The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-11-04
Hon. cities and tozvns can
concert this troublesome
suaste product into pracf
cal profit :: An enterprise
(Which promises TO yield
big returns to 4vide-a1uake
communities In America
communities tn America

y gW ii new llluuslIy tllul IioiH-
4 ises to solve the problem Of
ram disposing Of the waste of
W cities and towns. In No
Yember of last year the first
experimental plant Of the new garbage
disposal process was established in San
Antonio, Tex. 1t proved so successful
that the city Of Austin decided to order
the construction Of plant, and the
factory, which was opened a few weeks
ago, Is now running to full capacity,
taking care Of all refuse In sanitary
manner and converting 1t into bricks
or fuel which tests have proved to be
the equal of bltumnous coal. The in
ventor Of the new fuel Is Mr.. f. l.. Gull
yer of Chicago, who began investigat-
ing the possibility and practicability
of commercializing municipal garbage
about five years ago. AS result of
long series of experiments he proved
the adaptability of method for max
Ing fuel bricks out of the refuse. In
addition to the plant ut Austin, Regina,
Canada, has entered into contract for
the erection of municipal plant.
The process of manufacturing
Oakoal. q name given to the new fuel
because OF its similarity to oak wood In
burning, Is similar to the making Of
stiff mud bricks, practically the same
machinery being used. although much
less power Is used, and less care Is re-
qulred to produce perfect bricks Of
fuel. The combination producing the
best results for domestic purposes is n
mixture Of equal parts Of coal dust
the waste dust from coal mines-and
z per cent of coal tar. For steam pur-
poses no coal dust Is required. Each
brick weighs, when dry, two pounds,
so that 1000 bricks make ton. For
convenience In handling, as well as the
protection of the public against short
weights, the fuel Is sold on u schedule
of prices for 1000 or 100 bricks.
One stiff mud brick machine Of the
type used ut the Austin plant turns
out in eight hours run, $4,000 bricks,
or 25 tons of Oakoal, and In erecting
plants this is termed q one-unit plant,
which has full capacity of rs tons
daily. In erecting municipal plants,
other units can be installed to suit the
capacity of the city, or until all Of the
available binding material Of the city
is consumed. 1t Is estimated that a
city will produce for each one thou
sand people approximately n ton Of
garbage day, or for domestic pur-
poses over two tons Of brick fuel.
The manufacture Of the new fuel is
extremely interesting inasmuch as II
IS made up entirely Of waste material
handled by common labor. The waste
which the city formerly had to burn
in an incinerator at considerable ex-
pense Is now taken by carts direct to
the factory, where It is dumped on a
sorting platform and sprayed with
creosote as sanitary precaution, as
well ms to allow the sorters to work
in comfort. Openings are provided In
these platforms where the different
parts Of the garbage are dropped into
conveyors and conveyed as follows:
the pieces Of Iron to a storage; the
bottles to a washing tank, where they
are sterilized before being stored; the
rags to washing machine, where they
are sterilIzed by being washed In boil
ing water; the ashes, stone. brick. etc..
to q storage and used for fills, and the
yin cans to press where they are
baled and conveyed to storage.
That which Is left and Of combust-
fble nature is placed on a large 4O-foot