Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-26

tons or coal eacn year, at Cost Oh over
$4,000 Such a volume OF coal means
that, on an average. sixty-one tons must
be fed into the jaws OF the furnaces
every day during six months Of the year.
The courthouse at st. Louis uses about
the same amount Of coal as the post office
and subtreasury in Boston, though its
fuel bill is not so large. Az the navy
yard in Philadelphia $1,000 tons are con-
sumed yearly, at cost of nearly $4,000
Every year the Treasury Department
pays half million dollars for heating
the buildings throughout the country un-
der it's control.
X
In the government buildings at Wash
ington thousands of tons 60 up in smoke
yearly for heating. The Post Office De-
partment requires 1900 tons annually. at
a cost of $4,000. The ambitious boy who
seeks jobs of putting away fuel may cas-
lily reckon that at 20 cents q ton 1t
would be possible to earn $500 for stow
ing such a coal pile in the cellar. But
he would have to put in more than eleven
tons day to keep the fires and elevators
running in the big building. Putting
away the fuel at the government printing
office, where twice that amount OF coal
is used, would require the services OF two
boys, working together. at the above rate,
and they would earn $1,000
Another great consumer at washington
is the Government Insane Asylum, for
at that institution so much coal is USED
that it is delivered by the carload. Last
year 10000 tons were shipped to that one
national project. Until very recently the
Congressional Library and the Capitol
required nearly $1,000 tons Of coal an
nually. Now that heating; lighting ana
trail heating power for these two build
ings and other government buildings
close by. that amount OF coal sufhces Tor
the entire system.
states of the Union tends to simplify tho
matter of procuring fuel. In the west
Colorado supplies most Of the coal Tor
that section of the country. In the north
ern central section Illinois and the neigh
boring states meet the nations demand
for fuel. while in the south Alabama
and her sister states furnish what is
needed from their mines. West Virginia
and Pennsylvania with their, almost mex
haustible beds Of both bituminous and
anthracite coal, contribute OF their abund-
ance to the governments demand for the
eastern section of the country.
Just as the citizen coal consumer seeks
to purchase particular kinds OF coal for
certain furnaces and heating plants, SO do
the purchasing agents of the government
endeavor to determine the Goals best
suited for the various uses Tor which
they are needed.
x
Until short while ago the government
was nearly as seriously handicapped as q
purchaser as is the average householder
today. The government. just as the in
dividual, often thought 1t had just cause
to complain Of the inferior quality Of fuel
received The dealers answer to such
complaint was: 1.-THE coal sent you came
from a mine Of established reputation; it
must be good" The government pur-
chasers were afraid to buy from dealers
who were strangers to them or from any
one except the few dealers whom they
believed could be trusted. Hence. on &C
count Of this doubt and natural distrust
there was no way OF taking advantage OF
competition. Indeed. even when the fuel
proved unsatisfactory there was no stand
ard for settlement nor for cancellation of
the contract, although the contractor
might knowingly have delivered inferior
fuel.
Until the last few years little informa-
ton has been available regarding the
true value Of coal. and until such in
formation was obtained the best standard
by which coal could be judged was by
its heat units. Now, however. with the
establishment Of the new bureau. COM
prehensive system Of fuel testing and
valuation has determined the value.
This fuel-testing station at Washington.
D. c., under the supervision OF the bureau
Of mines , Of which .. DR. Joseph ensp. a;
I1OiLlcS 10 On CSlOA, CAoAhASS SPCSA1AASAAc
of practically all the coal used by the
government. BY laboratory inspection
both it's chemical and physical properties
are determined, and from this knowledge
its heat value is accurately computed.
Under this plan Of calculation neither
the government nor the dealer loses, for
the government pays for exactly what it
receives and receives just what It pays
for. AS each bidder specifies the quality
Of coal he proposes to furnish. as de-
termined by chemical analysis, he is