The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-09-29
bAbCOCk. TOURS
EASTERN FIELDS
Studies the Coal Production
Methods for Information
on Work Here.
N TO BE.
THE COMING FUEL
coking Plants IN Pennsylva-
MIA and Virginia
Described.

Professor E. j. Babcock, dean OF the
state school of mines, has Just return
cd from an extended eastern triN
which he took for tho, purpose Of maxi
of pennsylvania. While there Profess
sor Babcock made a careful study Of
all the different methods utilized in the
soft coal and coking industries. also
h extent of the industries n any
notifications that might be employed
IN h future IN the Developments of the
Ignite deposits Of this state.
Professor Babcock says that while
methods necessarily employed in the
coke regions in connection with soft
coal are very different from those that
could be used on Ignite. still by the
modified. methods which are being
worked out with briquetting. there
seem to be excellent future possibili-
ties.
This visit to the coal regions served
to emphasize the immense proportions
of the coking industry in P~ennsylva-
mia where in one district alone 400, 900
tons of coke are produced In one week
and requires between 1900 and 49,
900 freight cars to handle the product.
At n plant there were. 1900 coke
ven using 5000 pounds of coal per
oven every day, amounting to. 9, 900, 900
pounds of GAL daily. To handle the
product Of all the plants would re-
quire d freight train every week some
thing like a hundred miles long.
This enormous drain of coal upon
the coal supply is being noticed even
in Pennsylvania. In southern Penn
sylvania the tendency is for the coking
idustry TO work to the south following
the coal supply.
BY the system of coking in bee
hive ovens Used SO extensively in
Pennsylvania there is n great economic
loss in the gas which is wasted.
amounting to millions Of cubic feet Of
gas going to waste daily. New meth
DDS are beginning to be introduced
whereby the gas and other ~by-products
are being utilized.
While these methods could not he
used on the Ignite directly as the lig-
mite does not coke, the methods which
are being developed here, involve the
c%arbonizing instead of coking and the
b%riquetting of the residue.
Save Gas Here.
In addition to this, Dean Babcock
says the large volume of gas which is
lost in the coking of the eastern coal
and other valuable b~y-products pres
ent in Ignite would, be a greater or less
degree saved by the methods being de-
Neloped at the university and in time
by patient and continuous work 1t
seems not improbable that a large in
dustry will be developed in connection
with 'our ignite. not for the produce
ton of coke for iron smelling as ,in
the east but rather for the production
by e of ~briquetting, of a partial
substitute for hard coal.
When this has been fully worked
out and the plants developed a very
valuable and extensive industry will
undoubtedly be added to the state.
Has Written Bulletin.
Dean E.. ]. Babcock has just COM
p1eted and turned v e to the bureau
Of mines of the United States govern
ment. an extensive bulletin on 1.-THE
Utilization Of Western Lignites." This
is a special work that Dean Babcock
has been engaged in for some time
under the commission Of the United
States government. 1t covers a wide
field in the utilization Of the Ignite
of various western states.
This bulletin Is expected to come
from the press during the fall or carly
winter.
While on his eastern trip Dean Bah
cock stopped at the laboratories Of the
United States bureau Of mines located
at Pittsburg. for a days consultation
in connection with the work on west
ern Ignite which has been prepared
by him.
This work will be a very valuable
addition to the literature on this sub
ject and will be received with eager
ness by the leading mining engineers
of the country as Dean Babcock is the
recognized authority on Ignite in the
United States.