hasty, and soon found himself
face to face with another old friend,
Mr.. Jacob Razor, who, with his two
sons, was busy at coal pit.
The visitor had come just at the right
time to see one pit set up and another
taken down. Having enjoyed for two
days the hospitality of Mr.. Razor and
his very kind family, and every oppor-
tunity to look and ask questions in re-
gard to cealing, the writer collected
some facts.
The first step is to get contract to
coal. This comes from the Pilot Knob
Iron Company, and rests on basis of
50 much per bushel tor the coal deliv-
cred. The company pays all expenses
and the collier gets the balance, if any.
The next step is to cut the wood to the
length of four feet; and if the timber is
large, it must be split into sticks that
one man can handle. Then the collier
prepares his hearth by leveling a cir
cular piece of ground, commonly about
thirty five feet in diameter. Then
comes the hauling Of the wood. This
is commonly done on sled, as that is
most convenient. The wood is set on
end on the sides of the hearth, leaving
a passage across the center. Then the
wood setter begins at the center of the
hearth, and places the large sticks on
end as closely as possible, until he has
made circular mass about thirty feet
i'm diameter and four feet high. On top
of this he places second course, and
above that third one. He then takes
the branches or small wood and builds
it into the hollows between the larger
sticks, cutting the crooked sticks into
short pieces SO that they may fit in all
the better. In some cases the chips
are used.
The result of all this building is
circular mass of wood about thirty feet
wide at the base, from twelve to fifteen
feet on top, and about twelve feet high,
and representing about thirty five
cords of wood, and estimated at ! 400
bushels of coal; that is, forty bushels
to the cord. The whole mass is then
carefully covered with leaves, and
these again with earth, 50 as to COM
pletely keep in the heat. Fire is then
set to the wood, and the pit is continu-
ally watched to prevent the fire from
burning through the covering. To fit
up pit of thirty-five cords is very
hard days woIk for two first-class
men. To cook pit takes about ten
day; the object is to not burn the wood
but to roast it. In the best of charcoal
the timber retains it's shape, and breaks
with a clean, bright fracture, and is
very gray instead of black i'm color.
In taking down a pit the covering IS
removed, and the coal is drawn out
with rakes having long, heavy iron
teeth. Any fire found in it is very
carefully put out, and the. coal, being
loaded into wagons, is taken to the
furnace. There are three grades of
coal-fine coal, which is put into the
baskets with rakes; hand coal, which,
being in larger and firmer masses. can
be lifted with the hands; and then
brnds or unburned pieces of wood.
Brands less than eighteen inches in
length pass as coal. On well con-
Quoted job there will be no brands left
except at the last pit, as these left at
one pit can be used at the next one.
In estimating expenses and profits
tdAc d -uNC COlo Plt, anu ~ "il'
run about as follows: For cutting wood,
$17.5O; hauling the same to the hearth,
81. 90; hauling the coal to the furnace,
S31.5O. Total, S56,-or four cents per
bushel. Price at the furnace, six and
a half cents. Balance due collier, S35,
for about three weeks of very hard
work: which also takes that skill and
good judgment that can only arise from
long practice.
collier, and can probably make forty
five bushels to the cord of wood, which
which will give $39.373 per pit.
The whole business of cOaling is
part of the present system of Jexhaus-
ton, which will probably last about
ten years longer.
A commercial crash in the near fu-
ture will follow the rising mineral
craze" and when the iron interest
emerges from that, 1t will be conducted
on other principles than at present:
T.C.