The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-02-10

ing more coal than ever before. The
amount taken out in 1917 was more
than $40, 600 600 tons, enough to fill a
solid train of 5O-ton cars reaching al
most four times around the equator.
Nevertheless, the supply was more than
100, 000, 600 tons short of the needs of
ourselves and our allies, and il We
would win the war we must save coal
in every possible way. The saving will
have to become an individual matter,
and it is the duty of every householder
as well as Of every man who runs a
factory or foundry to watch his fires
and see that no fuel is lost. AS we need
more men at the front. the labor sup
ply at the mines will grow shorter and
shorter, and the freight congestion will
surely increase with the demand for
more shipments abroad
During the past year the coal burned
for household purposes and for heat
ing our hotels, schools and public
buildings of one kind or another has
been in the neighborhood of 100000
600 tons. Say that one bushel in every
eight has gone into the heating of our
houses. The bureau of mines estimates
that the average house uses twice too
much coal. If so, the saving in that
item alone would be 40,000.000 tons, or
the director of the bureau of mines
gives the instance of a New England
college professor who heated To-
room house one whole winter for just
half what his neighbors were using
and he kept his house at an average
| temperature of 50 degrees from Octo-
Der until May. If every family in the
! United States had done the same, we
would have had more than enough coal
4 rl.o ~ Esron
The bureau of mines has issued 9
/ pamphlet showing how one can save fue
in heating the house. and anyone whe
wishes to cut down the cost OF his rue
consumption can do so by following the
directions given therein. 1t tells you al
about coal, and the best kinds to burn
1t gives directions for taking care OF
your furnace, regulating the draft and
removing the ashes, and If you follow
them you ought to save from 30 TO lO'
Ter cent. This bulletin is for free dis
tribution, and you can get it by writing
! to DR.. Van H. Manning, the director Of
the bureau of mines.
There is an enormous waste in the fue
used by our industries. OF all the Goa
shoveled into the furnaces 1t is esti
/ mated that 43 per cent of the heat Il
| lost in the boiler rooms, and that only
| 81 per cent is used for the making o
steam. OF that 81 per cent only 10 pei
cent goes into mechanical energy and o.
the 10 per cent about Z is usually los
| in the friction of the engines and II
| the transmission lines through which ths
| machinery is driven. This means tina
only per cent of the original heat o
/ the cioat is utilized in doing useful work
The experts here figure that by keeping
THE boilers clean the losses there car
be reduced from 10 to 10 per cent an'
/ that great reduction also can be mad
in the waste in friction and transmission
Say that altogether 10 per cent could b.
saved. the amount would be enormous
j A mining expert recently estimated tina
our losses from that source alone in lsl
were 75, 100000 tons, or enough to fill NOR
| than three solid trains of 5O-ton cars a.
long as the distance between Philadel
| phia and London That amount was al
waste which could have been prevented
by good machinery, careful firing an