New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-10-15
CHEAP ELEcrRIcITr FRon coAL.

A fresh announcement comes from Chicago
that Hugo Jone City Chemist. entertains great
hopes concerning an electric battery Of his in
yention in which use is made OF coal The line
OF experiment is not new. but il IS one of great
importance. Several other men 10 Europe and
America have pursued II within the last ten or
twelve years. A Hartford electrician. H. Bar
ringer Cox. also believed at one time that he
had found a better way 20 get the energy out Of
coal than 70 burn il under a steam boiler al
though bis method was not chemical. Jone
himself, IL may he remarked. is no myth and
no crank. He has occupied his present post in
Chicago FOR several years. and must therefore
have had a scientific education. The City Flee
triciaI OF Chicago, Mr.. Ellicott. is reported 10
have much faith in the outcome OF the investi-
cation in which Mr.. Jone is engaged. But It
does not appear that the latter's work has
reached its final stage. As yet, indeed, il is not
clear that he is any nearer his goal to-day than
be was fifteen months ago. when the technical
papers first began to talk about his invention
The proverb which depTecates Growing until
one Is out OF the woods seems 10 be particularly
applicable 10 the present situation, therefore
The general principle Of Mr.. Jones method
Is easily understood. In the old fashioned con
per and zine cell a solution OF sulphate of con
per was slowly consumed. so that the salt need
ed occasional renewal Mr. Jone emnIovs
sulphuric acid lead and coal in such way
that the coal entirely disappears a deposit Of
sulphate OF lead forms in the bottom OF the cell.
ana electricity goes out through the connecting
wires ms would probably be a wastefuI way
10 generate current. were it not that by putting
the sediment which is left in the battery into
retort Doth the lead and the acid Tor an equiva
lent Of the latter can be recovered. Thus the
! system II whole { MOI
otherwise would be. So far as the nublic
knows however, this process NAV he move
costly than running a dynamo by steam noUar
II may ultimately prove that Mr.. lone gets
% units OF energy where the steam hoiIar
utlllzes only 10 and the gas engine - I'm, 70
the requisite plant and incidental operation are
three OF Tour times as expensive as WORKING ,
steam engine, the invention will never ooy,o
into general use. The economy Of the matbod
Is YET 10 be demonstrated This Is the vital ,,,,,
sideration in judging OF the merit NJ the a,
tempt interesting and praisewortbv ss u = a.
other respects. II has also been objected tho,
inaSuueh as this carbon cell yields a current
OF only Tour volts. II would he necessary N rsa
pat'eIy OF several hundreds or perhaps tbou.
sanus OF cells Il electric hgh,s and trolley lines
az - "e operated on large scale. Such
pioIeIuie' though novel, would not be imprac
-, a, :, '' 'ne chleI thing TO be deter
= 'le pehse OF running such battery.
,.n''-.a-. II Is 100 soon TO indulge in much
enthusiasm over Mr.. Jones evDerir,or,.. -
problem with which he is wrestling is melt %
De solved by some one, sooner or later rbe
carbon battery will not dispense with coal nm,
ought 10 eject an economy in its use. Every
nov ana then the world faces with grave mis-
E"inss the possible exhaustion of the known
supplies OF that kind OF fuel This will not
N All probability. for a century or more
OO'iOusiy' though. II the purposes for which