The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-09-25
CANADA'S FUEL PROBLEM.
ONTARlO'S TIMBER AREA DBNCDED
by FIRE AND Az.
Heaviest Hoasehola ExSenses-
Use Of Peat Ii Deiag Considersa-

special DISPATCH TO the Po8t.Iutefli9encof.
WASHINGTON. Sept A.--According TO
Q report from A. @. Seyfert, consul at
Stratford. Ontario. the most serious
problem that confronts the Canadian
people Of the future IL material for fuel.
The gigantic lumber industries and the
great annual forest fires have % denud-
ed the timber area OF Ontario that the
people are thoroughly alarmed about the
future fuel supply. Hard wood for fuel
II now worth from IS to ~ cord and
soft from g 10 s, while coal. which II
all imported from the United States.
costs IS a ton. The item Of fuel II there
fore one OF the heaviest expenses TO ev.
cry housekeeper In this latitude OF long
and severe winters. An ordinary re&i-
dence will consume not less than 500
worth Of fuel In a year. It has been
we'll known for years that there were
extensive beds Of peat boes in Canada.
and particularly In the province Of On
tario An effort has been made during
the past SIX months to utilize this prod
uct Of nature. In Ireland. Wales. Hoi-
land ana Bavaria peat has long been
the chief fuel used by the poor The
recent invention OF machinery. by means
OF which vast areas OF hitherto unused
bogs can be converted into marketable
peat. has opened up q new Canadian In
dustry.
Origia Of Peat.
The origin OF peat boys Ii we'll under
stood. They occur in low situations or
where some natural or artificial obstacle
impsdes the drainage. Abundant moist
ure favors the growth Of low order Of
plants. such a. the sphagnum mosses.
This plant IL noted for its absorption OF
water. Its structure II that OF reser-
yoirs ~ successive layers. which are
Kept hi,ed BY capillary attraction. even
level. The same properties OF the moss
tend also 20 It's decay II requires a
constant supply Of moisture. yet Il 10
g 4. sa. s s% ~a:r ~ r * x; : :s.s
thus promoting evaporation. while 1t the
same time. by regularly decaying At the
roots. II deposits the detritus which adds
process goes on until the bog IL raised
above the level Of the surface waters,
when sphagnum vegetation ceases.
where the Dogs Are.
The best authorities say that there are
10000 acres OF this undevelopsd peat bog
Perth. welland and Essex. The largest
area lies IN the county Of Perth eight
miles north OF the city Of Stratford. OF,
from Port Dover TO owen SOUND. HeSs
is swamp Of %.o0 acres, with a depth
OF peat bog that varies from a foot 70
MCenty feet: About a year ago the
sanized. and early In the summer active
Spersuons TO put the fuel upon the mar.
The process OF manufacturing II IL a.
Follows: The peat u cut and air dried.
after which II IL pulver.zed By being pass
"a through a picker. and automatically
deposited IN a hopper which feeds a steel
fifteen inches long. The puIysrized rea;
10 forced through this tube by pressure
and formed into cylindrical blocks fhrse
NIL 80 &px vAn< - IT.
ty 70 anthrssit. 20" coal IN. H,., /. mems nnn-
fr'abie and weatherproof by reason OF 90
soiidtty and the extreme glaze impaired
to II BY fr.ctional contact With form M
dies. The Inherent moisture Of the peat
10 reduced to IL rer cent. OF the moss In
weiGht II compares with coal a. follows:
Fighty-three pounds per cubic foot Of peat
equals seventy-three pounds 81 bi.uminous
or ninety-three pounds OF anthracite coal
Superior 60 Coal.
1t Is claimed for peat that II 10 superior
10 coal IN Its absolute freedom from sui
phur and the absence OF smoke scot. dust
and clInkers during consumption. In a
great Measure this solves the problem q
reliable fuel for all domestic purposes ~
II .s equally ssrviceable for CRATES. stoves.
cooking ranges and furnaces. giving
long. bright name and intense heat al
most from the moment ~ ignition. 7, has
been tested In locomotives with excellent
results. showing that the thermal vslu-
OF y" po"nos OF pea - equA 10 of5
pounds az coal. II was also tried at tho
power house 81 the Metropolitan street
railway. Toronto and gave great SAILS
faction. The heat produced was much
greater than that Of coal but IL was per
cen. deficient In lasting power II re-
qv;res but little draft and burns best in
a shallow fire box
Cheap Manufacture.
The machinery used IN manufacturing
pea: fuel r. not expensive and requires
but little attention when In operation. Tha
company claims that when these works
are fairly started II car produce corn
pressed PEA; fu~l FOR 80 cents a Ton II
these claims can he fulfilled " win enly
be few years until artificial heat viii
heroine cheap that the struggling thou
sands ~ poor people Will be Immensely
Senesfed while 81 the same time ~ VIII
ais, reduce the item 81 fuel for trans
r-ortaiion and manufacturing companies %
a minimum