The Washington times., 1907-03-20
Geological Survey Con-
vinced Gas Engine IS
Not OVerValued.
Can Produce 81 Times as
Much Power as Given
Weight of Coal.
Thirteen Scientific Parties
to DeIiminate u. S.
Coal Fields.

The fuel problem Of this country has
been solved beyond possibility Of un-
certainty for some centuries to come, If
the claims which are now advanced for
the gas developing steam engine are not
overstated. The experts of the Geological
Survey, after months of thorough tests.
are convinced that this engine is capable
of producing three and one-half times
as much power from n given weight Of
coal as can be secured under an OTdln-
airy steam boiler.
This is one Of the remarkable results
from the series of fuel tests that have
been conducted at ST. Louis for the last
two or three years under direction Us
DR.. J. A. Holmes, Of the survey. The
Holmes tests have aimed to determine
the fuel values Of different Goals, and
also to demonstrate the comparative
economies OF various methods Of ap-
plying coal 10 production Of power.
Immense Area of Ignite.
The greatest fuel deposit in America
is the immense area of Ignite which
underlies tie western two-fifths Of
North Dakota. the eastern third OF
Montana, and great areas Of eastern
Wyoming and northwestern South Da-
ly deliminated because 1t has been re-
Earded as Of small value. But the de-
monstration of the possibilities of lg-
mite. when used. has suddenly given It
a new and striking interest. Dr. Holmes
has proved that. properly used. a ton
OF Ignite will produce two and one
half times as mitch power as a ton
OF the best steaming coal represents
when used under an ordinary steam
boiler. The steam coal. used in the gas
producing engine. is worth three ard
one-half times as much in units Of
power as when used under a boiler.
The gas producer is simply a double
engine which combines the steam engine
and the gas motor. The fuel is used I'm
the ordinary way to provide steam: but
the production Of combustion is after
ward drawn of as gas, ana used in a
gas motor where explosion produces a
great deal more power than IN the first
phase. The apparatus is pronounced en-
tirely practical and successful CONNER
cieIy.
Biologists to Begin Work.
Thirteen parties Of geoloRists will be-
gin work in the next few weeks. ac-
curately surveying and studying the
coal deposits Of the Rocky mountain
region. Two OF these will work on the
great Ignite field of the northwest. one
in east central wyoming. one in the
Rock Springs field of Wyoming. one in
the Rawlings, WyO.. field. one in
the district just south Of the Yellow
stone National Park. two in central
Montana. TO the east # Great Falls.
one IN northern Colorado and Utah. one
IN the Trinidad region Of Colorado. one
In northwestern New Mexico, one in
southern Utah These parties are ex-
pected TO cover about 1,5OO square miles
OF cCal lands each. making a substan-
tally complete scientific survey. and
when they are done the Government
VIII know for the first time what the
coal OF the public domain Is, where Il
Is, ana how II may be made CONNER
cially available. Following this work the
lands viii be appraised and steps taken
TO see that they will not be sacrificed.