238 



The Chicago Democratic Press, of the 4th of February, 1854, states 

 that there are now ten trunk with three branch and extension roads, 

 amounting to 1,621 miles of road, running into Chicago — that by the 

 1st of December, 1854, there will be 2,974 miles of road, and by the 

 1st of July, 1855, 3,715 miles, and that by the Istof May, 1855, there 

 will be 92 trains a day over those roads. How is it possible, that a 

 prairie State on the one side of Chicago, and Michigan, a spai-sely tim- 

 bered State on the other, can, at saving prices, supply aU those trains 

 with wood for their locomotives ? It seems to be inevitable that coke 

 must be substituted in the place of wood, as in England and the most 

 of Europe. 



No invention has yet been made by which bituminous coal can be 

 used for locomotives, without being first converted into coke. There 

 are coal fields in Illinois and Itlissouri, but will that quality of coal fui-- 

 nish coke ? In answer to this inquiry, I may state as a general rule, 

 that coal, from which luminous gas cannot be made, will not make 

 good coke, and such, I have been informed, is the character of 

 the Illinois and Missouri coal. In further evidence of that fact, I annex 

 a slip from one of the public papers of January, 1854: 



"darkness in prospect. 



The St. Louis Republican of the 24th, says the supply of Pittsbm-g 

 coal at the gas works of that city, is nearly exhausted, and that unless 

 the ice breaks up in a few days so as to admit of cargoes coming up the 

 river, the manufacture of gas will stop, and the city will be left in dar'k- 

 ness — lUinois and Missouri coal wiU not answej'." 



In addition to which, I subjoin extracts from two lettei-s fi-om Chi- 

 cago: 



E. Willard Smith, Engineer of Chicago Water Worlis, to R. R. Lan- 

 sing, Feb. 24, 1854: 



"Very little Illinois coal is brought here for sale. It is a very pbot 

 article, half slate and sulphur, and brings about one-third as mucB as 

 Erie coal. Erie coal is sold here at $5 to |5 50 per ton, in suidtaer, 

 and has been as high as $9 and $10 this winter, and always is higher 

 in winter. Wood must go out of use here." 



H. Seymour Lansing, of Chicago, to R. R. Lansing, February 2^th, 

 1854: 



