Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-01-01

lutO the stove ana the coal, WnlC0 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 coal would aot burn.
and all it would do was to ksok red
like stones in 8 well-heated lime kiln"
Mr.. Binns relates that anthracite
was discovered about the year 1865.
but In this he was in error, for it is
on record that coal was found on the
Lehigh ten years before he came to
this country, in 1902. ST. far as the
company of which he speaks is con.
cerned it may be said that, although
it was formed in 1892, Il 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 thai
the attempt in the water works IN
Center Square seems to have preceded
his expensive attempt to burn "stone
COAL"
The reason tina: anthracite was re
ceived with SO much suspi; Ion was
due to the fact tina: those who attempt
ed to burn it did not know how. liz
wonder they called it "stone COAL
It was left for Judge Fell, as mel
toned. to devise proper crate fol-
the purpose so that the necessary
draught could be obtained. Some
years afterward he told TIE stc.y G.
his success in Stillman's Journal. ncx
known as the Journal of the Frs.lkli:'
Institute In this account he SAYS:
From observation had conceived tao
idea that if a body of this coal way
ignited and confined together it w0ulG
burn as fuel. To try the experiment il
the month of February, 1903, I had
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 immaterial, as that may be regul:t
ed to suit it's use or convenience). and
the coal, after being ignited In It,,
burned beyond the most sanguine ex.
pectations. A more beautiful fra
could not be imagined, it being clear
and without smoke. This was the
first instance of success in burning
tn tn 81
place of which have any knowledge,
and this experiment first brought our
coal into use for winter fires without
any patent right"
Just so years after Judge Fells sue
cess four young men were riding to-
gether in coach which was travelling
toward Wilkes-Barre. One of the four
was grandson of Judge Fell. He
had that day been reading an account
in an old copy of a we'll known Ma.
sonic book of the experiment nude by
his grandsire, and when he mentioned
it, 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 public meeting. to 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 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 Us a result
of that nights meeting. It ia this Or.
ganization that now purposes to cele-
brate the Tooth anniversary Of this
experiment of Judge Fell and the 50xs
anniversary Of it's own founding ~
the same time.