The record-union., 1897-01-24
THE USE OF COAL.
How Fuel is Wasted by Ignorant
Handling of Stoves.


How Fuel is Wasted by Ignorant
Handling of Stoves.
The provident American householder
buys his coal when it is the cheapest
in large quantities, and is brought to a
realizing sense of the uncertainty Of
earthly things by it's rapid disappear
ance under the hands of the maid-of-
all-work.
Now, 1T is an indisputable fact that
under proper management a ton of coal
Will Keep range Of the largest family
size, that with an eight and a half-inch
lid, in full running force for two winter
months, but it is an easy matter to burn
twice or even three times this amount,
and do no more work with the range.
The figures given allow for a continuous
fire night and day. II the fire is al
foWed to go out every day it will be
necessary to use considerably more coal.
beside the fuel furnished to build the
new one. No first-class range requires
any such expediture of time and fuel,
but 1t should be kept going continu-
ously.
CEnkers may be readily removed from
the new duplex CRATES with which mod
ern ranges are furnished, and any sound
c1nders that fall out can be collected on
the grating over the ashpan and re-
turned to the fire. This grating catches
all the cinders, and has practically done
away with the necessity of sitting the
ashes
The economy of all the more recent
ranges is complete, and there are
dozen varieties, all costing less than $50
that Will do everything that has been
mentioned
Such ranges require nothing but in
telligent management, which, unhap-
PLY, they seldom get.
The ashes must be emptied systemat-
ically every morning. The smoke draft
must be closed all the time, except when
the fresh coal is first kindled in the
morning, or whenever coal is put on. 1t
is false economy to attempt to run a
stove with a smaller quantity of coal
than will fill the firebox.
To start UP the fire, take the stove
down, clear out all the clinkers and
ashes, lay three or four sticks Of wood
on the hot ashes, and fill up as full as
possible without allowing the Goals to
reach the covers. When the Goals are
fairly ablaze and the gas has burned
off little, but before the top of the fire
Is free from black Goals, close the smoke
draft. This throws the heat into the
oven. Soon after this, as soon as the
fire is bright, close the drafts beneath it
unless you wish an extra hot oven. In
that case, leave them open a while long
er II only moderate fire is required.
close UP part of the pipe draft. When
the cooking of a meal is over, sprinkle
clnderS over the fire and open the
draft that let's cold air ON top.
If you wish to use the fire again, close
the cold air draft and the pipe draft,
and open the drafts under it. Do not
touch the smoke draft except when
coal is put on Do not rake down the
fire, or disturb 1T, except once in about
five or six hours, when it should be
done thoroughly, and fresh coal put on.
AT night see that the CRATE is free
from clinkers and ashes, and bank it
with coal. Shut off all drafts, close the
pipe draft partially, and open the little
door that lets cold air over the fire.
Leave a window down to let out any
gas that may escape, and shut the
kitchen door Do not leave the covers
partly off, as this is sure to fill the
room with gas, which, in spite of all
precautions, may escape to other parts
of the house
There is not the slightest need of any
device except a few sticks or half a
bundle of dry kindling wood to start
the fire in the morning. If 1t is allowed
TO go out, a great deal more wood and
coal will be required to kindle it.
A little wood helps the coal to kindle,
and a stronger, more rapid blaze is OBJ
tanned by it's use.
Coal is wasted in various WAYS,
chiefly in keeping the smoke damper
open continually, and in allowing the
coal to be piled against the covers. A
full but not a heaping firebox should
be the rule. 1t is easy to burn a ton Of
coal month, and not have the range
in working order any Of the time. This
is twice the quantity of coal any fam
lily range should burn.
The ignorance Of many housekeep-
ers and cooks concerning the use of the
drafts of the range is appalling
A lady who understood something of
stove drafts and of the profound ignor-
ance of most housemaids regarding
their use once purchased a second hand
stove, which had been condemned by
its owners because 1t smoked
1t bore the name Of a famous manu-
facturer-a far better recommendation
than any owner could give. It had
been in use for two years, and a short
examination showed that during all
this period the smoke draft had never
been used. 1t was sealed up in SCOT
and the handle was broken off. The
owner said she had never noticed 1t
before. and in other matters she was
fairly intelligent housekeeper-New
York Tribune.
A Clear Case.