San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-31
CHEAP FUEL.

VIII Get us All Kinds Of Manufac-
lures, and we can Rely ont.
Col. w. w. Tobey, one of San An
tonio's northern bred citizens, has, it
is thought, solved the question of how
we can get manufactures of all sorts
to locate in San Antonio.
For years it has been preached that
fuel is so high in price in this city
that the profit of manufactures would
be eaten up by the expenses. The
water power of San Antonio is good,
may, excellent, but one or two mills
along the river bank would greatly
detract from the power of the stream
for the benefit of others. :.
Wood for fuel has been out of the
question on account of its scarcity and
high price, and coal from the Indian
Territory, of the bituminous kind,
is also high priced when brought in
on the railroads. A very poor
quality of Ignite coal is abundant
around San Antonio, but users of this
coal say there is no heat in it and to
use it would cost more than to use the
bituminous article. Col. Tobey, how
ever, has gone to work on this Ignite
coal, and by the use of an apparatus
on which he has been working for the
past years, and which he has now
patented, has finally demonstrated
that Ignite coal can be burned, not
only at a great saving over other coal,
but at an economical reduction in cost
over its former yield. A LIGHT re-
porter has been given the opportunity
of seeing this apparatus in service at
the San Antonio ice factory, on LO-
soyo street, where the engine and
boilers have been fitted for it's use,
and where, by its use, not only is
more steam generated with smaller
quantity of fuel Qignite coal but a
greater gain in the efficiency of the
work is secured.
The device is placed in the boilers
and is controlled with little stop
cock, much as steam guages are. 1t
creates, by the use of oxygen, super
heated steam, which passes through
tube enclosed IN fire clay, through
the fire-box. Then it goes into the
device, which is the invention re-
ferred to. and there creates a vacuum
and takes in the natural atmosphere,
in which is procured the oxygen to
supply perfect combustion of the I'M
exploded carbon in the smoke, which
is the economic part of the device,
and which also uses the smoke
otherwise escaping through the
chimneys, so unpleasant in a
crowded city. This action of
using the uneXploded carbon creates
a greater draught and greater heat.
BY its use at the ice factory, with
every bit of the ice making machin-
cry at work and the additional tax of
a heavy electric dynamo to supply,
the engine has had surplus of
steam power and the device can not
be allowed to be operated all the time
on account of two much power sup
piled. Ignite or Lyle coal has been
used, and its consumption is nearly
ton for ton with the Indian Territory
coal. While without the device Lytle
coal compares 2 to 1-2 tons to one
ton of Indian Territory coal.
Now manufacturers can come
to San Antonio, put up
their plants, put in this inven-
ton in their boilers, Qt is applicable
to any stationary engine,) and by
that is found in inexhaustible guam
titles within a few miles of this city,
can reap larger profits, or as large, as
in the northern states. Lytle coal
costs 1915 per ton, while Indian Ter
ritory coal is priced at 81 per ton.
Col. Tobey is not practical me-
chanic, but evolved the idea which
led to his invention while walking
about his manufacturing establish
ment in Chicago. He tested it first
under these boilers and with perfect
success. 1t is presumed he will soon
begin the sale and manufacture of
his patent, but of this he will say
nothing as yet.
RaChalOT'G Den.