New-York tribune., 1902-06-05
NAY Use OIL FOR FUEL.
PROBABLE CHOICE OF INTER-
ROROIGHRAPLD TRANSIT co.
CONSTRUCTING IT'S IMMENSE POWER
PLANT IN FIFTY-NINTH-ST. WITH
THAT PLAN N VIEW

The rnterborough Rapid Transit Company.
which is 10 operate the rapid transit railroad. Is
constructing its immense power plant, at Fifty
rinth-st. and Eleventh and Twelfth aves., with
the idea OF using Beaumont oil for fuel as soon
as the oil can be furnished in the desired quan-
titles The new power plant will use, in round
numbers about 250O00 tons Of coal year. The
coal il is estimated. viii cost in normal times
SIS q ton delivered in this city. a syndicate
Of Texas oil men has offered TO furnish the Bel
rnont-NcDonald people with oil for fuel at much
less than this figure.
E. P. Bryan, general manager OF the Inter
borough company, told 4 Tribune reporter yes
terday that Mr.. Mcdonald is considering the
new fuel proposition. and that the use Of the
oil by the new company depends largely on the
ability OF the contractor, whoever he may be,
70 furnish the oil in the desired quantity.
The strike IN the anthracite coal region and
the scarcity Of hard coal have brought the sub
ject Of fuel for our new power plant imnledi-
ately TO cur attention" said Mr. Bryan. Late
= IL have been in consultation with the Southern
Pacific officials, and also with official of the
Mexican International Railway. These roads
are using oil for fuel in their locomotives with
complete success. The oil men were in to see
ne some time ago. before the strike was de-
clared, and told them they could not expect us
tankboats so that they could furnish un-
limited supply Of oil We've got TO have a lot
Of it if We use it at all Doubtless we should
use more than one million barrels Of oil year.
The oil men are now trying TO get in shape TO
90 business The change from coal burning 10
oil burning CRATES is not an expensive one. Our
plant VIII be constructed to burn coal If we
decide TO use oil. the change can be made in
few days by covering over the CRATES with brick
The use of soft coal for fuel is greatly to be re-
gletted. Look over toward the East River.
continued AIr. Bryan. pointing toward Williams
burg The city is getting 10 be as smoky and
dirty as St. Louis or Chicago. Th= people using
the soft coal should not be blamed for il. They
have TO keep their works going, and they can't
get the hard coal"
The absolute necessity of having unfaiIing
supply OF fuel of a uniform grade prevents the
Belmont Mcdonald interests from giving oil
men any direct encouragement; but it was
learned that soma of the responsible operators
have received assurances that if they will hasten
the chartering building of half dozen tank
steamers they can count on a steady market for
ther oil at highly remunerative prices.
Beaumont oil is selling at the wells for
almost any price above five cents barrel.
There Is no way of getting it to market, and
few power plants on the Atlantic seaboard are
equipped at present for using it. The INTERIOR
ough, the Manhattan Elevated Railway and the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit companies are excep-
tionaily well situated TO change fuels the
ment they ara assured that the supply of oil
VIII be unfailing The Interborough will have a
fuel house on the bank of the North River. The
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company has a long
wharf and power plant at Bay Ridge, and the
substitution Of oil for coal could be made with
little trouble.
day that syndicate. backed by some of the
large companies. will be formed this summer
for the purpose of supplying the larger power
companies here with Beaumont oil for fuel
The cost Of run ming a power plant. il
said. with the respective fuels is about the same
when Texas oil costs 941z cents barrel and
coal 50 81 ton. This allows for the difference
in the cost Of labor. The oil men say that they
can deliver the oil in this city by tank load for
not 10 exceed 80 cents barrel. This would
make the cost Of operation by oil less than half
mat OF coal at normal prices. At present the
cost OF handling the oil in comparatively small
quantities makes it about as dear as anthra-
cite coal. according to President Morse Of the
Morse Iron Works and Drydock Company which
is Installing Texas oil as fuel.
AT the South Chicago Steel Works il was
SAID yesterday, twenty-five men had been neces-
sary to do the firing TO operate fourteen boilers
with coal whereas only six required to do
1ie hflhs win OIL as fuel Thus a saving of
nineteen men at 81 day each had been ef-
iected PROFESSOR James E. Denton of the Ste
Nens institute, Hoboken who made a practical
test OF oil and anthracite coal as fuel in order
10 gel comparative results, has issued a PAM
phlet which says that from an engineering point
~ NleN on Is oetter and cleaner than coal,
IL raises no dust and leaves no ashes He
hnds that steam is maintained with oil as fuel
more steadily and that it is not necessary to
clean the fires: that the tubes do NOT eI - r;th
scot, and that there is 40 smoke nuisance Fir
ing tools and CRATES are not required steam
can he made in less time and fewer ho;lars a re
necessary. considerations which offset tba cost
Of tanks and burners.