Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-02
From Other Viewpoints
When l, Coal Not Coal.
ny FRANKLIN Is. LANE,
EOrMcr Secretary of the Inferior.

Arc there no substitutes for coal which we
can Us. aaa cannot eApoft' This question
country, OF which only the most superficial
study has been made. Sell coal and use cleo
tric!ty. would appear thrifty policy.
AS petroleum is being used q substitute
Tor coal-and inasmuch as the whole problem
OF fue! supply is one-wc are ultimately conf
PEELED 10 an investigation OF the ability of our
petroleum supply TO meet its present drain
ana TO meet the expansion In its use, which
is the most surprising DEVELOPMENT OF our
day In the study of power creation.
The two ways by which coal in greatest
volume can be saved arc the discovery OF the
from the ton and the discovery OF what kind
of coal is hes; fitted for any particular use.
IT mas been every ones business to coal
hence inc railroads have experimental with
some success. They get perhaps 10 per cent
OF the heat energy from ton shoveled be-
meath tho locomotive bpiler 10 per cent of tho
total ia the ton. They use one-quarter OF All
the coal mined. Next to labor this is the
greatest expense which railroads have.
Some have adopted system of paying a
bonus for the greatest distance made on n
given quantity OF coal But this laudable ef-
Tort has not met with the cooperation that
would be expected from the nrenen. for rca-
sons that go far ahcld. Industries. especially
those which generate electric power. have
made similar effort TO gain from their fuel its
greatest potential!ty and with varying sue
cess.
We can overlook the stocking of the do
amount OF coal used in this way amounts to
not more than II par cent of the national coal
hit and this whole charge could be saved.
II Is estimated by giving caro- TO the rs per
cer OF our coal which is burned under boil
ers'tc make steam Here there is a maximum
figure of l3 per cent OF the energy of the coal
pY into harness. and the average is less than
~ PEI cent even In the larger plants
pn the establishment visited by the fuel en-
RiNcers OF the Department of the Interior
duSinG the war a preventablc waste OF 10000
tot year was discovered. by change in the
astgSs,on OF air to the furnaces and in the
ENrcau Of Mines are confident that they have
been able to Increase the economy of the coal
In tho ships OF the Emergency Fleet Corpora
ton by l6 per cent, making six pounds Of coal
do the work of seven. II such percentages
Of economy could be generally effected IL
would mean the saving OF as much coal rs
France and Italy together will need In a.
year
Tho first requisite toward cnccting fuel
economy is to secure corporation between
owners, managers. and the men who fire tho
coal Mechanical devices to increase CT
hccncy in the use OF coal cannot produce sat
.sfactory results unless the operators who
handle them arci impressed with the lmpor-
tance OF their duties
IL Is not essential for the plant Ynanar.r 70
he a fuel expert. but he should he familiar
Win the instruments that give a check oil the
dniiy operations II is n mistake not to pro
vide proper instruments. for they guido the
hr"'ncn and show the management what has
taken place daily.
\ second factor eTectine fuel economy IL
the selection of fuel for tho particular miami
II is not expected OF a plant manager that he
should DO Thoroughly informed rs TO tho char
$500 20 '''' iuSiH' phi ne can cnIlSt the ScrN-
ices Of . man who In thoroughly trained in
this fold. TIL" bureau Of Mines has compiled
valuable Information on the character and
analysis Of coal from almos; every field in
the United States Information concerning
tn" character and chemical constituents OF the
coal. together with knowledge pertaining 10
The equipment of the plant. make 1t possible
- select fuel adapted to the equipment
thereby insuring better combustion
Hundreds Of boiler plants operate at no
greater than co per cent efficiency ana II
would he comparatively simple matter 20
bring them UP 10 20 per cent efficiency The
saving In tonnage would be more than the
combined yearly coal-carrying capacity Of the
Baltimore and Ohio and the Southern Railway
systems. The direct saving to our Industries
;t 81 per ton would amount to 100000. 600
per y"ar.-Copyright, 1920.