St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-26
HERE'S A new FUEL.
An Artificial Coal Which Does
Not Require to Be
Mined.
The New Building 0rdina nee
Being Gradually Tinkered
Into Shape.
A Leading Mercantile Firm
to Change It's Loea-
ton.
More Single-Tax Ideas--Notes
About Minneapolis
Matters.

M. Maxine Durand, of Paris, was
walking nervously back and forth in
the corridor of the West hotei yester-
day afternoon, when he was approached
by GLOBE reporter and engaged in
conversation. Nj. Durand has a strik-
ing personality, and would be picked
out among a hundred men as one of
superior attachments. He is short in
stature, but built with robust shoulders
and chest, the hands and feet small,
even for Frenchman. He wears
close-cut. iron gray beard, and his
rather prominent features are set off by
pair of large, deep gray eyes that are
never quiet for an instant. and seem to
read one through at their first pene-
trating glance.
In response to the inquiry as to
whether or not he was NJ. Durand, the
French savant. he replied ''yeS" to the
former question, but said that he left
the latter to the good Judgment of his
cOnfrereS. The gentleman has pleas
SAINT voice, and while it has broad
French accent, the language used is
perfect, and proves that he has made a
study of the English tongue. Nj. Durand
is i'll the'city in the interest of q patent
upon which he has spent years of study,
and he seemed rather reluctant to talk
about it.
"You see,'' said he, Though it is what
choose to call patent. it is not yet
patented. for l wish TO make very Ger
tain that snail word my papers so as
to make it impossible that there shall be
any infringements upon it. But come,
l may tell you some things, that it will
not hurt me to have known, for it may
interest the public, and assist me in the
formation of the company, after shall
| secure my patent. Let us repair to my
room, and l shall speak more freely"
Arriving at monsieur's room, the sa-
ant mOtiOned the reporter to a chair,
| and, seating himself. proceeded leis-
urely to roll cigarette by way of pre-
amble. ''YOu may be disappointed"
said he finally, ''that have mt to tell
you that | have the means of forming
diamonds at my command or discov-
cred the secret process of manufacture
ing gold: but have. not exactly dis
covered, but improved OH. a plan by
which that can be manufactured that
Will be of much more material benefit
to the American people, mechanical
formation of very fair quality of coal.
You smile, see. at the idea of such
! thing as being possible. Allow me to
| explain to you little. For some years
poor quality of fuel has been made in
certain portions of France by a mechan-
ical process, and in Holland an
even better article is produced,
but not to the perfection to which
my apparatus brings it. You
are perhaps aware of the high
price of all kinds of coal in this North
western country. What if tell you
that my coal can be made very close to
Minneapolis at first cost of S1.40 for a
ton? Do you not see what a profit there
would be in its manufacture? The only
thing l have to guard against is that my
patent shall be amply protected. The
idea is so simple, when it is known,
that what you call infringements would
follow, unless the papers were rightly
worded.
"The next thing to be considered is
quality. l have here" going to a fiat
leather receptacle and unstrapping it, "a
piece of the material which have made
in small way, and L ask you to tell me
what it looks Iike.'
M. Durand handed the reporter a
| piece of black. heavy composition in a
| perfect shape, about the size of brick,
but half as long again. In appearance
| it much resembled a block of ebony,
but was much darker than
the natural wood, and considerably
heavier. us not that beautiful ?'' asked
| NJ. Durand, becoming enthusiastic.
"You see l rub it SO with my handker-
chief. and no black comes off. 1t is
| clean as wood. Now let me tell you an
| other thing; it works finer than wood.
! 1t will stand polish as glossy as gran
lite. and could be used for the manu-
facture of all sorts of furniture, for it
carves easily and gives splendid bas
relief effect.
1.-The next thing to be considered is
its infiammable qualities. There have
been many fuels manufactured, and.
believe, company has recently failed
| Minneapolis that was putting ON the
| market what they termed petrOle fuel.
| The fault with all such has been that
they burn only in flame and leave the
ashes to deaden the fire. This fuel
burns in deep red coal, from which a
bright, pale blue flame darts, and gives
the most pleasing effect in CRATE. You
would be also much surprised at the eX-
ceedingly small amount of ashes that
| is accumulated, in which there can
never be sign of what you call elinker
| or slate. 1t can also be made i'm long
blocks like the one you now hold in
| your hand, in small squares, or can be
| crushed and screened In the same man.
| ner as the Pennsylvania coal.
81 was up in the northern part of this
! state and Dakota last autumn, and there
found an unllmlied quantity of the
material necessary to the manufacture
of this fuel, which have not, as yet,
| given name. Should L succeed in
forming the company, which / propose
to start, the main offices would be in
Minneapolis and the works not far
| A .,la Oh
600, a small amount truly when the
enormous profits are taken into cOnsid-
Grafton.
~ shall leave for ST. Paul this even
ing on matters connected with the TAX
ing out of my patent. and will return in
a few days to interest some of the Min
neapolis capitalists in my venture. ]
have been led to understand that thew
are ever ready to put in their money
when the idea is deserving one, and
think can convince them from practi.
cal illustrations that have something
that Minneapolis should be proud to in.
troduce to the world.
81 have hopes that everything can be
completed by the coming summer. and
then we shall see. | think we shall
make what you call the coal barons
weep bitter tears, and place a superior
quality of fuel within the reach of the
poor classes. There will be no further
need to burn wood with coal at 81 for
ton.
81 will try and let you know whel
my patent is out. aud give you all tn,
particulars" and the savant tenderly
placed the block of fuel back in its re
ceptacle and bowed the reporter out.
| AMENDING THE ORDINANCE.
Aldermen, Architects and Build