The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-08-04
A QUEER FUEL.
PEAT IS sURNEO ALL OVER
EUROPE.
What q Peat 30, - and How u 10
Worked Big Peat 6oss In This
Country

Peculiar interest attaches just now
10 facts newly gathered by the De-
partment of State on the subject OF
peat. The utilization Of that natural
product in this country would save n
great deal Of money for poor people
who have to pay for coal whatever the
Trust may ask.
Peat is used nearly everywhere
throughout Europe. wherever il can
be obtained without expense for
transportation. In large and small
cities, "a we'll as in rural districts, IL
is utilized for fuel; in fact, in many
localities il is the only substance en-
ployed for heating purposes. IL is
used also in factories, but its employ
ment for driving locomotives has
been abandoned. for fear OF fires in
forest and field.
A peat bed is simply an accumula-
tion OF the remains OF plants that
grew and docayed on the spot where
they are now found When the green
and growing upper layer OF this ma
terial is removed, one finds peat with
- 20 66 per cent. of carbon, and the
deeper one goes the better in quality
il gets. 1t may be cut out in blocks
and they may be stacked up, covered,
and dried and used for fuel.
There is kind Of moss called
sphagnum," which in large part
makes up the peat-producing vegeta-
ton. It's roots die annually, but
from the living top new roots are sent
out each year. The workmen who
dig peat understand that IL this sur
face is destroyed the growth Of the
bed must stop so, commonly, they
remove the sod carefully. replacing
it after they have taken out a stratum
OF peat. II these peat beds could lie
undisturbed and covered over through
many ages they would be transformed
eventually into mineral coal.
The upper layer OF peat, con sisting
chiefly OF the moss described, is,
when broken into fragments, n loose
and fibrous material--a mixture of
root tbres, leaves, stems, &c. The
intermediate stratum. wherein the
composition has reached an advanced
stage. constitutes the main mass Of
the peat often containing trunks and
roots o: trees. 1t is called peat
fibre" The bottom layer, known as
pitch turf" consists OF black,
compact, pitchy stuff, which shrinks
rapidly on being separated into small
pieces. 1t has, when cut evenly, a
smooth, wax-like surface. Contain
ing the greatest amount OF nitrogen,
IL is most valuable for heating.
When peat bog is to be worked,
the first thing necessary is TO drain
the land. After the latter has OBJ
taned the requisite degree OF dryness
the peat is dug. II still retains 40
or SO per cent. Of water which Is al
most entirely removed from IL by
artificial processes OF drying. In the
digging OF peat machinery has taken
the place OF manual labor within the
last few years. Various machines
are employed to cut out the peat In
cubes or bricks, which are afterward
dried. Other mechanical contriv-
ances press the peat in molds, turn
ing il out in balls or other shapes.
About five per cent. OF the entire
area OF Germany is covered by peat
bogs. One method adopted for work
ing them is TO cut away the vegeta-
tion from the surface TO begin with.
The bed is then ploughod and har-
rowed, the loosened peat being
broken up 30 as TO expose IL 10 the
action OF the air. II is then gathered
by n contrivance resembling snow
plough, after which IL is put into n
drying oven and thence conveyed TO
n press, whence IL issues in the form
OF smooth shiny, dark brown bricks.
One machine Of six-horse power can
produce from $1,000 TO 100, 900 bricks
n day. Artificial drying is the most
costly item in the expense account
for the peat production.
Peat contains from 10 60 GO per
cent. OF carbon, 4 20 9 per cent Of
hydrogen, % 10 30 per cent. OF nitro
gen, and TO six per cent. OF oxygen.
In respect TO heating power, 100
pounds OF IL are equal TO from 30 TO
60 pounds of hard coal. In Europe
peat is also turned 20 account IA a
fertilizer and as a building material,
being employed "a n filler for vacant
spaces, separating layers for water
works, ice houses, &c. BY means Of
process recently patented, 1t has
been made 10 do service in tanneries.
The waste PARTICLES Of peat, known
"a peat dust" have been utilized
extensively OF late as material for
fitting up odorlcss vaults.
In the United States peat bogs Of
enormous extent are found. Experts
are of the opinion that the article
could be proftably produced in this
country, especially in localities where
distance from the coal mines makes
coal excessively dear. Nevertheless,
attempts already.madc in this direc-
tion have not met with success. In
New England efforts have been made
30 dry and press peat for market, but
10 could not be turned out in this
form for less than g. ton. At any
thing like equal prices, 10 cannot