St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-01-11
WATER WORKS WHERE ANTHRACITE WAG
FIRST TRIED IN R7KHOELPHIH 10

into the stove and the coal, which was
in pretty large Jumps, was laid on the
redhot charcoal To assist ignition
we drew and kept together the circu-
lar sheetiron doors. 1t was 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 coar would not burn,
and all it would do was to look red
like stones in Well-heated lime kiln.
Mr.. Binns relates that anthracite
was discovered about the year 1905,
but in this he was in error, for 1t Is
on record that coal was found on the
Lehigh ten years before he came to
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 its business for many
years, and frequently was before the
| legislature for the purpose OF securing
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-
cefved with so much suspicion was
/ due to the fact that those who attempt
ed to burn it did not know now. NO
wonder they called it "stone coal"
It was left for Judge Fell, az 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 Stillman's Journal, now
known as the Journal of the Franklin
Institute. In this account he says:
From observation had conceived the
idea that if body Of this coal was
ignited and confined together it would
burn as fuel. To try the experiment IN
| the month of February, 1903, had
i a crate constructed for the purpose,
/ eight inches in depth and eight inches
in height, with feet eight inches high
and about % inches long (the length
/ is immateriaI, as that may be regulat
ed to suit its use or convenience), and
the coal, after being ignited in it,
burned beyond the most sanguine 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 crate in common fire
place of which I have any knowledge,
and this experiment first brought our
coal into use for winter fires without
any patent right)."
Just so 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 well known Ma
sonic book of the experiment made by
| his grandsire, and when he mentioned
| 1t, 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-Barre
they set about stirring up interest,
and called a public meeting. to he
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 Pennsyl,
vania; John Butler Conyngham and
Stanley Woodward. the latter after
ward one of the leading jurists of the
state. These four became the found
ers of the Wyoming Historical and
Geological society, formed as a result
of that nights meeting. 1t is this or,
ganization that now purposes to cele.
brate the Tooth anniversary of this
experiment of Judge Fell and the 5Oth
anniversary of its own founding at
/ the same time.