The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-08-18
BRIQUB7IBS A CHEAP
AND EMOKELBSS FUEL
Use in Germany Described
BY Consul General.
SUBSTITUTE FOR HARD COAL
Consumed in Berlin and Other Large
Cities Almost to Exclusion of Coal
Both fo1 Domestic and Manufacturing
Purposes-Made Of Waste.

! most successful substitute for an
thracite coal. and great economizer
Of fuel generally, IL described interest
ingIy in a report OF briquettes just re
eeived a the State Department from
Consul General Frank H. Mason. at
Berlin. The briquettes are used almost
universally in Germany, according to
Mr. Mason. They are cheap and clean.
and they burn with practically no
smoke.
Mr. Mason says:
Among the severa: branches of Ger
man industry whiCi. deserve the atten-
ton Of Americans by reason OF their
economy. their recovery or utilization
OF some raw material which exists IN
used in our country, or because they
involve knowledge to technical pro
cesses. may be reckoned the maDufact-
ure Of briquettes from brown coal, peat.
and the dust and waste Of coal mines
'Briquettes form the principal &c
nestle fuel OF Berlin and other citie@
and districts in Germany; they are
used for locomotive and other steam
firing, and are employed for heating
in various processes Of manufacture.
For al these uses 10y have three tangi-
bic advantage. are clean and con
venient 10 handle; they light easily and
quickly and burn with a clear. intense
fame; they make practically no smoke.
and are, Withal the cheapest form Of
fuel for most purposes
Manufactured by a Syndicate.
Like most other German industries.
the briquette manufacture is con
trolIed by a syndicate, which includes
among its members thirty one firms and
companies. OF more than nine-tenths OF
all the producers IN this country. and
regulates the output and prices for each
year, From the official report Of the
syndicate for 1901. which has recently
appeared, it is learned that the total
output for the last year was 1.566. 3S5
tons, 10 which is 10 be added the prod
uct OF makers outside the syndicate.
consumed at works, small retail sales.
&c, making total Of 1,643.{16 tons
The average selling price in large
quantities was S3.I6 TOE, against $2-J2
for tne year previous; so that, notwith-
standing the general relaxation of in
dustrial activity and the diminished
pressure upon the coal supply. the rul-
ing price was the highest that had
been realized since 1891. OF the 1,56S.-
325 tons sold by the syndicate last yeaz,
rs. Z0S tons were taken By the German
railways. 1880 tens we're sold TO re-
tailers. 4S7 156 tons were sold TO fac
tories and works Of various kinds. md
las, 089 tons, or IS per cent were used
German hrTlT no
navy. OF exported 10 the German col
onies or geighboTing European countries.
Absence Of Smoke in Cities
The general use OF brlquettes fer
domestic fuel in a large. denseIy built
city, as well as for generating steam
in number Of electric generating
plants. must have a decided and bene-
fetal influence in Riding the smoke
which in most American cities has be-
come a persistent and oppressive nui-
sance. Berlin, although busy manu-
featuring city, ranks as one OF the
cIeanest and best kept in Europe One
OF the first things usually noticed by
American and English travellers visiting
the German capital for the first time Is
the absence Of that cloud CT dusty smoke
that overhangs so many towns and cities
in cur country The reason for this lies
IN three facts. These are.
The PTepoudeTant use Of coke and
briquet-ss, which are practically smoke
less; tIIe skiIlfuI scientific construction
OF boiler furnaces and chimneys. and the
high ST ndaTd OF skill that is taught and
enforced amos iremen who stoke fur
naces with coal for steam and manu-
featuring purposes