New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-15
FUEL OIL BECOMING POPULAR.
BETTER THAN COAL For STEAM MAKING.
AND ITS USE EXPECTED TO EXTEND

BETTER THAN COAL FOR STEAM MAKING.
AND ITS USE EXPECTED TO EXTEND.
The discovery of oil in Texas suitable for use
fuel. coupled with the coal strike in the an
thracite regions. has served 10 attract the at
tention of many TO the Of oil in the place of
coal Several steamships have been equipped
with oil burning apparatus and the boilers Of
many more are being provided with it, The high
price of hard coal this season has been hard
ship to yacht owners The sailing MASTER OF
more than one yacht has had difficulty in
curing the necessary coal for his vessel. Some
of these discussing the feasibility OF
putting oil burners under their boilers this WIN
ter while the yachts out of commission
One large plant in this city has been indie
pendent of the fluctuations of the coal market
this summer, large part of its power being
generated with oil fuel The Morse Iron Works
in Fifty-sixth-st.. Brooklyn which is equippine
seven steamers. the Northeastern the North
western. the Northman, the NOrthtown the
Julia Luckenbach. the Catania and the Winifred
for the oil carrying trade, began using oil in the
furnaces of two three of it's boilers and for
heating steel frames and rivets three months
ago. The measure of the success which has at
tended the change from coal to oil Is indicated
by the reply which MIR. Morse made to the ques-
ton of Tribune reporter as to the result OF his
experiment.
We are not making experiment. said he
I'VE are using oil" Then he proceeded to say
that his company was using oil almost entirely
in place OF coal We are using it under two
boilers of $50 horsepower each: for heating rfv-
cts and for bending frames. While at the pres
ent time il costs about as much as coal yet It
has many other advantages that We are not
thinking of changing back to coal again We are
paying at the present time two and one-quarter
cents gallon At two cents gallon it would
be cheaper than coal The oil. 1 believe will
cost less when the number of steamers carrying
oil is increased
At the price paid by the Morse Iron Works a
barrel of oil which contains fOrty-two gallons
would cost a fraction of a cent under % cents.
Mr.. Morse said that he had found that with his
burners four and One-half barrels Of oil were
quired TO do the work of a long ton of coal With
improved burners he thought the same work
could be obtained from three barrels. which. OF
course, would greatly cut down the cost.
Some OF the reasons given by Mr. Morse for
continuing oil were follows 1t gives a
steady pressure. For the air cOmpressOrs for
operating the riveters, We will say" said Mr..
Morse, "a steam pressure of 100 pounds is need
ed to make them work we'll You can regulate
the spray in such a way that the steam pressure
will remain at that point With coal an
PRESSURE cannot ALWAYS be rlaintained' An
other reason that it made il possible TO cut
down the force of fremen by one. At night there
was no banking of fires. Instead the oil is shut
off and the heat in the frebriCkS was all that
was necessary to keep the boilers Only
a rev minutes time was occupied III S6LJluS up
steam in the morning after the oil was lighted
Besides these advantages Mr.. Morse mentioned
the absence of ashes and smoke
In the heating of rivets Mr. Morse said that
with oil one boy could keep three gangs Of riv-
eters at work. while with coal he would be I'M
able to supply enough rivets to keep one gang
busy. Much time he said. was saved in the
heating of the steel frames
Lots of people" he said. turning TO another
application of the subject, ARE thinking OF US
ing oil in their houses Mr.. Morse seemed to
think that oil might come into use IN many
households in the place OF coal