Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-02-15
The Use Of Oil, ETC.
WILL HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON
THE COAL TRADE.

The Economy in Favor Of Oil Shown
in the Comparative Tests Of Coal
and oil--signifcancc Of Crude Oil
to the Coal Miner.
The increasing Use of crude oil as
fuel promises, temporarily at least to
have an important influence upon the
coal trade of q large part of the Uni
ted States. The economy in favor of
oil shown in comparative tests of oil
and coal results in most instances
are made coal Is relatively dear and
oll relatively cheap. This is true in
Texas. alocg the Gulf coast, in Cali.
fornia, and IN sections back from the
Pacific Coast, where the only local
fuels arc lignites of low caloriiic value.
and where good Goals can be had only
at a cost for transportation. which
makes them impracticably costly. The
newer oil developments are in dis
tricts where coal is not found. and for
this reason their economic Importance
is much greater than it would be II the
two fuels We're locally competitive.
The significance of crude oil, for the
coal miner, is that IL is more and mere
monopolizing his outlying and remote
markets. and thus increasing the COM
petition which he encounters In mar
kcts which are readily accessible
| This also affects the railroads by cut
ting off an important item of their
freights in the long haul classified
ton. However, the change has come,
and while the oil supply lasts, 1t will
be increasingly used for fuel purposes.
Some compensation to the railroads
for the loss of tonnage is found In the
convenience and economy of oil fuel,
which on the Southwestern railroads
is coming into more general, and SO
far as can be seen. into permanent
use. The advantages Of this form of
fuel for locomotive engines is import.
ant. BY dispensing with the tender,
which Is chiefly useful as coalbox,
the engine Is relieved of part Of Its
dead load. which contributes nothing
to traction capacity, since the weight
Is not carried by the driving wheels.
This calls for new type of locomo
tive. Engines now building for the
North Pacific Coast Railway are dis.
tinctly new In shape and arrangement
of parts. The cab Is in front, imme'
dately over the cowcatcher. and the
oil and water are conducted to the
frcbox and boiler respectively by
pipes. In this construction the furn'
ace Is In the front end Of the engine
and the smOkestack at the rear end
This arrangement possesses the i'm
portant advantage of giving the en-
gineer clearer view of the track and
better control of his train. Another
advantage claimed for this reversed
construction Ia one which would seen
to apply even more to coal.burning
than to oil.burning engines. When
the furnace Is in front the movement,
of the engine supplies a natural fore
ed draught. which promotes n rnpit
and complete combustion.
The mechanical details, however
are relatively unimportant. Tho fact,
of principal interest are the economic
results to follow the equalization o
conditions as to cheapness Of fuel be
tween the districts favored by nature
with abundant and cheap coal ant
those In which fuel has hitherto beef
scarce and relatively dear; In the con
servation Of our coal resources. and II
the effect upon the immediate pros
perity of the bituminous mining In
dustry and the earnings OF the Goa
distributing railroads. Fuel oil Is |
factor of great and increasing import
ance in large areas which, lackin,
coal. have been heavily Handicapped
in the competition for development
and prosperity. York Times.