Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-15
HEAT IN THE FUTURE
TIME WHEN COAL DEPOSITS WILL
BE EXHAUSTED.
Electricity the Substitute Naturally
Considered-Many Arguments
in It's Favor.
From the Boston Transcript.

From the Boston Transcript.
Whatever the outcome Of the present
strike, and there seems to be some present
evidence OF its early break, the country -
certain to be seriously troubled for fuel all
this winter. Unlike scarcity of beef or
failure Of the corn crop, an anthracite
shortage merely foreshadows a day not far
distant when the country will permanently
have to face conditions which in their tenn
porary appearance are now so distressing.
The quantity of anthracite coal in this
country admits of tolerably clear computa
ton. Since its shipment began in 1920 there
have been mined approximately 100000
600 tons. The Pennsylvania commission
which investigated the subject some years
ago reported that for every ton of coal
mined for consumption a ton and a half
were lost. This included not only the culm
thrown on the dump. but the coal neces-
sarily left in the mine in pillars for the
support of the roof. On this basis it has
been computed that the inroads upon the
original coal deposits of the Scranton dis
trict have amounted to $3.50. 900 900 long
tons.
Diminishing Coal Supply.
The geological survey computes that this
Is about one-sixth Of the original deposit
At the present rate of consumption the
amount now remaining would. last for
about one hundred and fifty years; this
period will be shortened by a rapidly IN
creasing consumption, with the growth Of
population and luxury. or heightened by
economies which the higher cost of this
kind of coal will bring to pass and by The
substitution Of rival products. What the
resultant of all these forces will be is hard
to estimate, but doubtless when the baoy
Of today reaches his three-score years and
ten the anthracite beds Of PENNSYLVANIA
will be, for commercial purposes, we'll along
in their career. People habitually speak Of
illimitable supplies and inexhaustible re-
sources until one after another of the
things thus described give out The iron
mountain in Missouri was described in the
periodicals In 1850 as inexhaustible. Ore
was sometimes found there so pure that it
could be hammered into the shape of a
horseshoe and used. But the iron noun
tain did not prove inexhaustible, any more
than have the seal herds Of Alaska or the
buffalo of the plains. The clay pits of East
brick for local use forever; today they have
been forgotten. Stored products do not
stand up well against the ceaseless move
ment of time.
Electric Heating.
The question of what the world will do
without anthracite coal is thus of larger
interest than that occasioned by the present
distress Electricity naturally suggests IT.
self as the greatesubstitute. 1t offers heat
with cleanliness, something which other
forms of heating cannot give. But at pres
ent electric heating IS costly, and is only
used by those who are willing to pay for 1t,
or to meet those peculiar demands In which
some economy offsets the increased cost.
Under present appliances 1t is necessary to
transform the heat OF the fuel to electric
energy and then change that into thermal
energy, in both of which processes there Is a
considerable loss, It is roughly estimated
by electrical EXPERTS in the scientific bu-
reaus here that II one were to heat house
by electricity derived from a central station
it would take about q ton of coal for the
same thermal energy that would be gained
from the direct combustion of from LOO to
1 500 pounds of the same fuel In hot-atr fur
mace or water-heating devices at hand.
About half of this waste would be avoided
if the electric plant were in the building
itself and did not have to be conveyed by
wire from a central station. But this waste,
whether complete or partial, with the high
prices of electrical materials andSthe usual
profits on patented articles, makes electric
heating now a good deal of luxury.
IT is obvious that fhe developments of the
future are likely to be all in the direction
of lessening this margin of extra cost. For
example, the rise in the price of anthracite
coal by comparison with bituminous, will
have notable effect; the latter Is in nor
NAL times a greatly cheaper steam pro-
Queer. and 1t might be more profitable to
get only co or 20 per cent of it's heat value,
through electricity, than to get 100 per cent
with direct consumption, on the anthracite
required In the private residence this COM
parison applies to the 100 per cent now prac-
ticaHy obtainable, for it should, of course,