West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-04-25
SAVE YOUR ASHES.
Altoona CObblef's Secret Is Solved
by Chemists
THE FORMULA Is VERY SIMPLE
Cheap Fuel for the Future or Until the
Supply Of Ashes Runs Out.
Denied by Inventor.
THE FORMULA is VERY SIMPLE

The pile Of ashes you have been
accommodating all winter should now
be carefully boarded, as there prom
Uses to be just as big a demand for
the former refuse as there was for
coal. The remarkable ashes burn.
ing secret discovered by John Ell.
more, the Altoona cobbler, is out.
Almost every householder in AL
toona is now consuming bis ashes
as fuel.
Several well known chemists set
to work to discover the formula.
They were successful, and here It is:
Common salt, one pound; oxalic
acrid, two ounces; water, one gal.
lon. Mix and mOIsten a mixture
containing one part coal and three
parts ashes, and a better fuel than
pure coal is Obtained"
The ashes of anthracite coal burns
as readily as do those of Lituminous
coal. This mixture, upon being
placed upon a burning fire, will fuse
into a coke.mas and deposit but
little residue. When an aqueous
solution of an alkaline salt is mixed
with coal ash a mild I've is formed,
which, when mixed with any com
bustible material and upon the CD.
plication of heat, gives off oxygen
gas. The addition of oxalic acid
caused a chemical change Of greater
value than the first, since the second
chemical breakdown forms a car
bide, which in turn gives off acety-
lene gas. this adding to the inten
sity of the heat and facilitating com
plete combustion.
1t is possible upon moistening a
small quantity of ashes, without the
addition of coal, to readily detect
the odor of a~cetylene gas, and if the
treated ashes are placed upon a
lighted fire they will fuse and burn
to a fine powder.
The ash burning compound is
now being used in many large In
dustrial and mercantile places, and
1t is claimed for it that it has re.
duced The fuel item to more than
half. 1t has eliminated almost en-
tireiy the question of disposing of
ashes, which has been considerable
where great quantities of coal are
consumed.
The discovery has resulted in a
number of complications and is re.
tarding the work of paving contrac.
tors who have utilized ashes as a
foundation for sidewalks. Hereto.
fore 1t was possible to secure all the
ashes required for this purpose with
out cost, but contractors are now
complaining that it is impossible to
get them.
Fillmore, who discovered the Sc
cret and focused attention upon the
possibilities that lurked in ashes.
claims that his patent will protect
him IN his secret. He claims to
have received an offer from the
British government il he can demon
strate the practicabi!ity of his com
ponnd.
While it is everywhere conceded
that Gilmore has conferred a great
boon upon humanity il is feared
that he will not derive any tangible
benefit from his discovery, in view
OF the fact that hundreds of Others
have secured the same results. fol.
lowing his lead.
John Gilmore, the Altoona cob.
bier of ash burning fame, with his
hacker, DR.. II. K. Hoy, are in
Bellefonte, giving what they declare
Will be their last public demonstra-
ton. They gave a demonstration
at the borough water works. The
large crowd was disappointed and
skepticai. Instead of using three
parts ashes and one part coal. Ell
more used n part ashes and three
parts coal The results were not
satisfactory to the spectators, and
Dr. Hoy explained it was only a
"baby demonstration
Another demonstration was made
at the Bellefonte Electric Com
pany's plant. Gilmore has under. (
to run the plant by burning
ashes and coal aud make one en-
CINE furnish the power where two
have been used heretofore. and do
II on one half the amount Of coal
ordinarily used.
Dr. Hoy laughed when speaking
OF the allegation made by an Al
toona chemist that Ellmore's com.
pound is merely oxalic acid. salt
and water, denying emphaGcalIy |
that such was the case. lie said !
there was no danger Of their secret
leaking out, as they sent TO distant
for their ingredients.