Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-02-06
u Chapter on Coal.

Wv AS" Sss OSo SAkk SkOVo
coai wa the smallest size into whioh
anthracite was broken for market. In
fact, from the time anthracite was in
troduced until q comparatively Gee
date consumers Of coal purchased it in
the lump and broke it to suit them
selves. Coal was used for many years
simply for heating purposes. the idea
Of coal-burning cooking stove not
being thought of until long afterward.
With the introduction Of coal-burnin9
cooking stoves began the breaking Of
coal into sizes that could be satisfac-
torily used on their gratos. Stove coal
had been in use for years before chest.
nut coal was introduced by the Dela-
ware and Hudson Canal Company.
The size was long gaining ia publ Q
favor. but about ter years ago bec;. me
the most popular anthracite fuel. buth
for cooking and heating stoves. Four
or tive years ago the Same company
tried tue experiment of screening Q
siso TO which was given tho nnmo OF
pea coal. This was so small that con.
sulners were still longer in seeing An
advantage in IL than they had been in
the Case OF the chestnut Sias. Exper.
ienoe has shown. however. that pea
coal has advantages winch are not
POSSESSED by chestnut and Accounting
to the reports Of GOA! sales Of tue Della.
ware aud Hudson Canal company here
for last month the safes oi pen coal OK.
G 'edcu those OF Chestnut. No ono BIZ
.!evcd that IL smaller S,z. than pea
Goa could e BIZ marketable. but the
Canal company recently began the
screening Ut :: coal so SNAIL thai it Was
given II n.mn oi ''uuckwnoat" For
this size an .xtensivu market las bcen
found on the hudson river, the river
steamboats, having found it y superiok
fusi for their boilers.
Tho most notable feature Of tho an
thr.cito coal fields arc the great noun
ta,h OF back waste from the mines
anu coal plies wnicn has been gwen
tne name Of cuIm. Fut.on per cent.
# Isl! xnlnrac.lo nillcu goes to the
GUM dumps. and milf ,ns OF dollars
ARE rep., scnted III land. i%naonincry aud
labor II, 'ssary Tor til" nau.inX and
>tor.nE OF the waste, whicn until Z
snort tlmo WAS looked upon rs entirely
worthless. For years inventors labor.
ca |" devils" some means by which
these mill!ons OF tons Vi CUM could w
utilized. Ingenious mac ,lncry has
bven patented having that end in view.
Inc cu.in. by mcals VI this machinery,
uas been pressed INTO brIcKs. with OH.
or com Dust,ble matter, companies with
large capitals being engaged in the ef'
tort to mus mako Ut the culm practb
ca! and vaIuabl. luel. Wine engaged
III TRIALS upon the waste itself no in
ventor seemed to havo thou int Of de-
vislnK . iurnuoe or drauXMt BY which
IL u NJ could " utilized without auy
treatment just as it came from tue
heups, until u tanEery engineer. work.
lug where culm was %auununnt, one day
liked q simple attachment to the
uraught Of tbs furnace aud found that
he could not only use culin wIthuu,
any difficulty, but That it Was bette,
fuel than ANY ho had previously used.
Since then tauncrieS. saw.niils, glas.
factories. aud all kinds of manuIActor,
les using steam have uliiized The fueI
to Il great extent, and tho GOAL coiu.
panies in this region 1T least have
found in what has Tor half y century
been Gu "hersoms and unsighlly waste
a profitable adjunct TO their business.
There WAS q: R,nLout, at the uthel
end OF the Canal. one vi the estab. ish'
nents enteayoring to maxi the culu
into bricks Of fuel. but it long since
gave up the business rs .tnprac.icabie
-Honfsdnh lu.. Cu.