The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-12-23
Inexhaustible Coal Supply Of
the State Of North Dakota

Coal famines and the high prices Of
fuel due 10 shortness Of supply and
length Of haul will soon be q thing OF
the past in North Dakota. This state
has within her borders over $4,000
square miles Of coal land underlaid
with rich deposits of Ignite coal and
the total supply available has been es-
timated as aggregating total of over
50O,000,000 tons. The big problem of
how to make the best use of this vast
storehouse of energy has been occu-
plying the attention of the scientists of
the state for some time. and 1t is now
in way toward a. practical solution
as result OF the work done by the
state school of mines under the direc-
ton Of Dean Earl j. Babcock. The
school OF mines is part of the state
university, located at Grand Forks.
For some time past an experimental
st ION has been In operation at Heb
ron in Morton county, in the very
heart OF the richest coal belt of the
state. Here the details of the briquet-
ting process have been carefully work
ed out and now 1t remains to be dem
onstrated just how cheaply this new
fuel can be produced in a plant OF
larger size for commercial purposes.
Dean Babcock and his staff OF assist
ants are pretty we'll satisfied that the
briquettes can be turned out at a
cost OF from $40 to $3.50. but they
mean to demonstrate the matter fully
by means of series of exhaustive
tests from which accurate data COW
ering every phase Of the work will be
obtained. This done. the way for flu
ture development by private enter
prise will be safe and easy.
The practical tests are to be car
ried on during the present year in the
plant that is being equipped at Heb
ron. The old plant is being remodel
ed and it's capacity is being increased
so that it will be possible to turn out
as much as twenty tons Of the hriq-|
uettes in working day of ten hours.
This capacity will represent one-half
OF the output of commercial plant
and will serve as safe basis for the
determination of cost of operation and
production as well as means OF
working out all Of the practical de-
tails OF the operation of such a plant
under actual business conditions. The
work at this plant viii be under the
supervision of Dean Babcock and tie
personal direction of a graduate of the
school Of mines, William Bulge.
The product of the Hebron plant IL
to be utilized in the making OF all
kinds Of tests to determine the value
and worth of these briquettes as 'lsat
producers They will be tried out In
stoves of all types. in furnaces and
heating plants, in power and manu-
featuring plants of many kinds. and
full and accurate data will be kept in
all Of these tests. covering every pos
sibIe line OF inquiry. The surplus Of
the product of the Hebron plant. not
needed for these tests will be sold in
the open market and the citizens Of
the state will thus be given all oppor-
tunity to make similar tests for them
selves. Tests already made show
that, ton for ton, the briquettes are
almost the equal OF anthracite coal as
producers or heat and by means Of
these exhaustive experiments, the
practical possibilities Of this fuel viii
be still further made apparent.
TO supplement the practical work
say the Hebron plant. smaller ex-
perimental plant IL being equipped ait