The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-05-31
FUEL CONSERVATION MOVEMENT
STARTED in CONNECTICUT BY
FUEL ADMINS TRAITOR RUSSELL

Initial steps toward putting into
operation in Connecticut a nationwide
plan for fuel conservation in power
plants, oce buildings, hotels apart
ment houses and similar places has
been announced by Thomas w. Rus
SELL federal fuel administrator for
Connecticut. The Connecticut appli-
cation of this plan has been worked
out and adapted to the Connecticut
situation by the Committee on Fuel
Conservation of the Connecticut State
Council of Defense and the United
States Fuel Administration.
w. R. C. 7Corson, secretary of the
Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and
Insurance Co. has been secured as adj
ministrative engineer for Connecticut
to have charge of this work.
Although the governments provides
for a salary for this place, Mr.. Corson
has volunteered his services and will
accept no compensation but will mako
the salary money available for the
engagement of trained assistance to
carry out this important project.
The new fuel conservation plan con-
templates saving from 10 per cent.
to 20 per cent. of the coal used in
the classes of buildings included in
this work. This saving, on the basis
of national acceptance of this conserv-
alton plan, would amount to from
25,Oo0.OOO to 5O,OOo,OOO tons annual
ly.
Last year there were mined and
Two
650,000,OoO tonse of coal, of which
approximately ESQ 100000 tons were
used in industrial plants. Last year
there was an estimated shortage of
about 100000 tons so that, if the
saving contemplated by this plan is
effective, this, together with the ex
pected increase in mining, would
would make unnecessary the loss and
inconvenience caused by the heatless
Mondays and other curtailments of
last winter.
The new plan comprises the follow
ing fundamentals:
The sending to every industrial
plant in Connecticut a. QUESTIONABLE
covering their method of operation,
which QUESTIONABLE will be checked
up by the inspectors when they visit
the plant and returned to the Fuel
Administration office. The inspectors
will not be allowed to use their judy
ment or express opinions but will
merely verify the answers to the ques-
tons contained in the question
naire.
Each question will be given nu-
merical value The answers will be
averaged and the resulting figure will
indicate the class in which the plant
shall be rated The plants will be
divided in four classes based on the
economical operation of the plant and
the willingness of the management to
cooperate in carrying GU THE sug-
gestions of the Fuel Administration.
Those most efficiently operated and
most willing to carry out the susFges-
tons will be the ones, which subject
to the ratings of the Priority Board,
and other things being equal the Fuel
will use their best eff
forts to provide with coal should there
be shortage.
Response biIity of rating the plants
will fall upon the Administrative En-
gineer to be appointed in each state
who will submit his findings to the
State Fuel Administrator who shall,
in his good judgment, have the au-
thority to entirely or partially shut
off the consumption of coal to any
needlessly wasteful plant in his ter
ritory.
The difficulty of obtaining new
equipment at this time is fully rec
egnized, and the desire of the fuel adj
ministration at this time is declared
to be merely to obtain satisfactory
operation of the plant with existing
equipment.
One of the important features of
the plant will be the request that the
management appoint a committee of
workmen to aid them in their efforts
to save fuel. It will be the duty
of this committee to watch for prop
er firing, elimination of waste and
unnecessary heat and matters of that
sort. Reports from the managers
of many plants who have already
given their careful attention to these
matters show that in both large and
small plants a saving of about 20
per cent. is readily accomplished
without in any way curtailing- produc-
tive capacity or mountaineering their
Workmen.
The Fuel Administration soon will
send out questionnaires as the hrst
step in this new work, which 1T IS
undertaking. and will urge on the
part of homogeneous of the places
effected the earnest cooperation and
their careful attention to the sugges-
+iopc which are made.