378 Proceedings o^ the 



that of a steam engine plant, and that the expense of 

 operating the former is slightly higher; but to 

 demonstrate that these lignites can be used at all in 

 competition with the bituminous coals is of inestimable 

 value in the industrial development of the Great Plains 

 region. The utilization of the great lignite beds of 

 this area should remove, or at least greatly reduce, the 

 necessity of its drawing upon the forests of the region 

 for fuel purposes. 



Tests made on the different grades of bituminous 

 coals show not only a large gain in efficiency of the 

 fuel in a gas producer plant over the steam plant, but 

 especially they have demonstrated that with very dirty 

 coals and those high in sulphur, results may be obtained 

 that compare more or less favorably with the results 

 obtained in the best type of steam plants using the 

 expensive grades of soft coal. 



It seems possible that future work may go even a 

 step farther and show that ''slack" coal, with even a 

 large proportion of impurities, may be converted into 

 producer gas and used in a gas engine, thereby 

 replacing much of the high grade fuels now in use. 

 Indeed, the present indications are that the economy 

 obtained in the gas producer plant is such that it is 

 destined to be the coming mode of producing power 

 in the future, and through this great saving the low 

 grade coals of the country and especially those of the 

 western half of the United States will be more and 

 more extensively used. 



Of the cost of utilizing the lignites and bituminous 

 coals in the manner outlined, and the distribution of 

 the power obtained, permit me to say a few words in 

 order that the practical business side of the matter 

 may be laid before you. It is estimated that a gas 

 producer plant with gas engines, foundations, and 



