The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-27
MILLIONS IN LIGNITBS.
Geologist Dumble on Texas Mineral
Wealth.
From the 81. Louis Republic.

From the ST. Louis Republic.
Dumble to-day finished his report on his re-
cent trip to Germany to investigate the lig-
mites Of that country, with a view to the
utilization of the great Ignite belt of Texas,
covering an area of over 500 miles in length
and twenty to 100 miles in width. As a
result of his observations he says:
"The brown coal of Europe may be
divided into four general classes, viz: First,
Ignite; second, common brown coal; third,
pech coal; fourth, glance coal, all Of which
have representatives in Texas Statistics
show that in Germany last year over 49,
600. 900 tons of brown coal or Ignite were
mined, valued at SIC, 000, 900 In round num-
bers."
Prof. Dumble enumerates at length the
uses to which German brown coal is put,
and states that earthly brown coal is used
for household purposes just as it is mined.
Mr.. Dumble says the Bohemian brown
coal, of which he made a close study, is put
to every use, domestic, manufacturing, or
metallurgical, for which stove coal is used,
except the smelling of iron ores, and
the production of pig iron. The loco
motives, which have very hard work over
the mountain railways, use it exclusively.
Brick works, chemical works, glass facto-
ries, fire brick and tile works, potteries,
cement factories and lime Kilns are all run
successfully and economically with this
brown coal as their only fuel 1t is used as
fuel exclusely by the largest iron and steel
works of the country for the processes of
converting pig iron into wrought iron and
steel, and for rolling this into rails bars,
wire. sheet iron and all similar products.
| Comparing the German and Texas lig-
mites Mr.. Dumble saws: LAS stated in the
beginning Of this report, | have compared
our Texas lignites with those of Germany
aud Austria, and find that we have repre-
sentatives of the various classes mentioned.
l have personally examined the various
classes of brown coal as they occur in the
deposits, as they come from the mine, and
as they are used in the various application
and have compared them with our Texas
lignites, both in their physical char
acter and chemical composition,
with the result as stated / have
submitted average specimens of our
Texas brown Goals to the highest authori-
ties on this subject in Germany and Aus
tria, and they. without exception, confirm
my statement and unite in pronouncing the
Texas brown coal of excellent quality, fully
equal to the Bohemian, and equally sulta-
BILE for all domestic, industrial and metal
lurgcal purposes. | have, therefore, the
pleasure Of reiterating the statement made
several times already, and each time sup
ported by stronger evidence, that Texas hos
in the immense deposits of brown coal a
cheap fuel which can be used for every pur-
pose for which fuel is needed"
AS to the utilization of the Texas lgnites
Prof. Dumble says: "The fact of the great
fuel value of brown ccal having been thus
fully decided, have endeavored to secure
all possible information, and, when practi-
cable, the detailed drawings or plans of the
various kinds of ovens, fire. boxes, CRATES
and appliances for using brown coal. Some
of these are the subjects Of patents and can
therefore be used only under royalty or
purchase. Others, and some of these the
ruost important, are not patented and are
free TO all. Through the kindness Of the
owners of the iron works and
rolling mills in Bohemia and Styria
1 have secured plans in detail of the
boxes, gas producers aud arrange
ments by which they use the raw brown
coal for the purpose stated. / have also
the plan of the blast furnaces, which are
now in operation. using mixed fuel Of coke
and raw bron coal. From the manufactur-
ers of locomotives will have detailed plans
OF the FIRE boxes used on such Locomotives