Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-03-21
Value OF PEAT AS FUEL
President sitz, Of tho WiIimsr Peat
Company, Tells Of tho disabilities
Of the Peat Industry.

President sitz, Of tho vvili'msr Peat
Company, Tells Of tho Pos sibiIities
Of the Peat Industry.
The prime object of this statement is
to offer briefly some facts and infor-
nation relating to the production,
cost, use and value of this fuel large
ly from my own personal experience
and observ alton during a series of
years, with other data from trust
worthy authorities which may be of
practical interest to parties.
In our country the deposits of peat
are numerous, extensive and in guam
tity simply enormous Minnesota is
full of it. The deposit in the middle,
western and northwestern states and
in Canada are enormous. California
and Mexico have rich and extensive
stores of it.
PRESSING AND CONDENSING
The various attempts to solidify and
put it into merchantable form may all
be classed under two heads, pressing
and condensing.
OF presses a great variety have been
built, some very simple Of construc-
tion, others of marvellous power and
perfection in every detail. The most
notable success attained by this pro-
cess has been in Canada, where, un-
der pressure of two to twelve tons per
square inch, a handsome article has
been produced in briquette form, which
burns we'll and can be used for some
purposes, but pressure has thus far
failed to produce and cannot by any
possibility be made to produce a per-
feet fuel. Water dissolves it, heat
disintegrates it, handling and trans
portation tends to crumble it, and it
cannot be successfully cooked. The
cost of plant is large, the power re-
quired is enormous and the product,
though not without merit for some
purposes, is seriously lacking in quail
tiles essential to perfect fuel. Our
consul at Toronto writes (Oct. 81, 1902,
"Fully $500, 100000 has been in the
course of seven years, practically
wasted in Canada in futile attempts in
this line.'
Condensed peat fuel differs essen.
TALLY from the pressed article. The
method of manufacture is exceedingly
simple, rapid and successful. The
plant required is comparatively mex
pensive; he expense of manufacture is
small and the fuel produced is, in
many respects, superior to that pro-
duced by any other process.
MATERIAL EXCAVATED
The crude material is excavated and
brought from the bog in any convent
ent manner. The treatment is such
that the original organization of the
peat is destroyed; the air, of which q
large amount is contained in it's cells
is elected, it's plastic and adhesive
properties are developed, advantage
is taken of some of the peculiar natu
raj qualities of the material and it is
then in condition to be put into any
form desired, which may be accom-
plished in a variety of simple ways
1t is then exposed in the open air o.
the peat dryer, which is used to expe
dite this.
The product is solid, hard fue
which burns freely with light draft
producing steady, clear and intense
heat; consumes entirely from surfac'
to center, leaving a residium of ligh
ash, but no clinker or cinders; doe:
not disintegrate; is as impervious tt
water as brick or stone; emits yer,
little smoke and no offensive gases; il
readily carbonized, producing stront
coke of superior quality for domestic
steam and metallurgic purposes.
ABOUT PEAT COKE
Condensed peat may be carbonize'
as we do wood and coal and produce
peat coke. It is to this fuel and tn
proper production of it that 1 desir
to call special attention, because of it
superior excellence for all Ordinar
purposes, and for the more severe pre-
cesses required in the arts. Until re
Gently I have never known of any pea
coke being produced in this county
but during the past five years persis
ent and we'll directed efforts have n
suited in perfecting simple, practics
and eminently successful method {
producing this much desired fuel, at
cost and of quality which render
practicable to introduce it as a me-
charitable article, available for thos
purposes for which it is known to po
sess superior merit.
Condensed and solidifed by what
known as Rock process, the coking {
carbonizing is accomplished by tt
more recently discovered Rockwe
process; the former is not patente
and is therefore free to all. The col
ing process is covered by patent
The gases generated from the peat
the process of cOking are used fl