The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-11-19
BYPRoDUcTs OF COAL.

Dyes, Perfumes, Oils, Medicines, Pcisons
and other Valuable Extracts.
There is locked up in coal mar
velous series of products, which for
their beauty, wonder, sweetness and
use are uDexoelled. These valuable
extracts are obtained from coal, prin-
cipally in the modern byproduot
coke ovens and illuminating gas
works.
Until recently coal tar was q seri-
Gus annoyance to the managers of
gas producing establishments, inas-
much as it had TO be disposed of In
some other way than rs ordinary
waste, most commonly by burning.
Probably in no branch Of chemistry
has science delved so deeply rs in
that relating to the black, sticky
mass of coal tar, and certainly from
none has 1t produced more brilliant
results the productions being al
ready numbered among the thou
sands, incredible rs tho statement
may seem. They comprise nearly all
Of our most beautiful colors and
dyes, such as the aniline (indigo) Sc
ries, and the most important of our
medical remedies, those contribu-
tions of untold value to the healing
art, phenaoetine and antipyrine. tho
former of which has acquired n
worldwide reputation; many Of the
modern perfumes and essences and
saccharin, which one writer poetic.
ally describes as being IN thousand
times sweeter than sugar. In fact,
tho suggestion Is freely made that
il we hdvu sufficient faith and pa
tienco and persevero in our investi.
cations wo may yet see the day
when we can subsist on tar.
While the discovery and charao-
ter Of these products may be doem-
ed fairy tales of science, although
in reality of priceless value to hu.
manity, there are still fuel products
other than heat and power obtained
from coal that in amount and value
far exceed the dyes, medicines and
perfumes. The chief of these are the
tars themselves, from which are de-
rived the light and heavy oils, the
oreosotes and benzoles, the ammo
MIA from which we obtain that most
valuable OF oil fertilizers, sulphate
Of ammonia. From the nitrogen of
this fuel we may also extract that
most poisonous of drugs-that val
liable agent in gold assayipg-cya-
nide Of potassium. All these byprod-
ucts have acquired 30 important a
place in the arts, sciences and man.
ufactures as to become we'll estab-
lished articles of commerce, and the
prices realized pay large percent.
age of the original cost of the coal.
The amount Of these products con-
tanned in every ton of coal, as fig
ured out by Mr.. Weeks, makes very
interesting reading. In every ton OF
coal ooked in the United States, he
says, 1t Is fair to assume that from
any Of the byproduot coke ovens
there can be produced at least per
cent of tar, valued at 1 cont per
pound; l per cent of sulphate Of
ammonia, at 3 cents per pound; one
half of per cent of benzole, at z
cents per pound, and 1 pound Of oy.
anide of potassium, at 80 cents per
pound. In 1898, IA, 016, 147 tons OF
coal were ooked in the United States,
and the possible production and val,
ne of these products would have
been:
Amount In pounds. Value.
Tar 800, ,045, $50 sl.p8s, "a
Sulphato of ammonia 29S, 522,9t 500, ,0ts
Benzolo. .is9. l6i. 40 2,9S9, %
Cyanide of potassium. lL0lG,l47 7.45s, on