The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-05-01
ASHES CAN BE BURNED.

One of the interesting news stories
of the past week was the announce.
ment that a Pennsylvania cobbler had
discovered a process by which ashes
can be converted into fuel, and many
owners of ash piles began to figure
that their coal problem had been
solved. Later Developments. how.
ever, indicate that the coal barons
will not be sent to the poor house by
the new process mentioned. The ash
burning formula and comments there
on are given in the Kansas City Jour-
nal as follows:
Oxalic acid. 2 o.; costs SIC per
pound.
Salt, l h.; costs l cent per pound.
Water l gallon.
Moisten mixture of q part crushed
coal and three parts ashes with the
product of this formula to proper con-
%sistency. Either anthracite or BIZ
luminous coal may be used. This
mixture, if placed on q burning fire,
will fuse and burn, leaving little resi-
due.
Interested by the demand and find
ing out, as only druggists can, the
reason, some of them set to work ex-
perimenting with the compound for
their own satisfaction. They were in
q better position to get results than
the average experimenter, who may
or may not have reaped results from
his pains. Here is what L. +. Zuber,
Eighteenth and Walrond, said as he
emerged from behind his prescription
case:
swell, it burns. | made three ex-
periments to test the formula aud Sc
cured the best results by following it
closely. When more water or more
coal than required was used, combus-
tion was poor. Mixing ashes and
coal with the acid.salt solution in the
right quantities, just wet enough SO
that the mixture crumbled between the
fingers like moist earth, was found to
be right. This mixture, placed on hot
Goals, fused rapidly and then burned,
giving out a sulphur smell and white
smoke. There was some heat, but it
did not seem to be so intense as that
from coal. Little residue was left
Kansas City fuel experts generally
are agreed that the process does not
really enable n to burn ashes, but
merely the unburned carbon
and other volatile elements in the ash.
1t Is pointed out, in support OF this
claim, that coal in practical work Of
ten yields as much as 40 to SO per cent.
of its original bulk in ash, while la
boratory tests show perhaps only 80
per cent.
Much OF its variance is accounted
for by methods of stocking. In large
plants, where coal is fed automatical.
ly and just as the fire requires it, the
proportion of ash is relatively small.
In the household, however, the prob
lem is different and it is in the furnace
and small stove of the home and the
small steam plant that the greatest
waste occurs. 1t might be economy,
say these experts, to apply the process
In a small way in such cases.
1.-The whole problem is to secure
complete combustion" said a chemis,
who tests fuels. "Forty pounds OF
ash generally are left out of lOC
pounds of coal. and perhaps fifteen
pounds of good coal are in the ash,
With the best stocking, this tifteer
pounds may be materially reduced
Insofar as the discovery makes it pos
siblc TO dispose Of this present waste
providing the expense is not too great
it may prove valuable. But remem
Der o are O burning ashes. 70,
can't eat your pudding and have it
too, and you can't make coal yielt
heat twice
Oxalic acid, which makes ash burn
ing possible, comes in white crystals
In small quantities 1t is prepared frou
wood sorrel, an herb, and also frOl
plants Of the buckwheat family. On
commercial scale it Is obtained |
large quantities by the action OF fuse
caustic soda or potash on sawdust.