Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-01-14

experiment station, to the board of
directors of the Boston manufac-
turers' mutual fire insurance company
showing the practical value of bog
mud, when dried, as fuel Prof
Charles l.. Norton has been in charge
of the experiments under Mr.. Atkin-
son as director, and Joseph Gray is the
consulting engineer. Considering the
revolution which is expected in the
business and manufacturing world in
consequence of this new and low
priced fuel, Mr.. Atkinson wrote to
Dr.. William Everett for suitable
Latin motto for his report. 1t stands
on the first page thus: "Percussit Ii
mum; Wis, lux, calor, ide secuti." He
struck mud; power, light, heat came
forth" This is not peat fuel,
though akin to it, but is sheer mud; all
of it, however, composed Of yege-
table matter, what Mr.. Atkinson terms
coal in the first stage of formation. He
says that it will burn in all apparatus
where bituminous coal or wood will
burn, and it is easily convertible into
power, light and heat. 1t does not yet
seem fitted to act as a substitute for
anthracite. 1t promises to have great
effect upon the values of coal proper
ties, but Mr.. Atkinson says of their
owners: "They won't believe it; 1t is
incredible, and | don't blame them"
The report which is made public today
goes a step farther than his report
last July when he said that this bog
mud might become IAN emergency
fuel" He has no doubt now that 1t Is
to become permanent article OF man
ufacture, and that it will largely dis
place soft coal in this part OF the
country. The manufacture is be-
ing put upon a business basis,
and the report says that the peat fuel
company hopes to be ready to supply
briquets or coke by the ton within q
few weeks.
Mr.. Atkinson says that he desires
no extra credit for what he has done
in connection with putting before the
public what he regards as a revolution
OF incalculable magnitude in manufac
day he said: IL claim nothing in this
personally. Irish peasants invented
the process generations ago, and scien
tliic men appear to have overlooked
the immense significance Of their
work. Dutch peasants have put 1t in
practice in its simplest form, and all l
have done is to open out the enormous
significance of the find of the Irish
peasants who burned mud cut from the
slopes of their hills, not from peat
boys in the ordinary sense of the word.
and, reasoning from that small basis
CT Induction. seem to have led out to a
possible, even probable, revolution in
the whole fuel question of the United
States. That vision developed itself
in my mind at the first did not dare
whisper anything beyond the word
emergency fuel until facts and pro-
cesses had justified the vision, for
fear that commission de lunatico in
Quirendo would take me in charge
But now he feels certain that the rev
olution is at hand.
Yesterday, for the first time, he mad
on exhibition large collection of dried
mud, peat, coke made from mud and
other artificial fuel used in Europe.
Specimens from this country included
a block of Taunton cedar swamp mud
which had been dried eight weeks
in the bottom of key, and by that
time had taken shape so that it was
ready to be cut with an AK and used for
fuel; another specimen from the same
swamp. showing root or branch
about an inch in diameter and other.
wise showing vegetable matter In
visible form; several specimens from
Lewiston, Me-: peat fuel produced by
the Dickson process from the Welland
bog in Ontario. made about FIVE years
ago. costing about $3.50 per ton; a
sample of mud sent by the Florence
manufacturing company of Florence.
Mass; coke made by the peat fuel
company from bog near Hartford.
CT, but not quite as clear as the neat
from the bog at Brookfield. Mass. :;
mud from New Haven. CT. air-dried.
from which coke Is made; air.dried
mud which had been stored six weeks
in the institute of technology. showing
how quickly the article can be pr,..
pared for use; brick made of Rhode
Island coal, and coke made from mud
from salt marsh near New Haven, con.
tanning a varying quantity of salt, but
rich as fuel.
Mr.. Atkinson says that there are
25.00o.o00 tons of bog fuel estimated
on the dry basis. within % miles of
tae state-house. 1t is impossible to
calculate the enormous quantity of the
deposits to be found all over the conn.
try. He says that it was time TO find
some substitute fuel, for we are with.
in so or so years of the end Of the
known deposits of anthracite. He
predicts a redistribution of manufac
turing establishments, for it will bt
worth more to own mud bog than L