The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-19
REAL VALUE OF
Ignite COAL
PROF. RATcHELoR, FARGO, WHO
HAS MADE EXTENSIVE TESTS
AND INVESTIGATIONS SAYS IT
IS SECOND TO NO FUEL AS A
HEAT PRODUCER.

HENt FN0gOGEHs
A reporter of The Forum called on
Prof H. Bachelor in the Huntington
block and interviewed him regarding
the value OF North Dakota ignite as a
fuel The Text Book Of Commercial
Geography written by Cyrus G. Adj
ANS Is used in the Fargo high schools.
This book is supposed to contain a
knowledge regarding the natural re-
sources of our country. The author,
under the head OF the Mineral Re-
sources Of the United States, makes
this broad statement, on page lit:
| And Ignite which is the least valu-
able as fuel"
When asked as to the value of lig-
mite as fuel Professor Bachelor said:
when considered in the light OF mod
ern scientific research can say after
more than a years investigation of
this fuel which the Provider Of all
things has so generously placed under
the surface of the soil OF our great
state, that North Dakota Ignite is
second to none as a heat producer.
when compared with the fuels found in
other parts of the world. An exami-
nation of It's chemical constituents and
its mechanical structure all go to prove
this position on my part is correct.
The United States Geological Survey
made extensive tests OF coal at ST.
Louis to determine the value of the
fuels found in the country. The re-
suits of these tests are to be found
in Bulletin No. $685. The tests fully
sustain the contention made by me
that our Ignite is a most valuable
fuel
Because people do not understand
how to use, or do not have proper ap-
pliances to burn it, does not signify
that they will rot find methods that
will give them satisfactory results. 1t
must be remembered that Ignite as
taken from the mines is thoroughly
saturated with moisture and that the
moisture must be removed.
Anthracite coal supposed to be the
best fuel in the world, caused much
trouble when it was first discovered
because people did not know how to
use it and it came in for more con-
domination than our own Ignite. In
fact several people were sent to the
states prison from Philadelphia for
selling rocks that would not burn. Just
think OF that, We who pay $40 the ton
for hard coal. Tell us Ignite is no
good that 1t cannot be burned. How
absurd! Examine the Ignite by an
alysis the same as smelter does the
ores 1t treats. or course Ignite will
come into use. make bold to predict
that three years from this time there
will not be a pound Of eastern coal
burned in this state, not only that our
Ignite will be exclusively used In Min
nesota and South Dakota in 1--WE years
How will all this come about--by the
knowledge of course.
What is the state spending $40, 600
annually for to advertise it's vast ma
tural resources all over the country +?
w. O. Gilbreath, our efflcient commits
sioner of agriculture and labor has
done us a world OF good through the
advertising campaign that he has so
ably conducted. We are getting better
known through his work. What are
our schools doing to educate our chill
dren? Well giving them text books
like that written by Mr.. Adams can
hardly be called educating them along
scientific lines. We want them to
learn the truth concerning our natural
resources Instructing them that lig-
mite Is least valuable as fuel is not
doing 1t, there is no scientific justifica-
ton for such q statement. Yes, one
might well inquire If our school boards
examine the books they make the pu-
Epils study. do not OF course know,
but j would rather be inclined to think
that they do not. when they allow such
books TO be taught in our schools. Our
lgreatest natural resource is Ignite and
any book that teaches that il is not
valuable as fuel should be eliminated
from the curriculum of our schools.
Il was talking the other day with
Jacob Lowell, one OF the earliest set
tiers in our state When he first came
here he opened a landofAce and tried
to sell FED river valley land TO people
from the east. This is what many OF
them said: Now Mr. Lowell. II this
land would only raise wheat, we would
| gladly buy it, Looks kind OF rfdicu-
lous now. So IL win be with Ignite in
less than three years. the man who will
say that our Ignite has little value as
fuel viii make himself the aughing
stock OF our state. Yes, the school
beard should make q move at once to
see that our schools are supplied with
books that viii educate our children
as to the great value of the natural
resources Of our state"