The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-02
ISLE
!. At DOOR OF
GREAT CAREER
Along the Lines Of Industry,
and End to Immigration is
! Predicted.

Misfortune which has pursued her
through centuries, was halted by the
breaking out Of the European war,
Just as she placed her foot upon the
threshold OF a gigantic industrial de-
velopment. But Ireland is only mark
ing time. When the war is over, moth
ing can halt the onward march OF the
Emerald Isle, for 1t has been dis
covered that one Of. her most extensive
natural donations, which has been
looked upon as an impediment ana q
reproach to the beautiful island, Is
in reality to be the means Of her
regeneration.
Furnished by Peat.
Most Of us who live today and read
this will be alive to see Ireland emerge
from the status Of poverty stricken
agricultural nation to that Of rich
industrial country, her cities and man
ufacturing towns heated and lighter
and the power for her factories and
transportation systems furnished by
imagine it-peat!
Peat. converted into fuel gas will
drive the engines which will run the
immense generators that are to supply
the energy which will turn the wheels
Of New Ireland. And this fuel Is so
cheap and so plentiful that manufac-
turing costs will be cut to the point
at which continental competition will
be practically impossible.
Several factors are involved in this
condition. The peat always has been
there. Gas has been produced from
peat, experimentally for many years.
Gas engines are common, even in
Europe. But the right combination
never before has been effected, be-
cause OF the cost Of drying and hand
ling the peat. In the last few years,
however, new methods have been dis
covered, new processes perfected and
new combinations effected, so that now
peat can be dried-by one process at
least, and that an American dis
covery-to within five per cent OF
absolute dehydration. And peat con-
tanning only five per cent moisture
Is, to all intents and purposes, bone
dry.
Shortly before the war broke out
parliament had passed bill permit
ting the formation of company in
Ireland for the construction Of an
immense peat-gas and electrical gen.
Grating plant in the heart of the Great
Bog Of Allen, situated about twenty
five miles from Dublin. Here there is
a supply Of peat which all the fac
tories, that could be erected within a
radius Of twenty-five miles could con-
Ell in {o nla
Can Remove Moisture.
Experiments and tests under govern
ment supervision had demonstrated
that, with an American air drying
process, the moisture could be re-
moved from peat as. fast as 1t could
be delivered to the machines, the
capacity of each dryer being about $50
tons per day.
Now $50 tons of air dried peat will
generate one hundred and fifty million
cubic feet Of gas, which at the rate Of
100 feet an hour will develop one and
one half million horse-power-hours
per day, or 62,500 horse power per day.
Get that point clearly-one machine
dries sufficient peat to generate 3d.
500 horse power per dayl
And now comes the most startling
statement Of all; the by product Of the
peat gas retorts include sulphate Of
ammonia, acetate. Of lime, tars, tar
oils, axle grease, coke ETC., which even
at before-the-war prices. sold for more
than enough to pay the estimated OPP
eratingt costs Of the projected plants.
So the gas and Electricity cost pract-
ically nothing. Is 1t any wonder that
ireland sees an e Industrial future?
Cheap power is always, Of course, OF
enormous efficacy in stimulating man
ufacture and industrial progress.
This power we have always thought
to be lacking in ireland, land OF
little coal and less wood. Only 100,-
900 tons of coal were mined in Ire
land in 1905. the last year OF which a
record is at hand. Wood is too scarce
to be even considered as fuel. But OF
turf or peat ireland has nearly three
million acres and practically every bog
is many feet deep. One foot OF peat
from an acre Of bog will yield 1920
tons Of peat, or enough to feed one Of
the Yankee machines for thirty-three
days Of twenty-four hours each.
Air Current Forced.
In these machines the wet peat Is
passed over a porous HEARTH or
floor, by means Of scrapers attached
to an endless belt. This hearth is
ten feet wide and 100 feet long. A
powerful fan forces current OF air
through the interstices in the hearth,
up through the slowly moving mass
Of peat and out through the exhaust
pipes. The air may be heated to any
desired temperature by means of coils
situated near the fan which supplies
the drought. The peat is fed into one
end Of the machine. Just as 1t comes
from the boys on the conveyors and
at the other end passes out dry and
ready for the retorts IN which the gas
is generated. This Is known as the
Mark process and Is in use in several
parts Of America for drying various
commodities.
y The gas is conveyed from the retorts
to gasometers and thence to the gas
engines which drive the electric gem
orators or dynamos., The city OF Dub
lin will be lighted and soon her tram
cars will be run by the power gener-
ated at the Boys Of Allen, twenty-five
miles away. And the current thus
used will be but fraction OF that
generated. There will be Hastings and
leavings for factory purposes, as well
as plenty Of gas for heating and cook
ing. By this one invention Ireland
leaps ahead two hundred years.
The wooden fabrics Of ireland were