The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1907-12-28
WATER WORKS WHERE ANTHRACITE was
FIRST TRIED IN Er7ZHOLPkIA /ap


redhot charcoal. To assist ignition
we drew and kept together the circu.
lar sheetiron doors. 1t was a cold
morning; there were some half dozen
friends watching the experiment; but,
alas and alackaday after some hours
and the consumption of much char.
coal, the stone coal would not burn,
and all it would do was to look red
like stones in wellheated lime kiln"
Mr.. Binns relates that anthracite
was discovered about the year 1S05,
but in this he was in error, for it is
on record that coal was found on the
Lehigh ten years before he came 10
this country, in 1902. So far as the
company of which he speaks is con
cerned it may be said that, although
it was formed in 1892, it did little
to advance it's business for many
years, and frequently was before the
Legislature for the purpose Of securing
a charter. With due regard for Mr..
Binns statement, it may be said that
the attempt in the water works in
Center Square seems TO have preceded
his expensive attempt to burn stone
coal"
The reason that anthracite was re.
ccived with so much suspicion was
due to the fact that those who attempt,
ed 10 burn it did not know how. No
wonder they called it "stone coal
1t was left for Judge Fell, as men
toned, to devise a proper Crate for
the purpose so that the necessary
draught could be obtained. Some
years afterward he told the story OF
his success in Sullman's Journal now
known as the Journal of the Franklin
Institute. In this account he Gays;
From observation had conceived the
idea that if a body OF this coal was
ignited and confined together il would
burn as fuel TO try the experiment In
the month of February, lSOS, ] had
a crate constructed for the purpose,
eight inches in depth and eight inches
i'm height. with feet eight inches high
and about % inches long Ctho length
is immatcrial as that may be rogulat.
ed TO suit it's use or convenience, and
the coal after being ignltcd IN 1t,
burned beyond the most sangnine eX-
pectations. A more beautiful fire
could not be imagined, it being clear
and without smoke. This was the
first instance of success in burning
this coal in a CRATE in common fire
place Of which have any knowledge,
and this experiment first brought our
coal into use for winter fires without
any patent rlghD."
Just 80 years after Judge Fell's sue
cess four young men were riding to-
gether in coach which was travelling
toward Wilkes Barre One Of the four
was a grandson of Judge Fell He
had that day been reading an account
in an old copy Of a well known Ma
sonic book OF the experiment made by
his grandsire, and when he mentioned
IL. one of the members Of the party
happened to recall that the date of
this event was just so years previous
The Young men were struck by the co
incidence and determined that some
thing should be done
When they arrived in Wilkes.Barrc
they set about stirring up interest
aud called a public meeting, 10 be
held that evening in the same old
tavern in which Judge Fell had car
ried on his experiment. The four
Young men were James Platter Dennis
grandson Of Judge Fell; Henry Mar
tyn Hoyt. later governor of Penusyl
rania. John Butler COnyngham and
Stanley Woodward, the latter after.
ward one Of the leading jurIstg Of the
state These four became the found
cr5 Of the Wyoming Historical and
society. formed as a result
Of that nights meeting Il is this or
that now purposes u cclc-
Jlate the loJth anniversary Of this
experiment of Judg Fell and the 59th
Of its own founding "a,
t1r rarrr time