The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-25
HOW TO SAW COAL;
| GOVERNMENT TESTS.
Valuable Experiments Are Being
Made at Jamestown a. en- Per
Cent. OF Coal Bills Saved.
I.FUEL ECONOMY DEMANDED.
Useless Waste Not Only Drains
Private Purse, but May EN-
haust Supply.
ny WALTER ED WARD HARRIS.

by WALTER EDWARD HARRIS.
WASHINGTON, D. c., August 60
The government Is about to inaugnrate
a series Of fuel tests which promise to
be Of most far-reaching Importance
not only to the owners of Eastern and
Southern coal deposits. but to the pub
lie generally, as we'll as to the gov
eminent itself. The fuel-testing plant
Of the Geological Survey has been
moved from st. Louis to the James
town Exposition. and begun opera
lions on Thursday Of this week.
During the two years the plant was
in operation at st. Louis results so
astonishing in the way of preventing
the waste OF fuel We're obtained that
the attention OF the entire country was
attracted. and Congress ordered the
experiments to be continued at the eX-
position, where they could be VIII
messed and the reaults impressed upon
thousands of people from all sections
Of the Union.
A Great Saving.
IT is claimed that the experiments
conducted at tho testing plant nave
demonstrated the means whereby 10
per cent, OF the entire coal bin of the
country may be saved each year, or
the sum of $l60,00O,O00 kept in the
pockets of the consumers, whether
they be manufacturers or simple house
holders Now the fuels of the Eas t
and South are to be tested under the
steam boiler, In the gas engines, the
gas producers and by briqueting. 1t
Is hoped that in this way the saving
may be further demonstrated.
The law under which these fuel
tests arc made contempates two
classes of work--in reasing efficiency
tl,o inn ne ia
utilization of the fuel resources OF
the country; and, second, testing Goals
that are used by the government,
The CrowninE Test.
Perhaps the most important of all
the amount of power obtained from q
Certain amount of coal under the
steam boiler and the amount obtained
| by using the same amount under the
gas producer. The gas engine mas
demonstrated in former tests Its
ability to do from two to fnearly three
| times as much with a pound OF coal
as can be done with tho same amount
| burnt In steam engine. Professor
Robert II. Fernald, of ST. Louis. en-
| gfneer In charge of the fuel gas pro-
Queer tests. VIII continue the expert
lnents with the 235-horse power gas
engine, which has been installed in
| the plant This engine Will be sun
| piled with gas made in the two large
Iproducers, and from tho same grade
OF coal used in the ire-boxes Of the
steam engines. in this way, tho com
paratiye utility of slack, culm, Ignite
and even peat. VIII be determined, FOR
| The tests made will show Just what all
2tneSe poorer fuels cain 1os5t
Professor L. T. Breekenridge, ii
/ charge of the steam engineering diVi-
/ sion of the survey, vii endaaYor to in
lcrease the efficiency OF the steam
boiler, His division mas now praotir
chilly succeeded in isolating the per
l'fornance OF tho boiler from that 81
| the boiler and furnace combined. a
lseries Of important experiments hays
recently Indicated that Nv stationary
! boilers ought to do from ten twsntS
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