The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-10-02
FRE:EHOLDERS
MAY USE OIL
Talk Of Substituting it for
Coal at the Snake Hill
Buildings.
GREAT SAVING CLAIMED
Estimated Cost OF Plant Is
SO, 6,ooo-Insurance Not At
ed-Mr. Nugent's
Plan.
GREAT SAVING CLAIMED

The Board or treenOiueIs - tireiS'PNs
ing the possibility of coal famine py
arranging to use crude oil at the County
institutions. The matter was brought
UP by Freeholder Patrick Nugent, OF Ba-
yonne. at the last meeting, and at a
meeting of the Committee of the Whole
at Snake Hill yesterday afternoon the
details of plan were outlined by ex-
perts and discussed in all its bearings
with the result that at the conclusion
majority of the Board seemed to favor
the proposed innovation.
The committee on the matter consists
of Freeholders Nugent. Kelly and Bill
ington, all practical men.
Director Michael b. Holmes seemed
favorably impressed with the plan sug-
gested, but Freeholder Kelly had some
misgivings.
The experts invited the Freeholders to
see oil fuel plants in operation in several
places, and their invitation will be ac-
cepted before anything definite is done.
PLAN IS EXPLAINED.
The members of the Board yesterday
walked over the grounds, where it is pro-
posed to lay pipe lines for the new fuel.
Freeholder Nugent, who has seen similar
plants in operation in Bayonne, and the
experts. explained the plan of operations
Mr. Nugent at this afternoons meeting
of the Board will present a resolution ia
yoring the proposed change
COST OF PLANT.
1t was estimated that with the facili-
ties the County has at hand the cost of
the improvement would be comparatively
smaI-about $4,000 in all. County me-
chanics can build the tank for the stor-
age of the oil. 1t would be of cement
instead of iron, because the County has
all the crushed stone and sand necessary
on its own land, so all that would have to
be purchased is the cement. The Free
holders would use their own mechanics
to lay the pipes, and the big Worthing-
ton pump near the Penitentiary viii
force the new fuel to the widely scat
tered institutions
DIFFERENCE IN COST.
The County uses about 1000 tons of
coal annually at the Snake fHill institu-
tions For this the Freeholders. until re-
Gently, have been paying $40 a ton.
Crude oil is selling at 81. 10 barrel, and
according to the opinion of experts three
barrels of the oil will about equal ton
of coal in heating propens.ties.
1t is figured that there would be a saw
ing of eighty cents or nearly the entire
cost of the proposed plant in one years
supply. With coal at SO a ton the saw
ing on these figures would be $4,000.
THE FURNACES.
Comparatively no changes in the pres
ont furnaces, it is said, would be neces-
sary. The pipe carrying the oil would
pass through the door and "a spray on
the inside would distribute It evenly the
entire length of the boiler One. spray
would give fifty horse power, but some
of the boilers are so large that two would
have to be used.
1t is the intention to have the oil
brought to the county grounds by barges
on the Hackensack River. The tanl
would be built in a secluded place at 6
safe distance from the penitentiary L
will contain nine barrels of oil, the qnan
tity being necessary to tide over the tim,
when the river is closed From it thv
oil would be pumped to the different in
stitutions through two and one-half incl
pipes.
1t was the original intention to plac,
the tank at the summit of the hill and lie
it run down to the different institution
by gravity. This plan the fire under
writer's would not consent to.
ON THE BOULEVARD.
Although President Charles Birdsal
of the Boulevard Commissioners was no
present yesterday, he says he does no
think the Board of which he is mem
ber will adopt the plan. He continued
ssWe are getting all the coal we nee
at a reasonable figure OF course we ar
using soft coal, but it is almost as sal
isfactory as the hard, except that it en-
tails more work. Our coal contracto
has used us very fairly and we had
supply of hard coal up to August ). Th
highest price we paid was $500 tor
We have no supply on now, but we ar
receiving soft coal with assurances tha
the supply will continue. Therefore
can see no reason for changing to oil.