SYMPOSIUM ON SCIENCE AND RECONSTRUCTION 87 



figures as statements of fact. In coiuiuiiiiig coal and coke 

 as water-gas generator fuels, it may be said, however, that 

 with the difference in price in these fuels which has pre- 

 vailed, many operators who were so equipped that they 

 could maintain their gas production with coal have 

 realized a very substantial saving from its use. 



While during the earlier experimental stages a very 

 large percentage of the heat in the coal was wasted in 

 smoke and otherwise, some operators have now perfected 

 their operation so that nearly if not quite as much of the 

 heat in the coal is now utilized in the finished gas as when 

 coke was used. The volatile matter of the coal also assists 

 to a certain extent in enriching the gas. The gases leaving 

 the generator when coal is used are richer than *'blue" gas 

 from coke, and consequently less oil is required to enrich 

 the gas to a given quality. The saving in oil frequently 

 amounts to a third of a gallon per 1,000 cubic feet of 

 finished gas. The relative labor, repair, and purification 

 costs with the two fuels depend upon the particular coal 

 or coke used, the capacity obtained and the operating diifi- 

 cidities encountered. While these costs are in some cases 

 slightly greater with coal than with coke, the difference 

 is relatively unimportant. In general, it may be said that 

 even with normal prices of materials and labor, coal as 

 generator fuel shows a distinct economical advantage 

 where it can be used, and its use can be greatly extended. 



Aside from the gas operator point of view, this subject 

 has a significance to the general public. Any saving 

 effected by the gas companies in operation will in time be 

 reflected in the quality of service rendered to the public. 

 In some cases the use of coal in place of coke will either 

 result in lower rates or will enable the gas companies to 

 continue operation without increasing rates. Every ton of 

 coal substituted for coke in this process releases a certain 

 amount of coke for domestic use, and if coke were used 

 more for domestic purposes in place of bituminous coal the 

 atmosphere and surroundings would be distinctly brighter. 

 Further a saving of a few tenths of a gallon of gas oil in 

 the manufacture of a thousand cubic feet of gas would in 

 the aggregate amount to several millions of gallons a year 

 in this State alone, could such a saving be realized by all 

 companies. The saving of long freight hauls of coke from 



