The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-10-18
HOW 70 BURN SOFT COAL.

As there has been considerable dis
cussion on the streets as to the use
of soft coal as a substitute of anthra-
cite we give below the opinion of one
of the best authorities in the country
on questions of this kind:
The Scientific AmerIcan advises the
use of soft or bituminous coal as the
cheapest and most satisfactory sub
stitute for most purposes. 1t should
not exceed SIS or $6 per ton and there
is no quality in soft coal which rem
ders it unfit for domestic use. In
deed, AS matter of fact, practically
no other fuel is used, or has been
used, for domestic purposes in Great
Britain, and while the cooking ranges
differ somewhat in designs from those
used in this country for anthracite
coal, it will be quite possible for the
householder, by using little judg4
ment, to burn soft coal to advantage
in the ordinary American cooking
stove.
The most important fact to remem-
Der is that the great quantities of gas
thrown off when soft coal is first ig-
nited render it necessary to supply
considerable more air above the bed
of fuel than is the case with anthra-
cite coal. Thus, in resplenishing the
kitchen stove, it will not do to fill the
CRATE entirely full of fresh fuel, since
this would result in the rapid lower
ing of the oven temperature, which
would not be restored until the mass
had become ignited and the gases
had been somewhat burned off. 1t
will be found that the best method is
to feed small quantities of fuel to the
fire at frequent intervals, keeping the
lower drafts closed more than they
would be in burning anthracite coal,
and keeping the upper draft constant
ly open. For use in the heating fur
mace, soft coal will be found to give
good results when once the proper
manipulation Of the furnace has been
learned. 1t should be understood at
the outset that more constant atten-
ton will be necessary, for the reason
that soft coal burns more quickly and
will not remain incandescent for SO
long time as anthracite coal.
During the daytime the attendant
will have no difficulty in keeping
steady fire if he is careful to feed the
furnace frequently, to keep the bot
tom drafts but slightly open, and to
give liberal feed of air through the
inlet in the furnace door. Owing to
the rapidity of combustion of btu
minous coal, it will not be possible to
bank up the furnace for the night and
leave it with certainty that there
will be a live fire remaining in the
morning but this difficulty can be
overcome if a small quantity of an
thracite can be obtained and used
only for banking up the fire over
night. If it cannot be had, little
practice may obviate the trouble in
majority OF cases.
There is one feature connected with
the use of soft coal, however, which,
unless it be carefully safe-guarded,
may introduce an element of danger.
We refer to the heavy deposit of SCOT
in the fues which will occur when soft
coal is used. This SCOT, unless it is
swept out at stated intervals, will ac-
cumulate, and being infammable
would be liable to ignite and produce
a fierce fire in the chimney, with a
consequent risk to the dwelling. 1t
sometime happens that the ends of
rafters or beams are, by careless or
ignorant construction, allowed to pro-
ject into the chimney fues. These
might become ignited and carry fire
to the interior of the house. There
is further danger that the shower of
sparks from a burning chimney would
ignite the shingle roof. These risks
may be obviated by sweeping the
chimneys say once in two months.
Furthermore, clogged chimneys and
pipes mean that this SCOT and smoke
may get into the house itself and play
havoc with furniture, draperies, etc.
Before commencing to use soft coal it
is essential that the chimneys and
pipes leading from all stoves be thor
oughly cleansed.