The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-08
THEY HAVE MANY DOUBTS
How Will Mitchell Get Rid of the
Nitrogen GASP
DANGER. OF EXPLOSION
The Committee Does Not Quite See
What Is to Become of the Sulphur
Smoke Which Cannot Be
Totally Burned.

one of the things which has been
| puzzling the smoke committee, which
| Will meet tomorrow evening to prepare
| its report on j. ID. Mitchelfs smoke con-
| sumner. is what becomes of the nitrogen
| which is separated in the burning of the
oxygen. Mr.. Mitchel's plan contem-
plates only four-foot stacks, which are
used only in getting a fire started.
When the fire is under Roadway the
hampers in the stacks are closed the
blower is started, and the smoke arts
ing from the fire, instead of going up
the stacks. is drawn through the blower
and then forced through a water Jacket
and gas generator. where the earthly
| matters are deposited. and the smoke
and gases then rise to the fire to be
burned once more. This is a continual
process, the smoke and gases rising
from the fire being constantly drawn
around by the blower to be subjected to
the fire again.
In discussing the matter some of the
members of the committee could not
see what becomes of the nitrogen which
constitutes about 40 per cent of the
air. The oxygen would be burned, but
the nitrogen is understandable and while
more air is introduced all the time by
the blower to feed the fire. no provis-
ion seems to be made for the exit of the
nitrogen 1t must therefore be con-
stantly increasing and would force a
vent in such a way as perhaps to cause
great destruction.
Mr.. Mitchelrs explanation as to this
criticism is that the nitrogen escapes
by reason of the hampers in the stacks
not being made air tight. Were the
whole thing air tight the nitrogen
would necessarily be constantly in
creasing, but sufficient space is left in
the hampers for the non eombustible
IL,
scarcely a perceptible amount of smoke
would escape.
Mr.. Mitchell is confident that with
the same apparatus he can dispose of
the sulphur smoke, but the members of
the committee seem rather skeptical on
this point.
You say sulphur smoke can't be
burned said Mr.. Mitchell. when he
was discussing the matter with the
committee Saturday evening, but |
suppose it makes no difference whether
| burn it or not. so long as / get rid
of it,"
but what becomes of it?" asked Mr..
Melcher. You must resolve it into
some product. 1t can't become moth
ing"
That led TO general discussion as to
what the sulphur smoke might be
turned into.
You might turn it into sulphurie
dclu, as the SCHOOL lpafnef III MISSOURI
recommends" said J. p. Collins land
pay $l.45 to get ii to a 6o-cent mar
ket."
The committee did not seem to think
that the manufacture of sulphuric acid
would pay in Butte, and if turned into
the creek it would poison everything
from here to the sea 1t was suggested
that dry sulphur might be turned out,
but City Engineer Bickford did not con-
slider that practicable. for sulphur from
Sicily could be laid down at the trade
centers cheaper than it could be
freghted there from Butte. If the
sulphur We're carted away and piled up
on the dump or some other place dis
tant from Butte. there would be
mountain of il in a very short time
and if it should be fired some day the
sulphurous fumes would drive every
body out of Butte for time.
Mr.. Mitchell has not said what he
proposes to turn the sulphur smoke
into and the committee do not see
any practical solution of this ques-
ton,