The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-01-02
MATER WORKS WHERE ANTHRACITE MAS
FIRST TRIED IN R4ZHDELPHLA 10

ever the cause, such was the result
Of the first attempt to burn Lehigh
coal in Philadelphia. where, since that
time, millions Of ions Of 1t have been
welcomed and consumed"
Mr. Binns relates that anthracite
was discovered about the year 1905.
but in this he was in error, for It IL
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. 1t did little
to advance its business for many
years, and frequently wac before the
legislature for the purpose Of securing
charter. With due regard for Mr..
Binns' statement, 1t 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-
ceiyed with so much suspicion was
due to the fact that those who attempt
ed to burn it did not know how No
wonder they called It stone coal"
It was left for Judge Fell, as men4
toned, 10 devise a proper CRATE for
the purpose SO that the necessary
draught could be obtained Some
xrao~r a aftrrs.tn~1 ~ fe19 a.. o4y~rs .F
his success in Sullmans 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. 1908. had
crate constructed for the purpose,
eight inches In depth and eight inches
in height with feet eight inches high
and about % inches long lthe length
is imnaterial. as that may be regulat
ed to suit its use or convenience, and
the coal, after being ignited in It.
burned beyond the most sangulne ex-
pectations. A more beautiful fire
could not be imagined. 1t being clear
and without smoke. This was the
first instance Of success in burning
this coal in crate In a common FIRE
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 Fen's sue
cess four young men we're riding to
gether in a 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 a well known Ma
sonic book Of the experiment made by
his grandsire, and when he mentioned
C. one Of the members OF the party
happened 10 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 Wllkes-Barre
they set about stirring ap Interest,"
and called a 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.
yania; John Butler Conyngham and
Stanley Woodward, the latter after
ward one Of the leading iurists OF the
state. These four became the found.
ers Of the Wyoming Historical and
Geological society. formed as a result
Of that nights meeting. Il Is this or
that now purposes 10 ceiet
Drate the Tooth anniversary OF this
experiment Of Judge Fell and the 5Oth
Of It's own founding at
the same time. II was al a meeting
of this society recently that the facts
the old Jesse Fell crate
we're learned. for a paper on Where
Is the Crate on Which Jesse Fen
Made His Successful Experiment Of
Burning Anthracite Coalg was read
by Rev. H E. Hayden, curator Of the
society.
Mr. Hayden has made an exhaustive
study Of the subject and has come 10
he conclusion that the original CRATE
2 not now In existence. and that the
,nly well authenticated crate extant
belonging to Judge Fela is that here.
ofore known as the Herman or Eick
crate, and nov In the possession Of
he historical society