Evening star., 1902-09-02
THE USE OF SOFT COAL
OIL OR GAS RECOMMENDED AS
PREFERABLE.
Situation Resulting From the Strike
in Pennsylvania-View Of
Local Conditions.

The suggestions contained in the col 1
umns of The Star several days ago with |
reference to the possibility of the residents |
of Washington burning soft coal in their /
furnaces the coming fall and winter In |
case they are unable. by reason OF the !
strike, to get hard COAL has been the source
of investigation among the dealers In FUR
nacAs and heating apparatus in the city to
determine, If possible, whether the dwell
ings of Washington may be heated with
soft coal, using the furnaces now installed
When interviewed by q reporter for The
Star today upon this matter several OF the
leading dealers expressed an opinion un-
favorable to the substitution of soft coal In
furnaces built for anthracite.
Nearly all the furnaces we sell, said
q prominent dealer, "are supposed 10 burh
either hard soft coal as the occasion re-
quires. but any one familiar with the man
ner of combustion Of bituminous and an
thracite material. knows that furnace
constructed for hard coal is not the most
convenient for burning soft coal. In fact,
| think il hard coal is not to be secured,
or If 1t cannot be bought at a price con-
sistent with the pocketbooks of Washing
ton people. then the people will probably
find that 1t will be cheaper and more con-
venient to burn gas or OIL
Difference in Crates.
Mr. Hubbard Of the Hubbard Heating
Company. when asked for his opinion in re-
gard to the matter, said: "Of course soft
coal can be burned in furnaces made for
burning hard coal, but 1t is very incon-
venient. The CRATES are different for one
thing. and a finer barred CRATE will be
necessary for successfully consuming the
bitumnous product. The soft coal In burn
ing needs frequent attention on account OF
its tendency to cake, and 1t is necessary
to keep 1t stirred up In order that the blaze
may be kept going. One ton of hard coal,
1t is estimated. will burn as long as two
tons Of soft. and it is much more satisfac-
| tory.
Most all Of the furnaces now used in the
city are supposed to be suitable for consum-
| ing either hard or soft coal-the latter in
| the spring or fall when only a moderate
! heat is required. and hard coal in the win
| ter. when 1t is necessary to have fire of
| greater heat. But notwithstanding the
| claims for the furnaces as to their adapta-
I bility for burning either product, it is a
| fact that they are not constructed for burn
ing soft coal in cold weather, when a hot
| fire is wanted"
Difficult to Prevent Cindering.
| Mr.. Ernest Betz, another dealer, seemed
| to be of the same opinion Is Mr.. Hub
bard in regard to the impracticablity OF
| burning soft coal in the furnaces in general
use in the city. He declared that ii was a
| very difficult matter to prevent ciuders and
the coal from caking. 1t would be a hard
| job, said MIR. Betz, to keep the fire going or
| a cold night or day if soft coal were used
| in the furnaces.
| AT the establishment of Duparquet, Hout
& Monense 1t was stated that not only
| would 1t be necessary to change the CRATE
in order to obtain good results in burning
soft coal in hard coal furnaces, but it wouIc
also be incumbent upon the householder t
make slight alterations in other parts o.
the furnace 1t was said that larger draf
would be required for soft coal, and tha
a great deal of attention would have to b'
paid to the apparatus In order to keep /
| cleaned and In working order. There woult
be tendency for the SCOT to collect in tn
| pipes and interfere with the burning of tn
| fire.
Several other proprietors of establishment
dealing In furnaces and heating apparatu
expressed themselves TO the same effect a
those quoted. In case it is impossible to ge
hard coal, ii is thought by some of the deal
| ers that gas and oil will be used instead 70
, heating purposes, as 1t Is considered cheape
and more serviceabIe. The matter of chang
: ing hard coal CRATES for those adapted t
, soft coal, 1t Is said, would be attended wit
considerable difficulty and expense. as
would be necessary to manufacture the ne,
, CRATES to order, unless there was such
) demand as would justify the makers t
keep them in stock.
: Regarded as Possible.
q
buildings, said today that he believed praS
tically all of the household furnaces of tn
city may safely burn soft coal. He bt
!. lieves considerable difficulty will be exp.
rienced by those who attend to the fires {
first as the conditions will be entirely di
: ferent from firing with anthracite. In tt
e first place, soft coal fire will demand COZ
a | slant attention. 1t will have to be shake
up and replenished about every hour, an
the quantity Of coal consumed will
5 rather startling.
q Latrobe stoves. he stated. will not bur
IL soft coal. They are self-feeding, and woul
;, become choked IL the bituminous produt
- were used in them. Aside from this, ii
fumes were not SO well controlled IN til
e latrobes and might escape through the res
Il listers. In good furnace, however, the so
a coal gases will not be noticeable.
The District officials are preparing
s make an experiment of firing scho
e house furnace with layers Of soft coal an
4 coke. 1t has been suggested to them tn;
y. In this manner a comparatively smokele.
- and slow-burning fire may be secured ;
= minimum expense. II the experimel
- proves success many householders WI
profit by the information thus CLEANED.