The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-02

Method Of Making. aud ths Market IL
Finds.

"'N+r'-'r- - r.N"NA"ET |AA the MARKET NN
Finds.
do you keep charcoal p asked re-
porter Of a city paper Of q large coal
dealer.
No, sir, we do not. have sold lots
Of coal Ia my time. but never a pound
Of charcoal. don't even know how it
is made.
Leaving the wealthy coal merchant
the reporter sought one Of those monde
script coal hawkers who make a liyeli-
hood by attending to the wants in the
way Of caloric Of the very poor class in
the by streets and alleys.
Having found one Of these coal holes
the reporter approached the almost car
bonized specimen Of humanity, who was
for the time being resting from his la
bors. and propounded the question,
What's the price Of charcoal ?"
Eight cents a peck. replied q grul
voice. and the little old man straight
ened himself out with an effort as be
stopped filling the peck measure, which
be judged 10 be about the newspaper
man's capacity.
We don't sell much charcoal, lie
continued, -only in small lots. Some
manufacturers buy their charcoal by
the great quantity. It is used in large
lots by persons who make ice chests,
and beer coolers, Is it is a poor con-
ductor Of heat There's a lining Of
charcoal three inches thick in most al
sides Of a beer cooler.
Most country people bring their
own charcoal 10 the city in wagon loads
and sell it for from 10 10 20 cents a
bushel We retail il ai about 20 cents
10 % cents per bushel, aud 1t is q dull
sale at that
The reporter now left the charcoal
man, aud approached an individual who
had just disposed Of q wagon load ofthe
material
Yes, make charcoal, he replied IN
answer 70 an inquiry. In the winter
and spring Is the time when charcoal
is made % the best Advantage.
Il am just clearing up a tract Of
woodland aud am turning the refuse 70
aecount by manufacturing charcoal.
Beech wood and hickory are the best
for that purpose. Oak makes very
poor coal. aud it is hardly worth burn
ing. Generally the good wood Is culled
out. and then a huge circular pie Is
made Of the knots and refuse. This
pile is often 100 feet In diameter and
from ten TO fifteen feet in height. The
wood is piled with great care ia straight
rows around a small opening. about one
foot in diameter. which Is left a. a sort
Of chimney for the fire to be started IN.
As soon as the pile is completed It
is covered all over with forest leaves or
straw. then the whole mass is covered
with dirt to the thickness ofthree or four
inches. Il nov resembles a small vol
cano, especially when the FIRE is started
aud the smoke begins 10 issue from the
small opening left in the top The fire
Is started by dropping shavings into the
chimney which was left ia the center,
and then lighting them By dropping
live Goals into the cavity. A few holes
are made near the bottom Of the pile Of
dirt Ia order 90 create a draft, and s.
sOon as tho fire begins to smoke these
holes are again closed.
Nov, Il everything goes right the
FIRE is allowed 10 shoulder away. with
luat air enough 70 support combustion.
II q high wind should spring up, as Il
often does. every hole Is closed tight to
keep down tie FIRE, and very often
boards must belaid over the whole pile
@ keep out the wind II takes from
ten days 10 two weeks 10 burn pit, as
i j. called. and this time is a period OF
great anxiety to the charcoal burner, as
the operation must be watched night
aud day, aud q tstle negligence may
canse the loss Of weeks Of hard work.
As The fire progresses part Of the
charcoal is consumed BY combustion
aud the remainder shunks 10 nearly
ono-haii its original size The shrink
age, of course, would cause the dirt 10
be left standing alone provided il would
do 80. In order 10 meet this difficulty
the tender goes round and round, over
and over The pile, packing the dirt with
q shovel This continual packing must
not bo neg. ected, for II "a cavity should
occur and the dirt cave in instantly. the
whole pile would burst out into flames
which nothing could stop.
As the burning progresses holes are
puuctured through the dirt Ia such
places a. the tender thinks the fire
has not yet been These holes create
draft and at once bring the fire 10 that
part Of the pit, upon which the holes
are again closed and The charring be-
gins As soon as the tender thinks that
the work is complete he shuts up the
chimney aud packs every hole. he
then spends about two days ia packing
the dirt and watches for crevices
through which smoke issues and closes
them Is soon as they arc discovered.
Barrels Of water are now hauled 10 the
pit, aud workmeu begin 10 open up a
side aud take out The charcoal.
II Iisparks oi fire should be found they
are At once dashed with water, and as
the work progresses water Is thrown
into the pit. while the steam thus Gre
aied peneirales 70 ell parts Of the coal
and lessons the danger Of fire. As a
rule eli the coal is removed at once as
a precautionary measure, and every
man who has burned a pit Is glad when
he gets i OF his hands. From 200 to
] NM ~.