Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-09
SUBSTITUTES FOR COAL
Peat Furnishes the Greatest Posi-
bilities.
Cheap Fuel Obtained by Scientific Pro-
cesses-State Department Inter-
ested in Probe Foreign Con-
suls to Report on subject
Abroad.

There is a general revival of interest in
this country in the possibility of the pro-
CuCton Of cheaper fuel by the prepare
tion of new composites and the adaptation
of machinery to apply more direct the
calurihc power Of oils and gases now used
chiefly for Illuminating purposes. Half
"cHturN age the American people thought
coal prices were cXorbitant. ana began to
lock around for substitute. says the
l'cston Transcript Then as now they
TUNED their attention to peat, which grad
o.. assumed considerable commercial
value. though its preparation for the crate
10 led the scientific process which is
own to the operators of the present
day: then as now the United states gov
'r 'nont was interested in the problem,
a. 1gh less directly. and aided it by its
thorough geological and Typographical
Surveys which designated the locations of
g. peat deposits At the present time the
matter Ia considered of such Importance
lN the department of state at Washing
Ton. n c., that it has been taken up by
department officials with some gentlemen
e Boston who are interested in the sub
jcct. This department, through its repre-
scntatIves abroad, will investigate and re-
port upon peat fuel manufacture in for
cign countries 1t will be some months,
however. before any such consular re-
ports hoc ONE aVaila bic to the public. hut
much valuable informal ion about the peat
question across tho Atlantic has been sent
- this government In recent years ny us
r.l'suS. and recommendations have been
made E-T the development of the industry
- America, where many rich peat bogs
g. st
Massachusetts, has tremendous deposits
tlat a-e lying untouched ana would yield
= lions of cords If worked properly. Ac-
&C. Ing to the geological survey there are
about L., square miles of peat in the east
o. half of the State. but of course 1t is
not all pure peat. Perhaps only 30 per cent
e, L is pure and the rest is so contann-
atc1 ly aluviur as to lose its Importance
IN 4 troad commercial propostios though
rcr' ptable as domestic fuel In other
rords, a farmer who OWNS peat bos may
cut fuel out of it for his own use even II
!: IS not The kind that would combine well
with other substances to make an article
tor the market. The western part Of tho
state has a better quality than the east
rrO section. but there is only about ono
.lird as much Probably tho best quality
If peat in New England is in Maine,
r-'lcrc II is very abundant. A gentleman
WHO is familiar with the situation all
through the country is authority for the
r''tomcrt that Washington and Penob-
sea- counties alone possess enough. of a
curorior quality. to supply New England
With fuel for the next 80 years II trans
,ortation were warrantabe, and he says
that is very conservative statement.
It is matter Of history among tho peo-
po down in Maine that years ago an on
ene and several freight cars sank so deep
in Ftra hog that they have not been
touched ny soundings: and that bog prob
ally has 20 square miles of peat. The
,t - ,o ,h,t ~ w. ,,ar
,n,,,ro Dont f,,oi wil, No narrfac+urod
quite extensively in New England.
Wisconsin is very rich in peat. The
III ,;i,ro'a., No. . f.ir n,,,nti,y o,,t
i,ia ~ 10 ri,.ar hottor, Tbe Nieeis .inni
ri,.r hottono II, minnesota is a GOOD illus
.,ion 80 IN a,l,,,.iaI ,oat tba+ 10 - fur
,i.hor a ro1tor,,I .bich viii hurn bu,
nI,;cb Ioayes unto a nercentage NJ ash
rrhoro lie a cood dcnceit in Idaho There
g. =, 1,roo amount il, Wosbinpton and Orc
ron Thor. is a linited amount in cali
fornia in tho central norton of tho state
,.,d oro ,orco donos;t ~, yolIou, ona
parl 1-here &c a vorv large dcnosit In
M. Iorse,,. q Ior,o an,ount In delaware
,5 aro+b,r in I,loriGa IN Tova, t1.ro
&c = danoeit ocounvinr a middle ground
bo+wnar naat and Iignito. there is also
cove nure MOTT In Ill,nois there Is neat
,ae, b'Irnire now ubicb has hcen bnrntne.
g. - go. 80 ne ,iro d,nor+,,o,., bas
,.a. boar Mo r. extirruisb q II 10 wi, h
i +,,o r,;,as of mo cit,, rroits of Chic,,,c
,r1,o 4, -. .hrrdonoo ~ naa, ~, no CON,
., "a ,o-tor,, soot;ors ~ Irdian.,. ora
;.o ,r,,o a,,o.;, go 49, ho,,o ~ ' o,,,
Wal,aca Of Crawford.,,i,1o Indiana Kon
t,,rl,,. srd ,J;ssnuri have . ,oree ar,our+
=, 40,
h. oct th,ao
,,,,, ro,,ort. ha,.a 49, ro,o,,.aa ,r ,,,,
-, oon,,, oho,,t orti,lioi $50, l.; E,,,.Da
:, I ,a ~. ~, i,.t-; 80
forairr,, oo,,,t.ios do,,o,a ,nr,,a, -,
'i'.S ,, ~ $3.50, To- - ",
, =. ,,',douooS. 1,,oehoini 49,
..la-o,,a,, tofo.o =, 8. ,,.aa - -
w. p. So u 80 ,- -
80 S.,o,,s - a.'''' 'u 49,
80 '''1 :. lam ~ az n''.' Jus
t'9oS ~, Wv. '. - -, Va Poat = oli'
VIZ lug anu eup9eqo,nl VI EinR aI,u oil-
"',''o' ~ 9o. -, VIM '. i''u i'"
"t ~ Nv ' , ~ ''s a.. ~ ,a iI, a
~, olu hl9' ,1., 'ts so'lee'N
III oilquet'ilS' io'loi i,''i' Vi 'oui - Is
nm, IiId' PoU.,'l '', ,-i instrument
!''r months asp ~ nl.eu ota'eS MN
IS'"l az ~ u Isis III IeSPoilse |" re-
uue9' IronI business i l ii' IN boston
H'.r a SPECIAL 'llFeHtrsItion ol ,he afti'
HClNi tueI INDUSTRY II, polsluh ana report
t'' 'nat VIZ pliI.ip'l, anu practiralN ,nt
"i'N art'cIe i'idi'u i ior Iuel III tha'
''"uuE' was c"n,PoSl'lp'l oi coal ous'
NIUE into slna.l piichs IafEe qu"n'itlcs
"' witch are oei,IS e"Por'eu' Teat aho
SINluSt "iSo ar useu,
'nsui riusn.s Wlote rom oooure 'W'
as n',et ~ f" , vi we Sca'ci,N
~ ~. !" 'uso'" no .pi.S oIrulieu 'te 81
"1l"n vi ,,'e SVltn!lS's, ,paI is iouno