The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-07
How IOSAVEoNFUEL
The Furnace Man Tells How House
holders Can Hold Down
Coal Bills.
Fewer Ash-Sifters Are Sold Because
There Is Less Anthracite Now
Being Burned.

The problem Of econominzing fuel has
assumed a more serious phase for the av-
erage householder this winter than ever
before in, a number Of years How to make
and how to find satisfactory substitute
for hard coal for the ordinary furnace or
stove; these are questions which thousands
of Minneapolitans have debated with some
anxiety during the last few months.
George E. Worthinghar1, of Worthing-
ham & Potter, says that with proper man |
agement soft ceal or coke may be used
with good results in almost any heating
plant. Said Mr.. Nottingham: |
I'm the ordinary hot water heating
plant, soft coal may be used with good
results, and without clogging the hues to
any great extent. Indeed. in many ways
soft coal, properly used, is more salts
factory than anthracite. Hard coal leaves
clinkers. which clog up the furnace, and
! much of the coal goes into the ashpan
only half burned. In soft coal on the
other hand there is practically no waste
the best fuel Of this sort burning to clear
ashes like hard wood
THE best results can be secured by
banking the furnace at night with the
soft COAL and covering the whole fire with
a thin layer of pea COAL which prevents
| the fire from burning too quickly. The
| fire really needs attention only two or
three times in every twentyfour hours.
| Sort coal, however, cannot be used with
satisfactory results In the ordinary hot
air furnace. The great problem this year
J is that Of the householder who has fur
mace designed for hard coal, and who can
not secure this kind of fuel. The best re-
! SUITS IN most cases can be secured from
coke, although this is by no means an
! ideal substitute, CokeHis hard to control.
1T Is likely to burn too fast OR too slow,
and without constant attention the fire is
likely to go out altogether. BY the use of
thermostat. however, the fire can be
regulated. The thermostat acts automat-
ically, closing the drafts and checking the
| fire when the temperature Of the house
| gets above a. certain point, and opening
! the drafts again when the mercury goes
! too low With this instrument attached
to the furnace, coke gives fairly good
I fire. ~ -z-55s.ss
! IF coke is used, the fire should be
banked with pea coal at night, as in the
case of soft COAL If hard coal is used,
care should be taken not to waste the
/ fuel Many men throw on too much coal
at time, and much of the fuel passes out
through the chimney in gas, giving no
4 results in the form Of heat" ~-s'.
/ Fewer Ashes to 'Sift -.
| The plebeian ash sitter is one of the
most common means employed to prevent
| waste of anthracite coal In a. year OF
high prices such as the present, the ma
tural supposition is that the trade in ash
stfters would increase. Such is not the
fact. however, for the hardware dealers,
( report that sales in this line have shown
a tendency to decrease rather than to
increase. Frederick J. Frederickson of
the w. K. Morrison Hardware company
i said to-day: T.. -
i 1--WE had expected an increase in the
trade in ash sifters this winter on ac-.
count Of the high price of coal. One would
naturally suppose that when coal was
high householders would resort to this
simple and effective method Of prevent.
ing waste, AS a matter of fact, however:
there has been no appreciable result of
the high prices ip this. line Of the trade
T. Frank DaVey of the hardware de-
partment of the New England Furniture
& Carpet company says that ash sifters
are less popular than ever this year. Said
Mr. Davey: >~
''The tendency this winter has been to
seek substitutes for hard coal. Soft coal
Ignite, coke, are used more commonly
than ever before. In these kinds Of fuel
there is little waste, and the practice of
Sitting the ashes is if anything less COM
mon than in ordinary years. Not enough
coal can be taken from the ashes Of Ignite
or bftuminous to pay. for the trouble Of
sitting, and the sale Of ash sifters is de-
creasing. .-->.. :.
ION the other hand the, sale Of combin-
alton Stoves designed to- burn anthracite,
: bituminous, Ignite or coke has increased.
Hundreds who bought frst-class hard coal
stoves year or two ago are keeping those
stoves and buying moderate priced COM
bination heaters to serve during the con
> tinuation Of the high price Of anthracite
} A few years ago coal was high, and the
1 air tight wood stoves became very pop
: ular. Many men sold good coal stoves at
( a sacrifice to buy wood stoves. This year,
c however, most men are keeping their coal
i stoves and buying extra heaters" ..,.~ ="
sI nnIHnT nm NIIlH