Evening star., 1907-11-17


the government, manufacturing interests
all over the country are busted with like
experiments.
Abate Smoke Nuisance.
There has been a general movement to
abate the smoke nuisance. partly because
of the offensive effect upon the atmos-
phere of manufacturing towns and partly
because smoke indicates incomplete COM
bustion-that is, that quantities of fuel
particles. which under perfect furnace con-
dltlOnS would be consumed and contribute
to the generation of power, fly off into
the air unused and are wasted. Smoke
consuming devices are in general use now
| and corresponding saving has resulted
On April last the Secretary of the In
terror created as a new branch of the
| United States geological survey the tech
| nologic bureau, which was dedicated to
the fuel question. The last session of
Congress appropriated $3.50, 600 for the sup
port of the fuel inquiry, and work began
at once.
Originally at st. Louis, the bureaus
testing plant was moved to a site near
Norfolk, Va, adjoining the jamestown
exposition grounds, and here in the pres
ence of thousands who visited the fair the
federal experts have conducted their eX-
periments.
Probably the most important of these
experiments were those which effected a
tanned from a certain amount of coal
under the steam boiler and a like amount
| in the gas engine, or as it has become to
| be known with its increasing Importance,
| the ''internal- combustion motor.
| AS a result of these tests, on which
complete official report is yet to be made,
| it has been demonstrated that the gas en-
! ginn can produce from two to nearly three
| times as much power with given amount
of coal as the steam engine The gas
producer also generated this great power
in many instances from Ignite, the Owest
| form of coal, although this fuel refuses to
| do any work under the steam boiler.
The department estimates the saving
| which will eventually follow these i'm
portant discoveries at all the way from
| 500. 900 eco to S2OOO0O,OO0 a year in the
peoples coal bill.
When it is remembered that in 1905
| the country's coal bill was 81, 800 600 OOO,
and that one-third of this sum. or $780,
| OOO 900 went for coal to produce power,
! the vast possibilities of saving money,
| power and fuel along these lines is ap-
parent.
A Biscuit, a Barrel.
| The federal experts, who also are busy
on improvements to effect economies for
| the steam engine, have found that the
| loss in the utilization of fuel to produce
| power in the average manufacturing plant
was so tremendous that in a ton of coal
I
energy was available for the actual work
! of manufacturing.
| They have found, too that in ordinary
| locomotives only to per cent of the
| fuel energy is obtained for pulling the
| train.
| This" says u department expert, COM
| meuting upon the discovery, rs as II
| housewife took barrel of flour and sue
| ceed"d in getting but one small biscuit
! as the entire result.
| Prof Robert Haywood Fernald who
! JAS charge of the gas tests at jamestown
declares that a ,oO0-horsepower gas pro
ducer plant VIII cost S42o'ooo the sam
IS a steam plant of the same. power but
! tuat the steam pant would burn SlOJ,UoO
! worth of coal year, while the gas plant
would require only $50 800 worth
| Another interesting thing discovered by
the epxerts was Il method OF utilizing the
g.s which is generated by coke ovens. II
/ IS rontcuded by the department that by
product coke ovens may be built near the
large cities and that vast quantities OF
/ .,aS NAV be obtained for illuminating pur-
poses and for gas engines. BY the same
! process tar and ammonia may be OBJ
tanned in paying quantities as by
products This gas is clean waste in
many ovens under the present process.
Briquettes and Alcohol.
The Navy Department has just COM
plcted a successful test of "briquette'' for
fuel purposes. '.Briquctte" is the name
Of a fuel prepared from coal waste pressed
into blocks by machinery. Three Of these
machines are at work in the government
testing plant and a few days ago the
federal experts loaded the bunkers of the
torpedo boat I5iddle with "briquette' and
went to sea from Norfolk, burning the
new fuel in place of coal.
| The "briquctte" made much hotter
fire than coal. and the test was pro
nounced satisfactory. The use of ''bri-
Quette" will make available a tremendous
amount of low grade fuel hitherto looked
upon as waste.
= Reform in mining conditions, so as to
, reduce the amount of waste to "A mini
mum, is being rapidly brought about
through recommendations made bv Mr.
} Clarence Hall, the departments expert
In explosives. Careless use of blastinp
, powder and dynamite in the mines not
only destroys vast quantity of coal an
nually, but creates gases and dust the
presence OF which endangers the lives OF
the miners.
Il Another important step in fuel economy
was the passage of federal act taktne
. off the tax on alcohol, when dena tured m
trendered unfit for human consumption
The government desired to give manufac.
turers and householders an opportunity I,