Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1924-01-04

be drawn upon In case of hard coal
shortage are coke, fuel oil, brlquets and
steam sizes of anthracite.
When one has learned to use coke
the service obtained Is comparable in
many ways with anthracite" says
report by o. p. Hood, chief mechanical
engineer of the bureau Of mines.
"Ihere are those that even prefer coke.
II is clean to handle, smokeless, and
under proper damper control gives
steady heat. Coke is so much more
bulky than anthracite that the bin will
not hold as many tons, deliveries must
usually be made more often, and the
furnace must be filed more frequently.
Knscle in Burning Coke.
There is knack in burning coke,
also, that must be acquired at the ex.
pense Of little patience and thought.
Some coke does not kindle quite as
readily as anthracite, but once going
the fire Is apt to burn too fast unless
checked, The coke bed lies so lightly
that air goes through easily, and the
porous structure of the coke gives a
very large surface for burning. This all
means little more care and under
standing in managing hampers. 1t is
also necessary that there be no oppor-
tunity for air to leak into the ash pit
when the ash pit hampers are closed,
else the coke will burn out when the
draft is apparently cut off,
'When bituminous or soft coal Is
mentioned many New England people
think of the fuel used in Pittsburgh
pnd the Central West, and of the con
slant fight to reduce the smoke NUS
ance One Of the most effective rene.
dies for domestic smoke in those dis
ulcts is the use of low volatile or So
called smokeleSs coal and that is the
kind of soft coal most readily available
to New England.
Situmnous Coal Available.
THE low volatile Goals from central
Pennsylvania and West Virginia, run
ming from 16 to % per cent volatile
matter, are naturally tributary to the
Eastern anthracite using district. These
Goals while not as clean to handle us
anthracite, can be burned nearly smoke
lessly in domestic heating equipment.
No change in CRATES or equipment Is
needed to burn bituminous coal in fur.
naces heretofore using anthracite.
What is needed is more attention and Il
better knowledge of the problem of
burning. The flue surfaces must be
cleaned often, with high volatile coal
even daily and with low volatile at
least weekly.
More Heat From Soft Coal.
"When the higher volatile bituminous
Goals are fired the amount of gas gen
Grated al first is so great that nm extra
amount of air is needed for short
time to burn these gases. This air can
be supplied through the damper in the
firing door or, if the fire has been very
hot and the gas is excessive, by leav-
Ing the firing door Slightly open for
few minutes after putting on fresh coal.
Anthracite has the quality of burn.
ing very efficiently at low rates, keep
ing small, steady fire for mild days.
On very cold days when running a hot
fire the efficiency fails off. Bituminous
coal acts in the opposite way. 1t re-
quires more skill and is less efficient in
mild weather, hut is even more efficient
in cold weather than anthracite.
Take 1t the season through, from 10
to 20 per cent more bituminous coal is
likely to be needed than of anthracite,
although with increased skill and at
tention, the promotion might even be
reversed.
There are other substitutes that
may be had locally. There is an in.
creasing amount Of good briquetted fuel
available This is handled like an
thracite requires little added atten,
ton and the satisfaction resulting de.
ponds upon the quality OF the briquets.