The St. Louis Republic., 1902-08-29
Coke and Arkansas Coal Must
Serve st. Louis at L aSt Part
of the Cold Spell.
Anthracite HIGH C0MM05ITY
In Extremity. Hard Coal Furnaces
Can Be Made to Burn 81
luminous. Which Is Much
Cheaper.

end of the coal strike in The anthracite re-
gion of Pennsylvania. the supply. n the
estimation of local and Eastern coal deal
ers. will nevertheless be short. and. especial
ly in the West. Many householders accus-
toned to using hard coal in their furnaces
must find a substitute for a portion Of the
winter at least.
The only three substitutes suggested are
wood coke and Arkansas coal. which is
sometimes called semi-anthracite. Local
dealers say that wood is not a Substitute
at ALL and Will not figure in the situation
to any great extent. 1t is said that a thou
sand cords will supply the citys demand.
since il is used chiefly in open freplaces
and only as an adjunct 10 n furnace.
The better grades Of coke are not coming
TO the ST. Louis market. but what is known
as "gashouse coke" is available. and will
burn I'm hard-coal furnaces
Little OF the Arkansas coal Is coming to
St. Louis, though it is obtainable. and Will
take the place of the Pennsylvania product.
COST FROM ONE-THIRD
TO ONE-HALF GREATER
In any event. whether the strike is ended
within a month or not. the cost of fuel for
the coming winter will be from one-third to
one-half greater than last winter.
The average family in st. Louis heating
a whole house. uses from fifteen to twenty
five tons Of anthracite coal Last year the
highest price for anthracite was $3.50 with
the average about 81. Arkansas coal is now
s. a ton. and will go higher. to $50 Gas
house coke is $50. delivered. and will go
10 s. in the opinion of coal dealers a small
per cent more of Arkansas coal is required
than of anthracite. and almost double as
much coke as anthracite
Albert l. Berry of the Berry-Horn Coal
Company, in discussing the situation, said:
Arkansas coal. while in no manner an
anthracite coal. contains nearly the same
properties as Pennsylvania anthracite. run
ming over 30 per cent carbon. The unusual
demand for this coal has adva-ced the
price very rapidly in the last thirty days.
and dealers from Minnesota and the North
west are making such Inducements TO Ar
kansas shippers that very little is coming
to this market.
THE Pocahontas. which is really the best
substitute for anthracite. is going to East
ern markets. and the sea ports for ship
ment. and none is coming here. and it can
not therefore be relied on TO take the place
of anthracite.
BEST QUALITY OF
COKE NOT AVAILABLE.
The unusual demand for oven coke has
placed this product out of the question as a
substitute, the ovens will not make any
crushed coke as long as they are behind
with their lump coke. Their product of
lump coke is sold up to the first of next
January. This leaves only the ''gashouse
coke factor in the market and as
most of the coke here is made from in
ferior quality OF coal, it has very little
substance or fuel property.
I'VE are advising our customers to put in
a small quantity of Arkansas coal to run
them TO the 1st OF December. or the 1st
of January, when we expect the anthracite
mines to supply the Western market. OF
course. these mines will probably be in ac-
tive operation in a month or two. but il is
going to take time for them to be pumped
out. and for the full output to be resumed.
Then the East will consume all the coal
mined for a time, and 1 prophesy that IL
will be some little time before st. Louis
can get any appreciable quantity Of the
anthracite"
The lump coke referred to by Mr.. Berry
is made from the best of coal for iron
manufacture. At times part of the output
is crushed and sold for fuel This kind of
coke has almost as high q percentage OF
carbon as anthracite. and serves well in an
thracite furnaces, but none will be the
market this year.
Edwin H Comrades of Donk Bros. Coal
Company seemed to think better of gas
coke as a substitute. Mr. Comrades said
that while more of Il would be required
reasonably economical fuel If 1t was fired
correctly in the furnaces.
"One man can use just twice much
coke as another" said he, land obtain the
same result. But 1 don't think that the
problem of a substitute for anthracite need
be worried over much. Perhaps many may
have to begin the winter with Arkansas
coal or coke but 1 think that anthracite
will be on the market I'm time enough to be
of use. The price will be. think. no high
er than it is now. from IS to SS.25.
SOFT COAL CAN BIZ
USED If NECESSARY.
IF 1t comes to an emergency. 1 do not
see why bituminous coal cannot be counted
on. With very little arrangement in the
piping of most furnaces IL can be used. 1t
may go out occasionally or smoke and
then, but it would Go for the time being.
And there is no place in the United States
where soft coal of all grades can be bought
so cheaply as in st. Louis.
IF soft coal or Arkansas coal is used it
should not be piled into the furnace like
1t must have air to burn. and
If spread out not too deeply 1t gives an
even heat. though 1t must he replenished
more frequently There is not much TO be
gained by burning coke and coal together.
II you mix Arkansas coal with coke you are
only making your coal burn fast the
coke. for the coke gives a tremendous heat
for the short time that ii lasts. 1t might
be a good idea to burn coke in the early
and then fill in with coal later in
the day. In the morning you want heat
and want IL quickly. ana during the day a
slow fire will keep up the warmth"