New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-08
IN THE CHEERFUL OPEN CRATE.
CAMEL COAL AND IT'S ENPENSE-IHE
DEMAND FOR 1T DYING OUT.

DEMAND FOR 1T DYING Otl
The first cold blasts of November cause the
householder to bestir himself and attend 10 inc
dutv Of getting his heating apparatus IN order
,ho,hor q no q furnace steam boiler, hot-wat"r
beater stove or open fire. In the betwiXt ana De-
tween of the seasons. the middle between summer
and winter when it is hardly cold enough u s'"''
the furnace or steam and yet not suihcleh''! WARM
10 be comfortable without artificial neat Oh SOM
kind the open-gratc fire supplies the need ana LOT
a short time forms prominent feature INSIDE the
house
That man has never fully realized perfect rest
and peace who has not once In his lie fouid ELM
self doing undisturbedly in an armchair peiore
the glow and warmth of roaring log hre' lhe'e
&c something about open fire when makes
evsrv one invountariy call 1t cheerful ana nome
lilo The effect Is heightened when the nish'
without is bitter cold. and the lights witmh pui"
low leaving the crate fire both 10 Illuminate '''
surroundings with its ftful fame and TO give out
its warmth and neat
In the rural districts the open fireplace II as
nopular as ever, but in the large cities where an
sorts ~ modern improvements in heating appa-
ratus have been introduced. and where the mol
ern apartment-house is stepping IN 10 '"he "
nlace of the individual home CRATE hres are ne
coming n thing OF the past. In some OF 'he o'u
hotels of New-York where each room has grn'e
will now be found also s'ca" '"
supplies the heat.
Ono of the largest retail coal dealers of New
York in speaking the subject told tribune
reporter that years ago his orders 10. speo'"
camel coal for crate fires used to form an I'M
portant part Of his business. but that Tor man!
wears there had been gradual falling OF III 'h's
line Gas logs had hurt his business In most
modern buildings where frepaces were pu; IN the
gas log could always be found The iac' th"' i"
made no dirt or rubbish and was always ie"u'
TO light on a moments notice gave IL an "".
vantae, over CRATES in which other forms OF fuel
hat, hero "
used Il was quite fad just now TO burn pieces
Of driftwood along with the hickory bass, becch
maple or whatever other wood was burned nv
driftwood containing salt. copper ana o'her "'"'
eral substances absorbed from the ocean, sa'c d"
dame of peculiar color. Sometimes IL was bright
rcd and then again green or combination oil
both One small piece Of this driftwtod placed
In a fire with a bundle of other fuel would las'
for a long time. He went on 10 say that Gamer
coal was the mos. popular fue. Tor the Guy gray
fire and at the some time the most eNI'hS''r
Camel coal special grade OF pi'ui"lno"S
coal 1t was shipped largely from ono virginia
Kentucky and the western part Of pennsylvania
A large amount of English camel coal was also
sold in this country. bringing as high as Si' ION
Camel coal contains so much oil ard gas-produc-
inc substances that IL gives out bright Name
How II derived the name camel Is somewhat OF a
guess SOM say that by reason OF ts bright
burning quality II was likened unto candle ann
Others believe that the term camel came from
Ene1s,d' and was first applied to coal that was
brought from the mines In cana boats Sahai
coal it was styled which gradually was cha I,s
into camel coal. American camel coal brings
from $40 TO sl2 ton. II is not screened as some
think but is found only in certain veins OF
mine II Is used almost entirely in crate ires
being of such high price that manufacturers can
not afford il. 1t has also good market among
gas manufacturers who make coal-gas
There are old houses OF New ork IN which
the rooms heated only by crates. Many Oh
the So are now run boarding houses. ana 70 tne
prospective tenant price is given with or wiihout
fuel for the fire In his room. Then again. tnere
combination stove and open fireplace. These mats
contain from five seven rooms and TWO OF
these heating affairs are supposed to be sufficient
10 heat the whole fiat; -, A.
or six feet, long, OF course. cannot be iound IN
this city at the present time. The mouern arch-
tect has almost forgotten how to design such an
affair although in the case OF country ciunh0usr'
But many old country mansion located not 80
many hundred miles away from New-fork sun
glories In the log fire. and the owner would as
Soon forget to put potatoes In his cellar az let a
summer go by without providing logs Tor use a u
through the autumn and sometimes all throush
the winter. Long distance bicycling. which mas
given new life TO the old country inns that were
Sinking to decay. has brought many z, city rider
before the end crackle OF an old -iashionci
| log fire. The tourist on wheel has found the
| log fires and quaint country meals OF the way :
| trip. After supper. for which long ride has
| given keen appetite, the wheelmen form circle
| around the blazing fire. and with pipes giving
forth volumes Of fragrant smoke. settle themselves
| for tales of the biggest fish ever caught was
| the fish that got away" only II is not fish they
| talk about but the big runs made In single day.
abounds CRATE fires the rule. being not only
cheap but clean. fire OF pine knots Is considered
better than all others. but only the few can ENJOY
pine knots. there is limit to the supply