The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1906-05-02
WASTE OF COAL ENERGY


they spent approximately 81 SOC, 10000 for
fuel last year for the production of pow
err. light and heat. With the steady in
crease in the number of manufactures in
dustries. our need for fuel is not likely
to diminish as the years go by, nor is it
probable that our annual expenditure 70
the material with which to make power,
light and heat VII become less. In vie \
of our accommodating needs and the grow
ing difficulty we may have in meeting
them, the statements recently maze by
the government experts and referrd to
the senate committee on the geological
survey are such that may make every
patriot pause.
These statements are 10 TIE eject that
the losses in the utilization of ful 70
the development of power, light and heat
under existing ccndit -ons are 50 great
this in a ton of coal consumed in an
ordinary manufacturing plant less than
five per cent of the total energy Is avail
able for the actual work of manufactrr-
Aii5 lid III All idtiC 0J
from three to five per cent of the tnel
energy is obtained for pulling the tran
that in our houses ordinarily not NOR
than one-seventh of one per cent of the
fuel energy is actually transformed into
electric light; that gases from the bias
rnace of the country are now lost in
the atmosphere hat would yield contin
uously if properly utilized, more than
e.500,G O horse power; and tl4at by-prol-
ucts might be saved from the 10000 600
tons of coal which we now convert into
coke that would nave an aggregate
yarly value much greater than that of
the coke itself, says the Mining World
These by-products would include am
monium sulphate sufficient to fer ize
our farms, creosote for the preservation
of our timber and pitch enough for
houses am repairing some of our 70 DIS
How appalling that such waste should
continue after we know tat t exists
Unfortunately, it is not always clear,
CFCu " tuuSc wiz DtSt QDori . dIAu ttit
nature and uses of coal how such eco
Monies may be effected. No methods
for instance, are l-nown by which more
than one-sixth of the nitrogen in coal
can be saved in the manufacture o.
coke. There is no. subject touching the
welfare of the human race on which re
search is more needed than economy in
the use of fuel.
The results of he fuel Investigations
conducted at ST. Louis during the Lou
isiana Purchase Exposition by member
the United States geological survey
are so encouraging to both prod~cers
and consumers of coal that the nation
may well take to heart the co%ntinuanc
of those Investigations. Persons deslr-
Gus of knowing more about this work
should apply to the director of tn :
United States geological survey for Pro-
fessional Paper No. 4S. In comparisos
with the immense sum annually expend
sary to carry on this work for several
years seems a mere trife especial
when the magnitude of the interests in
volved is considered. The
tion of the director of the United States
geological survey that the sum of $780,
900 be appropriated by congress for the
investigation of the Goals, lignites and
other fuel substances OF the Unitec
States during the fiscal year ending Tune
30. 1907. should therefore meet with the
enthusiastic approval of the whole PEG
pie. since it is a matter that concern
every citizen.
1t should not be forgotten that WORT
of this kind is necessarily expensive. 1t
must be done with the greatest possible
care and on a scale sufficiently large to
command public attention. Every test
must be extended over a period of from
three to six days. and many OF them
over a longer period. during which time
shifts of men SO that the work may be
constantly under supervision. Not only
must the experts in charge of the work
be men of the highest training and expe-
rience, but ven the ordinary workmen
must be selected with care. and must b.
given such compensation as will make
them willing to render proper service.
Eipal1v tho ao.ipnapt must pof only he