642 



GEOLOGY AND MINING INDUSTRY OF LEADVILLE. 



ville as South Park coke. From Messrs. Billing & Eilers, prouiii)ent siuelter.s of 

 Leadville, the following information respecting coke has been obtained. The compo- 

 sition of the ash was determined in their laboratory. 



Analyses VIII and IX. Cokes. 



The weight of coke per bushel is about 40 pounds, so that one ton of coke con- 

 tains about 50 bushels. Detailed information respecting the consumption of coke, its 

 price, and relation to charcoal has already been given in Table IV. 



Charcoal Tliis fuel is made from the spruce tree, which abounds in the vicinity 



of Leadville. The pine wood, cut in lengths of four feet, is converted into charcoal by 

 the usual process of slow burning in pits or kilns. The pits consist of stacks of wood 

 40 feet long, V2 feet high, and 15 feet wide, entirely covered with earth. Apertures 

 provided at the base of this rough kiln allow the slow combustion of wood to take 

 place. When the operation is completed the apertures are stopped with earth and 

 the whole mass is allowed to cool thoroughly. The charcoal made in this way is not 

 of very good quality; that made in kilns is much better. 



Charcoal kilns — In the valley of the Aikansas, south of Malta, there are several 

 establishments each provided with nine or eleven beehive-shaped kilns, erected espe- 

 cially for the purpose of supplying the smelters with charcoal. The oldest establish- 

 ment of this kind is to be found in California gulch, in close proximity to the south 

 bank and opposite to Messrs. Billing & Eilers's smelter; these kilns were erected by 

 ^Iv. McAllister, who was the first to introduce them in the vicinity of Leadville, and 

 from him was obtained the following information: His establishment consists of sis 

 kilns, similar in every respect, one of which, drawn to scale, is represented on Plate 

 XXVIII, Figs. 3 and 4. The kilns are beehive-shaped; they are made of fire-brick 

 cemented with lime-and sand mortar, each kiln being made of 18,000 bricks. The 

 greatest diameter is 22 feet, the height 21 feet. In front of the kiln is a charging and 

 discharging opening, A, 5 feet 5 inches high and 5 feet wide, closed by a sheet-iron 

 door, and at the back and upper part of the kiln is a feed-hole or door, J5, similarly 

 closed, 4.J feet high and the same in width. This feed-hole is placed at a height of 10 

 feet from the ground. It is connected by a tramway, running over a bridge, with the 

 wood-stacks on the upper part of the bank of the gulch. This wood is already cut in 

 lengths of four feet. At the base of the kiln are three rows of apertures 3 inches by 

 4 inches and two feet apart. The rows are 1 foot apart and contain from 22 to 25 

 apertures. These holes may be closed at will with bricks and clay. 



The pine wood, cut in lengths of four feet, as has been previously stated, is first 

 piled through the lower opening, A (large stacks of wood stand on this level), and 

 afterwards through the ui)per door, B, and in this way the kiln is completely filled. 



