Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-09
DENIES OVERLOOK
COAL IS INFERIOR.
Mr.. Harris, Head of Firm Sup
plying Fuel, Surprised at
Statement of Chemist.

The allegation that inferior coal Is
being furnished the Overlook asy-
lum for the insane was made in
report to the hospital committee of
the Board of Freeholders yesterday
afternoon by o. w. Palmenberg, a
fuel engineering expert of New York
city.
The coal In question Is furnished by
George D. Harris q Co., of l Broad
way, New York city, who were the
lowest bidders on a contract awarded
last spring calling for the delivery
of 1900 tons between May 1, 1918,
and May /, 1914. The price bid by
the Harris company was 1888 per
ton. A H. Ross & Co.. of 10 Bridge
street this city being the next lowest
bidders at s3.4O per ton.
Mr.. Harris. when called on the tel
ephone at his New York office, today
expressed surprise that there should
be any criticism of the coal which
he is furnishing at Overlook Il
have never received any protest either
from the Board of Freeholders or any
one else about the coal, and naturally
believed it was all right" said Mr..
Harris. ut has been rather difficult
during the past lew months to OBJ
tain good coal owing to its scarcity.
but l always furnished the Over
brook Hospital with the best coal OBJ
tainable."
The report included a certificate of
analysis of the fuel made on samples
of 500 to 900 pounds of coal taken from
the feed openings from all of the
bins In the boiler room at the institu-
ton and the chemist sta ed, repre-
sents a composite sample of the coal
as fed to the boilers. in one day.
THE coal is undoubtedly of very
inferior quality and / am not at all
surprised that your engineer has COM
planned about the large amount of
coal he is compelled to consume and
the difficulty he has in keeping up the
steam. The average grade of coal
obtainable and which could be sup
piled to your power station should
not run much higher than per cent.
ash 1.50 per cent sulphur and should
have at least 1850 heat units. This
coal is inferior by that comparison by
at least 10 per cent"
The underfeed stoker in use, con-
structed for a marine type of boiler.
the Investigator admits is not the best
for the stationary type of power plant
and stated that the heating service
is entirely inadequate for the demand.
in fact saving upwards of rs per cent.
in coal consumption could be accom-
ing the present type boilers with a
few modern up-to-date tubular boilers
having stoker of the Dutch oven
type.
The director stated that it was his
opinion there was not any question
but that the goods being delivered
to Overlook under the present years
contract, which involves approximate
ly 1900 tons and terminates on MAY
next, is of an inferior quality, and
the building committee probably
would authorize further inspection. of
the coal by the New York chemist.
The county engineers, Runyon &
Carey, he said had previously ex-
pressed the opinion that the present
boilers were not of the best pattern
for the use to which they are put.
At the present time there are eight
carloads of coal on the way from the
mines to the asylum, and it is the in
tention of Director Walter A. Evans
and Superintendent of County Pur-
chases George c. Bergen to have
the coal in these cars tested as soon
as it reaches the asylum, and If it,
fails to come UP to the specifications,
outlined in the bid the coal will be
protested The county is protected
from any loss by failure to fulfil the
contract by an indemnity bond.