Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-01-01
WATER WlRKG WHERE ANTHRACITE ms
FIRST TRIED IN E97ZHQELPHIH -

1t Is hard to believe that people once
thought that anthracite coal was un
burnable because too hard, and that
it was only by the most persistent
efforts of the few investigating minds
that it was finally demonstrated that
the black rock had high fuel val
ue, but such is the case. 1t is now
almost a hundred years since it was
conclusively shown that anthracite
would burn. This was accomplished
at Wilkesbarre, Pa, and in February
next at that place that event is to
be suitably celebrated under the aus
pieces of the Wyoming Valley H;stori-
cal society.
In Philadelphia attempts to burn
the "stone coal' were made before the
year 1908, when Judge Jesse Fell of
Wilkesbarre succeeded in burning che
coal in a crate which he devised Tor
the purpose. The Introduction of an.
thrAcite as fuel should not be col-
fused with the successful burning Of
bituminous coal, which, in . limited
way, had been in use in FORCES for
nearly half century at the time.
What is known as Lehigh coal was
discovered by hunter who was gun
ming in the neighborhood of the pres
ent town of Mauch Chunk in 1891.
From its nature it became kno IN as
"stone COAL" and those who believed
It to be possible to ignite the anthra.
cite were numbered among the insell-
gent as well as among the ignorant.
Few persons at that time had faith in
its value as fuel. However, CON-
pany was formed in 1892 to take Up
the land in the immediate vicinity Of
the discovery. This corporation was
called the Lehigh Coal Mine company.
aud not a little of its early difficulties
were connected with the problem of
transportation. A great deal of work
had to be done before pound of coal
reached Philadelphia.
In time-for there were difficulties
with the legislature in the attempts to
get charter-some of the coal was
brought to Philadelphia. When this
was and where the first attempt was
made to burn the fuel here are mat
tiers still in dispute. The assertion is
made that load of anthracite was
brought to Philadelphia and put under
the boiler of the pumping engines in
the Center Square water works about
the beginning of the last century. It
is told that when anthracite was tried
under the boiler in the water works it
actually put out the fire. The preju-
dice against the 'stone coar' was so
great that it was years before another
attempt was made in the same place.
John Binns, who some so years or
more ago was a democratic politician
of Importance in the Quaker city, in
his book of recollections claims the
honor of having been the first to
make the attempt to burn Lehigh
coal. He fails to give the exact date,
but what he says possesses interest.
when this coal was discovered, about
the year 1906" he says, there was
much speculation, and not little anx-
iety, as to it's quality and quantity.
In the legislative session of 1901
an application was made for an act
OF assembly to incorporate a company
to work the Lehigh coal mines. To A.
sist in obtaining this charter the per.
sons most interested induced a German
mineralogist to explain to the mem
bers of the legislature the nature of
the coal, the probable extent of the
mines and the facility with which, at
moderate expense, the coal could
be brought to market.
Before he left the mines he sent
to me to Philadelphia wagonload of
the coal, the best he had, in the hope
that would, in my newspaper, give
it some celebrity, which, in truth, I
was we'll disposed to do. To enable
me so to do l paid a stovemaker $50
for a semicircular sheetiron stove, and
had it put up in my private Office, in
order to burn that coal. A suf1ciency
of charcoal, it was thought, was put