The Washington times., 1902-09-11
District Secures 1000
Tons to Last Until
Thanksgiving.
EXPERIMENT is A SUCCESS
Layer of Soft Coal, Between Two of
Coke, Used in Furnace With Salts
factory Results-Supply of This Fuel
Is Scarce.

Coke, Used in Furnace With Salts
factory Results-Supply of This Fue
Is Scarce.
The District Commissioners have
succeeded in meeting the emergency
caused by the miners strike in the an
thracite coal regions and have secured
supply of bituminous coal and coke
for the public schools to last until
Thanksgiving. Much negotiation was
required to bring this about, but
through some of the local dealers
supply of fuel aggregating 1000 tons has
been secured.
Commissioner Macfarland. who has
supervision over the pubic schools.
conducted the negotiations by the aid
of the property clerk. and the Commits
sioner feels gratified that the crisis
has been met when the prices of fuel
are SO high as TO make its purchase
almost prohibitive.
The efforts of the Commissioner TO OBJ
tain bids for furnishing anthracite coal
entirely failed. There was only one
local dealer who offered to furnish 1000
tons of coal, and that was subsequently
withdrawn. Mr.. Macfarland then ad-
dressed himself to the question of using
a combination of coke and bituminous
coal.
Use of Soft Coal and Coke Feasible.
The furnaces in the school buildings
were examined by Major B. d. Simms
and he reported that all of them would
admit OF using fuel composed of one
half coke and one-half soft coal His
report follows:
In compliance with your recent order
an experiment has been made in two Of
the public school buildings of fuel con-
sisting of alternate layers of bituminous
coal and coke. The fuel was tried in 4
steam heating plant in the Webster
School, and in Smead furnace in the
Douglass School. Attention is invited
to the inclosed report OF the superin-
tendent OF jantors. forwarded through
the secretary Of the Board of Educa-
ton. which gives a detailed statement
of the experiments and of the different
arrangements made of the layers of fuel
with view to obtaining the most de-
sirable results.
Uses Sofe Coal Filler.
Il visited the buildings during the
time the experiments were being made,
and | am OF the opinion that the most
satisfactory results are obtained By
spreading first a layer OF coke, then a
layer of coal, and then top layer OF
coke. as by the burning of the fuel ar
ranged in the manner stated there was
only a minimum amount of smoke OBJ
seryable, and satisfactory heating quail
tiles were produced"
The report of H. F. McQueeney. su-
perintendent OF janitors of the public
schools. giving the result OF the expert
ments in detail is as follows:
AT the Webster School, which is a
steam heated building, the fire Was
started with coke about O'Clock a. N.
When a good fire had been obtained /
covered it with four shovelfuls of soft
coal. The smoke emitted from the
chimney was dark and lasted four min
utes. Then the fire was allowed TO burn
for fifteen minutes after which four
shoveifu,s of soft coal were put on. and
on tSp of all. four shorelfuls OF coke
The smoke emitted from this was
abou; half the quantity given out by
the soft coal in the previous trial. and
was lighter in color and lasted but two
minutes. The fire was then allowed 10
burn for fifteen minutes more, when it |
was covered with layer of coke. on
top OF which was placed layer of soft |
coal and another layer of coke.
Very Little Smoke.
The smoke this time was still lighter |
in color and did not last two minutes |
l tried this several times with the same |
results. Then ] went 10 the Douglass |
school and tried it in one of Smead's |
coal used was good Georges Creek |
coal. The heating capacity was salts
factory"
The next step was. TO obtain the coal
and coke and with reference thereto
Commissioner Macfarland yesterday au
thorized the following statement:
Apparently, il has been demonstrat-
ed that coke ard bituminous coal. prop
erly burned in alternate layers. furnish |
a substitute for anthracite coal in the
furnaces of our school buildings, yield
ing satisfactory heating results without
the smoke law
The difficulty seemed TO be to obtain
coke in sufficient quantities TO provide
with an equal amount of bituminous
coal for the immediate future in the
school buildings.
Hard to Get Coke.
THE local gas companies and the local
fuel dealers generally responded to in
quiries that they could not furnish coke
except in very small quantities. Tele
grams sent TO all the principal colse-pro-
ducing companies and sales agents else
where have thus far failed to develop
anything except promises in one or two
cases of possible future deliveries
This morning, however. through the
active assistance of MIR. w. j. Zeh, and
quick work by telegraph and long-dis-
.ance telephone. We have secured a
tons of coke and thousand
IONS of bituminors coal which, with
small quantities of anthracite for spe-
,ial buildings. ought to provide for the
chools until Thanksgiving. according to
he estimates of the amounts required
which We have received from the secre-
AIRY of the Board OF Education.
Prices Higher Than Normal.
THE prices at which Mr.. Zeh is to
,royide this coke and coal are the low |