Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-12-26

volatile and fixed carbon that is con-
tanned in the best anthracite coal, we
nave within 6 per cent as much carbon
us the best bitlminous GOALS of Ohio
contains and we have within one hum
uredth OF l per cent Of the carbon value
of the GOALS Of Illinois and less than
one-half as much ash and only one.
seventh as much sulphur
We have 2 per cent more carbon than
some Goals and only throw from it
as much ash and only one-sixth as
much sulphur. TO any careful business
man these figures cannot out bring
conviction and when it is known that
the best results represented in one
pound Of Ignite approach within 10
per cent Of the best anthracite, there
will be a revolution in the sentiment
which has heretofore maintained that
Eastern coal was so much superior to
Ignite without going into the facts
which determine these matters.
The cost of any foreign coal is at
least double that Of Ignite in Fargo
and the difference in price is much
greater toward the middle and west
ern portions Of the state. The fuel
problem is one that effects every in
dustry and every citizen in this state
and is to-day one Of the leading ques-
pie do not wake up to the fact that
they are actually becoming bankrupt
by having to pay the enormous sums
that are required to meet the fuel
bills every year and every dollar that
goes East for fuel is gone forever and
no return can ever be expected. If
there We're some reciprocal relations
that would return portion Of
this vast sum. there might be
some compensating relief. AS in
now is the fuel bills of North Dakot:
annually amount to the enormou1
sum of from S5,5OOOOO to S7,O0O,OO0,-
which could all be saved at home
and this amount of money kept with
in our own borders. The profits &C.
cruing from this great enterprise
would belong to our own citizens.
The vast amount of labor necessary
to produce this fuel would give en-
ployment to the army of laborers and
that our own railroads would haul
our entire fuel supply within our own
borders and we would not be required
to pay tribute to foreign corporations
who have no interest whatever in our
welfare.
Believing that we have established
the fact that we have a good quality
of Ignite coal which is almost equal
n heat units to the best Eastern GOALS
and better, in fact then some. and
that it can be produced and delivered
to consumers at much less price,
thereby giving it many advantages
over Eastern coal. We now come to
the question. why is it not generally,
In fact exclusively, used. This is
question that requires most careful
and unbiased consideration. Being
producer of Ignite COAL have given
this subject very great consideration
and have arrived at some conclusions
that may not - acceptable to the
general or casual reader.
First Of all too many people prefer
to walk in the rut and do as they
have done for years, burn ''hard coal,''
simply because it is clean and easily
managed, and having the proper stove
for burning it they do not care to
take the trouble to investigate a new
thing or change their manner of doing
business. They wait for some prac-
teal person to go ahead and blaze the
way and discover the improvement
and make it easy for them to make
change The manufacturer who uses
fuel for steam is prospecting in the Old
way and waits also for some enter
prising neighbor to change from the
old order of things and make improve
ments that will enable him to grasp
an additional profit without the
trouble and annoyance Of making the
experiments that lead to new discov-
cries. A comparatively small amount
of Ignite coal was mined and burned
in this state ten years ago and al
most every one who used it began
it's use because of it's cheapness and
not having the proper devices for
burning it, there were numerous COM
plants of its being poor fuel, and it
has grown in disfavor. To-day it is
not so. Numerous devices for burn
ing it for domestic use and as a steam
coal have demonstrated beyond Ques-
ton that the analysis Of North Da-
kota Ignite as compared with other
fuel is correct and that commercially
it stands to-day on a par if not better
than many Of the Eastern Goals for
steam purposes, and as a domestic
fuel it certainly has no equal in this
market. Thirty Of the most pro-
gressive stove manufacturers in the
East are vieing with each other in
producing the best Ignite burner, and
almost the entire stove trade is in
curing for devices to consume our
native coal. The efforts to burn sue
ceSSlully tulS Iuel lllaC lies at our
very Threshold should receive tue
attention Of every class Of citizens Of
our state and should be encouraged
by legislation to any reasonable ex-
tent. Our railroads should cooperate
as some are now doing to make a
rate that would encourage it's general
use at distant points from the mines.
The extent Of our coal lands have
not been definitely determined, but
enough is known to fully justify tire
statement that we have the very best
quality of Ignite in inexhaustable
quantities and more than sufficient
for many thousand wears to come.
R. e. Fleming.