The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28
OLD KING COAL IS CLOSE
 COMPANION TO EVERYONE
His Products Enter Into the Daily Lives of All and He
 Truly Be Called Master of the Universe
By KENNETH RoTHARMEL

When "Mr Brown sits down to his breakfast of iced grape fruit. perhaps he is not aware that coal had great deal to do with the preparation of his meal.
 Perhaps he does not know that dur ing the night coal might have had some thing to do with the shelter of his home.
 When he steps into his limousine at the steps. does he know that perhaps coal is indirectly the power that takes him to town?
 Is he acquainted with the thousand and one possibilities that spring from old King Coal who resides throughout the hills and valleys around Birming- ham?
 It was not so many years ago that , the wonderful versatility of the py- products of coal were unknown ana according to c. A. Burrell, chief chem ist of the United States bureau Of mines of the department of the interior there are many steps yet to be taken toward perfecting the system of saving all or the by-products.
 The bv-products of coal are obtained in making coke, the manufacture or which Is carried on in two ways at the present time. The most popular and also the most wasteful method Is called the "beehive process" fin this method all of the volatile matter Is lost in the Atmosphere. The more recent method Is called the "retort or by-product" meth cd and in this process the volatile con- tents, except the gas used in heating the ovens, are recovered as surplus gas, tar and ammonia liquor or ammonium sulphate.
 Used in Making Ice
 In the manufacture of artificial ice, ammonia is used to great extent. Hence MT. Browns grape fruit is served to him in the correct manner by means of ice, obtained from the fac- tory which uses ammonia-the ammonia probably coming from a by-product plant where it is secured by heating coal with an almost entire exclusion of air And the roof of his house is derived from coal in the long run. For the modern home is roofed with modern roofing material which has tar for It's main constituent, and the tar is also obtained from the by-product plant. Tar is also a great factor in the manufac- ture of paving materials, the macadam streets having large amounts of tar in their construction.
 And when milady puts away her winter furs and wooden goods no doubt she ob- tains something from her druggist to pro- tect the apparel from the ravages of in- sects. And does she know that very likely the insecticide is derived from coal? One of the by-products of coal is naphthalene, and this is used as a deodorant or insecti- eide. It is an excellent protection for furs and is used as well as camphor. A chem ist will tell her that naphthalene is an aromatic hydrocarbon and that it is ob- tained from the fraction of coal tar bolt ing at an intense heat. The phthalic acid obtained In this process is the first stage in the modern process for the preparation of artificial indigo One of the derivatives of naphthalene is used as starting point for synthetical dyes. Another derivative is napthol, which is an antiseptic It Is also an important source of dye-stuffs.
 Touches the Stenographer ! And that pretty little stenographer- does she ever imagine for minute as she runs her fingers briskly over the type writer keys that one of the important parts of the typewriter is made by means of coal? One of the by-products of coal tar is aniline and aniline colors form the basis of all the copying inks, hence the typewriter ribbon is dyed with aniline dyes which come from coal tar which In turn is obtained from coal.
 Still another by-product of coal tar is naptha, an in1ammable liquid with a benzine like odor. It is very valuable as a solvent for fats and resins and is used as fuel in vapor lamps and motors.
 So when Cousin Jane" decides that last winters jacket will do for this years use if given different color so the neigh bors won't know, she never suspects that the dye she uses was unearthed by some grmy miner from the dark recesses of Mother Earth. But just the same the by products of coal are a valuable source of dye stuffs.
 And the power of MT. Brown's' auto