On the icse of Anthracite in Blacksmiths'' Shops. 305 . 



the fire. Only a small quantity is needed : they simply scatter it upon 

 the ignited coal and then work confidently, as in other cases : I was 

 informed that it is uniformly effectual. Salt is sometimes used by 

 them to assist in igniting the anthracite : I have observed, since my re- 

 turn, that itJs also used as a guard against sulphur in bituminous coal. 



The manner of constructing the furnace. 



The general construction need not differ from that in other shops, 

 the bellows and the hearth being the same. The tuyere-iron, (pro- 

 nounced by the smiths as if spelt tue-irou,) however, must have a 

 greater diameter : in the shops which I have examined, it varied from 

 three fourths of an inch to an inch; about seven eighths of an inch, 

 for the inside diameter, was usually considered the best. As there 

 are no sparks or smoke, a chimney is not needed ; and although one 

 might be of service in carrying off the gases which arise from the 

 coal, the shops at Wilkesbarre are usually constructed without any 

 chimney, an opening in the gable end near the roof being found to 

 answer the purpose nearly as well : even this is used only during the 

 summer. In visiting these shops, a person is struck with the cleanly 

 appearance of the workmen, the dust from anthracite, though pene- 

 trating, not being of a character to soil either furniture or clothes : I 

 frequently heard the workmen speak boastingly of the fact that they 

 could now be as clean and comfortable as persons engaged in any 

 other trade. 



The manner of using the coal. 



Charcoal or dry wood is requisite for igniting the anthracite ; when 

 fairly ignited, it will need no foreign help, provided the iron to be 

 heated is small and is to be operated upon to no great extent at one 

 time. If the bar is large and requires a diffused heat, a small quan- 

 tity of charcoal must be mingled with the anthracite, as without this, 

 the bellows are not able to ignite a large quantity of the mineral coal. 

 The iron to be heated should not be thrust down so near the tuyere- 

 iron as is the case when charcoal is employed. Most of the failures, 

 at the first use of anthracite, I was informed, arise from ignorance of 

 this circumstance, from having the diameter of the tuyere-iron too 

 small, and from leaving the iron too long upon the fire. Anthracite 

 will heat a bar in one half the time that is requisite for charcoal, and 

 until the blacksmith is familiar with its use, the heating process must 

 be closely observed, or the iron will be burnt, before he thinks that 



Vol. XVm.~No. 2, 39 



