Connecticut western news., 1906-07-05
MODERN LIME KILNS
GAS A GREAT SUCCESS AS FUEL
Prospect of Wood Shortage Prompts New England Lime Company to Find Substitute, and Success Crowns Their Efforts,

Substitute, and Success Crowns
 Their Efforts.
 On Friday of last week the New Eng land Lime Company commenced the use of gas as fuel for lime burning at the Peirce 6 Freeman plant, near Canaan, and they pronounce the method grand success. There is but one other plant in the United States where gas is being successfully used in this kind of kiln, i. G., at the kilns which this company own at New Milford, Conn.
 The new method has many things to recommend it. The fires are absolutely clean at all times, no clinkers and no cinders, and the lime produced is much winter than that burned by wood. Gas also produces a fire of more intense heat, therefore increasing the capacity of the kilns. The daily output, when wood is used as fuel, is 80 barrels per kiln per day, and gas increases it to 100 barrels and at less expense. Each day at this plant from 600 to 700 barrels of lime are burned by both gas and wood.
 The company considers that the pro- cess is no longer in the experimental stage, but that its efficacy and reliability has been demonstrated beyond doubt. So firm is their belief in this fact that they contemplate the erection of gas kilns at their Adams, Mass. plant next year.
 The principal reason for the adoption of gas was that shortage of wood fuel is imminent and the substitution of some other method of burning the stone be- came an absolute necessity. Had it been impossible to find substitute, 1t would have meant the restriction, and perhaps the total abandonment, of the business, and no greater industrial calamity could have befallen this section of Ltchheld county. Gas renders 1t not only possible to continue the business, but also to ex- tend its proportions to almost any desired extent, as the supply of Canaan lme- stone is practically inexhaustible.
 The company do not, however, propose to abandon the use of wood They have many wood-burning kilns and will op- crate them as at present so long as wood is obtainable. The practicability of gas is being demonstrated primarily for the purpose of being prepared to meet future exigencies.
 One point in favor of the gas.burning plant is its exceeding simplicity of op- eration. This statement is borne out by the fact that some of the men who have it in charge are Italians who cannot speak word of English and who have practically no knowledge of the manu- facture of lime.
 The coal is placed in hopper which is located at the top of the furnace, and which hopper is revolved by steam operated mechanism. From the hopper the coal falls into the furnace. where q slow fire is maintained and from which the gas is forced by steam blower through fiues which branch to two fires in each of the klns.
 The use of gas for the purpose of gen. erating steam has been in vogue for some time in furnaces where iron is manufac- tured and has operated satisfactorily. This being the case, it occurred to the lime burners that there surely ought to be some way by which it could be made to serve their purposes, and the plant as above briefly described is an instance of the successful application of furnace use of gas to their needs.
 The success of the experimentation experiment. it was until the recent con- elusive demonstration of its practicabil- ity-is a source of much qualification to the company. and should be none the less so to the people of Canaan, inasmuch as the use of this fuel insures to this community continuance of the exten- sive activities in the lime industry which have been so successfully carried on here ! since lime kilns came into general use.