The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-10-27
PEAT TO TAKE
PLACE OF COAL
DIGGING UP BOGS OF MAINE
FOR FUEL-HOW PEAT Is MAN
UFACTURED.

A short time ago a movement was
perfected in Lewiston, Me-, to trans
form the enormous deposits of peat
known as Farwell's bog, in Lewiston
suburbs, into merchantable and desi-
rable fuel. From advices al hand 1t
looks as if the proposition were no vis-
ion or at all impracticable, says the
Lewiston Journal.
AS recently as last September Pro-
lessor G. NJ. Randall, in a lecture de-
livered at Augusta under the auspices
of the Maine state Typographical sur
vey commission, showed that the next
step in economy is likely to be the con-
version of peat into merchantable fuel.
corporation has just been formed to
prosecute fuel composition from peat
The company's officials, through Pro-
fessor Randall, make the following
statement:
I'VE have succeeded in manufactur-
ing a fuel which for good reasons we
call coal, because it contains the same
elements that coal contains. We call it
synthetical coal, because it is formed
by .synthesis. This coal has a heating
value slightly superior to soft coal.
THE first Investigations for deter
mining the calorifc value of fuel were
made in 1874 for the United States
navy. At that time the Importance Of
the findings was not appreciated as
much as at present. On economical
lines it is not possible to separate lab
oratory science from boiler room prac-
tice. The observing, practical engineer
may determine the approximate
amount of moisture and ash on the
CRATES, and the evaporative efficiency
of coal, but different boilers with diff
ferent drafts and different methods Of
stocking produce different effects with
the same coal
1.-THE question which naturally aris-
es in connection with the manufacture
of fuel is: Are the constituents sufIi-
GENTLY abundant in distribution to
warrant an outlay of capital for ma
ply to this we make reference to the
United States geological survey of
nearly any year, and to many private
surveys. II will be found that in ev-
cry state in New England there are al
most ineXhaustible boys of peat. Pos
sibly there is no article that has re-
ceived so little thought and attention
from practical men as has this valu-
able material. For instance, from the
Massachusetts report of the geological
survey l quote: In nearly fifty towns
of eastern Massachusetts, taken as a
fair average of its quantity in other
towns and other counties, ii would fol-
low that $4,000 acres, or 125 square
miles, are covered with peat, having
an average thickness of six feet. This
area and depth would yield not far
from 200,0 900 tons
peat is best handled from the bog
by a clam shell digger or dredge. 1t
is then conveyed to a disintegrator,
which separates all coarse material,
such as roots. From this disintegrator
it is conveyed to a press, where it is
reduced from so per cent of water down
to 40 per cent After leaving the press
1t goes through another disintegratOr.
Here lime Is added in a way which We
have patented, which further effects
drying, and the lime combines with the
water in the peat
From here the peat is conveyed to
a drier, which is a steel cylinder, vary
ing In length according to the capacity
requlred-forty feet for a 100-ton paint.
The peat is in the interior of the cy-
Under though which hot air circulates,
thus effecting drying down TO per
cent to lC per cent. From here ii is
conveyed to pug mill, or mixing mill,
where petroleum, in which bituminous
pitch Is dissolved, is added. Here it is
thoroughly mixed. Then ii Is convey
ed to a large receptacle, from which Il
Is disbriquetung presses are simple me-
chanical devices, which make a brick
which Is short cylinder. We believe
the best shape to be about two and
three quarter inches In diameter and
one and three-quarter inches long. An.
other form is of irregular length and
one-half the meter"-Philadelph
Ledger.