The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-09
OIL AS FUEL.
Discovery of Fluid in Texas Reduces
Price of Coal.

Discovery of Fluid in Texas Reduces
Price of Coal.
The discovery of oil at Beaumont on
Jan. 10 and the consequent development
of the field at that place has had the
erect of reducing the price of coal in
New Orleans nearly Is per cent, says the
Times Democrat, and this before any
of the large manufacturing establish
ments in the city have begun the use of
oil as fuel. At the time the first well
of steam coal in New Orleans was about
$3.25 per ton. The price on the list of
August was $3.50 per ton. These figures
apply to the same coal. There are about
nfteen different varieties of steam coal
used here, so that it is hardly possible
to get the decreases in the prices of ev-
cry grade, but the figures above given
We're furnished by one of the largest
Steam-uSing plants in the city, and are
believed to be fair indication of the
average reduction in the price of all
grades Of coal.
Even at the reduced figures for coal
it is claimed by the Oil companies they
can supply fuel at figures much lower.
According to the general estimate three
barrels of Beaumont oil equal ton of
coal in steam producing capacity. The
three barrels of oil can be laid down in
New Orleans for fraction over 80 cents
per barrel which makes the cost per ton
of fuel less than 81. One of the strong
arguments Of the oil companies is that
the use of oil as fuel is not only cheap
er in the matter Of first ccal, but that
there is a saving Of labor in the opera
ton of steam plants which will make a
large percentage of Itself. For instance,
1t is asserted that one man, without the
assistance of fireman, can handle, cas-
lily and safely, from eight to, ten boilers
where Oil is used and that where coal IS
the fuel it will take at least three
men and two firemen. 1t is also said
that there being no waste from the oil,
no cinder and no ash, here is an
other saving in that there is no refuse
to De carted away,
One other advantage claimed for oil
is that the supply is perennial and not
subject to being cut off by strikes or any
disturbances OF that kind. Just as long
as the water runs or the trains run there
will always be supply It can be de-
Hvered at the furnace door without the
necessity of unloading, and is ready for
use at any hour of day or night. A
fire can be started instantly at the same
heat that will be registered at the end
of five hours, and there is no need of
kindlingS or of waiting till the heat is in
tense. Steam can be raised with oil be-
fore the wood or coal fire has got started
burning. 1t absolutely relieves the en-
gineer of all anxiety as to when he is
going to get steam.
The use of oil has been tried thoroughly
in California and in other fields besides
the Beaumont field, and in every instance
it has been pronounced superior to ccal.
The Southern Pacific system uses it on
all of the locomotives west of New Mex
ico had all of the Santa Fe system in
California has adopted the oil burner as
the cheapest and best fuel.
In this section the Southern Pacific
Atlantic system is preparing all of its
locomotives for oil-burning, and the San
ia Fe already has three oil-burning en-
glnes in service. They have demonstrat-
ed by experience that oil can be used
with more safety on locomotive than
coal There are no sparks to set fire
to bridges anil platforms, or to residences
ft1ar~ hrIs n IT1cr
there are no cinders to get in the eyes
of the passengers, and the labor of rum
ming the engine has been reduced nearly
oEe-half. 1t is claimed that what is
manufacturing plant. Whether oil comes
into general use in this city or not, the
fact that there is a sufficient amount of
fuel outside of the coal supply will have
the effect of keeping down the price of
coal 1t gives the manufacturer that
competition which has kept back the es-
Enlistment of many factories.
There will be at least three oil COM
panies with large supplies here, ready to
deliver the oil to all of the factories with
in the next ninety days. One of the COM
livering, and the others are waiting for
the pipe Each of them will have from
10000 to $4,000 barrels stored here all of
the time, which they say will be ample
for the needs of the city
The oil companies claim that the chang
ing of plant from a coal burner to an
oil burner is comparatively insignificant
when the ACQUIRING benefits are consid-
cred. The figures for the change run
from 5000 to $500, while the oil people
say that a large steam user will save
this amount in less than sixty days.
They point to the instance of a big lum-
Der mill which found it cheaper to use
oil than its own refuse as being con-
elusive evidence of the value of OIL
The factories in New Orleans have
been making some large contracts for oil,
and in each case they said that they
are making the change because they
considered that they were saving money
and getting a guarantee of continual
supply of fuel. The manufacturers
pointed out the saving of labor, the alb
sence of refuse ana the facility with
which the oil is handled at the boiler.
1t is delivered through a pipe, and all
that the engineer has to do is to watch
his faucets and see that he is getting
enough to produce the required pres
sure.
The supply to the fire box can be reg
ulated almost instantly. The figures as
to what amount of oil will be used by
the factories here when the delivery be-
gins vary, but 1t is generally estimated
that about 10000 barrels day will be
consumed
AS to the effect of the use of the oil
in securing the establishment of more