The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-05-22
CHARCOAL.
How u Ia Made, and Those Nho
Make II.
Interesting Rradlae Abou' an Ia
dusiry


"Coaling wood" was carried on In Pssseio
county, New Jersey, at the beginning 81
the present century, and just NJ tho year
1890 found the industry II exists ~ Toe pfti'
ent day. II has peiih.r enlarged nor in'
proved, aud the prOgfess OF sclelcr hhs
made 10 difference IN lho shape or toe coin'
pOnent parts Of n charco j mound. Ihe
charcoal burning district % PaSthic county
lies in the upper patt OF he county ~ ,he
wilds aud las ue..es OF Wyuockiei bosrd'
Vile and Midvsle Even the dlsirlolin which
charcoal 10 burned mas undergone Nltle
and In paris no change, no that II a "eohlof
who died In the first years 81 the Irssen'
century were 90 re'urh from the grave 70
the scenes OF his i0rDier activity nc Woull
find nothing 10 wonder a.. Every nuns 70
still in its priu.ilve state. The cfhgs iu the
mountains present the same barren iac-si
the birds twilter Ia the bushes unscarod by
cun aud the rabhlth bursOW IN their warren
| uuchAsrd BY hjund. tho saine crop OF
stones which grew in the fields many years
ago still awaits the harvester anu fo"le
| have the come diilicult tas8 20 perform oi
extracting sustennuce for trees by itrclnH
| themselves iuto tho cfevices 81 tht lnouu-
| tain rocks. Che nuoent cooler when be
cut down a tree, planted auotheri his
descendant OF the present day nQnal'o,
| TO this excellent custom. 'a,t,i.ss
and writing were considered hipoin a, ,'.'
many years ngo, aud ~ b .uo Arc unal-
ptip nn,eiscE md enalIeroot we're the
| tsi ra,osdy TOR chills and ofner
tsa,,hies' and the 'coalet" OF the present
'.ey still has an abiding faith In the inedl-
| cine OF his ancestors: beer ana otuer o'lhhs
are con sidered new.fingled and worthless
Even the number Of charcoal.Durners has
undergone little or no change. Charcoal
was formtrlf used for great many pur.
poses supplied at present by other fuel; but
| what the market lost in this direction IL
gained In the Increased demand ior cnRr-
! coal IN ayocations In which 20 proper suo'
etitUte has 10 yet been found. Thas mere
| Ia about as much charcoal used to-day ns
there was at the beginning OF the century,
aud there ia need for iuat rs many coal
ers ~
now CHARCOAL rs MADE.
| Charcoal Is very seldom made during me
co ID season, for the ice and snow would 10
| terfere with the work; but ss toon ss the
| leaves begin 10 shoot forth. ths charcoal
burner selects spot 10 build his mound.
| IL M alters not where this spot Is 30 long as
circle may be- formed on level ground
some fifteen or twenty feet IN diameter, hLd
30 long IS there is wood near BY 20 mat The
cnrtipg OF raw material may DC sa7eu' MOI
does il matter what kind OF wood 1t lie; soft
wood IL easier 10 handle, cools more rapidly
aud makes a light charcoal; harder woods
make q heavier and more lss,ifg charcoal
which is more readily disposed OF,
although II brings no better price.
The wood is cut up like cord wood and
is arranged in cylindrical shape, the Larger
pieces being placed in position like raiil IN
circle. the iuterstloe5 are hlled mp with
smaller pieces, except II place in the center
OF the heap, where space is ieit about two
feet in width. La this way from ton 70
twenty cords OF wood are piled up, accord
ing TO the desire of the ''coalers," who then
prOceed.to cut fresh GODS, which are placed
on the wood. Over the sods rom Two 20
four inches Of earth Is heaped. The mounds
are generally rom six TO twelve feet high.
The mound having been covered with
sods and earth, except the two foot hole
down the centre, which - called
the pit, the charcoal burner
proceeds TO ill this space with small pieces
OF wood. He sets fire 10 these on top and
then covers them up with sods and earth.
Every day the ''cosler" opens the pit and
gees 10 IL that the fire is neither too great
nor too small, but that u Ia smouldering
properly down toward tho bottom OF the
Dit. Fresh bits Of wood arc added when
necessary, anu in Il Few DAYS SMOKE ara
steam issue forth hrough the sods and
earth al over tho mound. This ig keot UP
from nine TO twenty days, according TO the
hardness OF the wood TO be coaled, when
the fire is allowed TO go out or 10 quenched
and the charcoal is ready IL is then cold
to Deddlcrs, for the cnarcoal burner very
seldom retails his own product.
SMALL PROFITS.
The profits on charcoal D the burner are
not very great. Wood for coaling IS worth
81. so per cord standing. This is what the
"coalern has 10 pay Tor it II he owns no
woodland. He then has TO cut IL, arrange
Il In the mound, attend TO it's cosllng and
find a customer Tor 10. A mound OF twenty
cords OF wood-4hich Is considered very
large rpound-would cost the charcoal Dor.
ner $50 for raw material; il would yield
about COO bushels OF charcoal, for which the
'Goaler," at present price,, would receive
f48, leaving him SIS ior mis- labor. The
pendler In retailing the product OF the pit
doubles and tiebles the price, and the char
coal finally reaches IT. highest value when
it gete into the hands OF the plumber.
The places occupied by the charcoal burn
ers were once the winter quarters OF the
Revolutionary army under General wash
iueton. An occasional amusement OF tho
charcoal burner Is to dig Tor relics OF the
Revolutionary war. He knows by expe'
riepce where to lock for the places where
the Boidiers mad .heiE camp freq. Firs'
comes about three fest OF ground made by
decayed foliage since the war; then II ashes
arc struck IL il regarded as evidence that
there once was q camp fire on the spot Sc.
lected. Further digging 10 generally re-
vsrded by the discovery OF button, but
let A piece OF flint or something oil the kind'
nnd these are then treasured In the family
OF the "coaler" as valuab.es, on account Of
thu teminiscsnnas attached to them.
----s-------------
Little Joker" is the best smoking to
baCgo