St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-30
NOW They MAKE COAL
The Fuel Patents Company
Has Accomplished the
Feat.
After Many Years Man Makes
Coal Superior to Ma
tupe.
It Is Now Being Done for In
SpectiOn in East Min
neapolis.
State Rights Being Disposed
in All Parts Of the
Country.

Some time ago there appeared in the
GLOBE an article describing the discov
cry of manufactured product of coal
that was superior to the genuine article.
The write-up was lengthy one and
was SO astounding in its revelations
that the local press doubted the fact and
scowled the whole thing as fake. In
spite of that fact the company was or
ganized in Philadelphia that was to
revolutionize the coal industry of the
world. This company was incorporated
with the following officers: M. Neid-
linger, president; S. F. Nixon, vice
president; Robert Lesly, treasurer; j.
F. Joline. secretary. Directors: Weld
ner, Elkins & Co., Philadelphia; M.
Neidlinger, Philadelphia; S. f. Nixon,
Philadelphia; Ware B. Gay, Boston;
Robert w. Lisley, Philadelphia; J. f.
JOline, Camden, n. j.
The machinery and preparation was
patented, and so rapid was the develop
ment of the idea, that in a short time
after the setting up of the first machine,
all the territory east of the AllegnenieS
had been disposed of by the company
to other corporations, and the manu-
featuring of the machinery begun. The
rights for California and Wisconsin
quickly followed, and the company
began to look abroad for new worlds to
conquer. In Belgium the inhabitants
use poor quality of manufactured felt,
and machine was packed for shipment
to that country, when Mr.. Midlinger
thought of the immense field that lay
in the Northwest for such venture,
and he at once had the directions
changed and the machinery sent to
Minneapolis and set up in the building
of the PatrOle Fuel company, corner of
Fifth street and Second avenue north
east.
A GLOBE reporter visited the place
Yesterday and was courteously enter
tanned by Mr.. Midlinger, who has
charge in person. Great piles of the
dust from coal. that has hitherto gone
to waste. was piled in huge bins. and in
the far end of the building is the sim
pie machine that has taken years of
study to perfect, ana which, though it
is but small edition of a machine such
as are intended to be used, can turn out
ten tons of the fuel per hour.
The coal dust is taken in on the sec
ond floor, where it is mixed with pure
coal product OF bitumen in small guam
titles, by system Of measurement ar
ranged so as to be perfect. From here
the work is all done automatically, one
man only being necessary to run the
machine. The dust is then fed slowly
down into a mixer. and from thence be-
tween two soft iron rollers, indented
with countless cups, each opposite the
other. Passing between them, it suS-
tains pressure of four tons to the inch,
from where it drops onto an endless
canvass carriage that brings it to where
it is shoveled up as coal and thrown
into piles. The whole work is not more
than what is required to crush and
screen anthracite coal.
And such coal as it is. About two
thirds the size Of an egg, oval, but a
little fattened, and clean and hard,
with absolutely no odor, and not the
least waste. So much for the appear
ance. But it is in the burning qualities
that it shows its inourpaSSable value. A
stove was burning in the building. filled
with the fuel. The Goals were at a
pretty req heat. aud Slight blue flame
sprang from them. The. bed of Goals
seemed as solid and lasting as that from
the best Pennsylvania anthracite. One
of the red hot chunks was taken from
the fire and thrown into water. After
it had cooled it was taken out and bore
but slight difference in appearance to
those that had never been into the fire.
Pals of water were sitting around
the office in which the fuel had been
soaking for days, and when taken out
it did not appear to be affected in any
way. The fuel has been put through
all the tests and not the least diSin-
tegration has been the result. The coal
has but slight ash, and this can be
put on the fire again at night and will
burn again. 1t outlasts the best quail
ties of known natural Goals.
AS an example of what has been ac-
complshed in the art of manufacturing
fuel, after nearly hundred years OF
study by different generations, the fol-
lowing report is interesting:
Stevens institute of technology, New
York, scientific report of the compressed
petrole coal fuel made under the Lois
eau" process (either IN egg or furnace
SiZe.)
Adding together the heat units of
groups c.. F. and L., and making the
proper allowance for unburnt fuel, as
per group A. we have the following as
the total or absolute calorific power of
one pound of fuel, less external radia-
ton:
BTU. Average.
Loiseau fuel, natural
Loiseau fuel, forced
draught. ........... 10,4S4-2lJ
Chestnut anthracite
natural draught.... 9,590.03 O s7o 81
Chestnut anthracite
forced draught... 9,569.32