104 COMMISSION OP CONSERVATION 



in the ease of handling and control in firing. It is a very valuable 

 insurance, furthermore, as against fire, the danger from its use in this 

 respect being practically ml. 



Washintgon, Idaho & Montana Railway Company. — ^We have found 

 the use of oil as fuel on our engines, very satisfactory. The engine men 

 like the oil much better than coal and there is less work for the fireman 

 to do. It is much easier to keep up steam with oil than with coal, and 

 better time can be made on the road for this reason. The cost of coal 

 delivered at Potlatch, averaged $6.00 per ton, with an additional cost of 

 unloading in the neighbourhood of 12 c. a ton. The price of fuel oil 

 delivered here is 0.0415 per gallon and our records show that 125 to 130 

 gallons of oil is as good to us as one ton of coal, making a gain of about 

 70c. on a ton of coal, or 12?^ per cent. 



To offset the economy of oil over coal, the up-keep cost on fire-box, 

 flues and rivets, is higher, as the heat is more severe ; there is also the 

 expense of renewing the fire-box lining and arch lining with new fire 

 brick every three to six months. 



We believe, however, that, on the basis of prices that fuels cost us, 

 the use of oil is a little more economical than the use of coal, all things 

 considered. So far as the danger of setting fires is concerned, oil is 

 much safer than coal, and our experience through two dry seasons, has 

 amply proven this to us. 



Idaho & Washington Northern Railroad. — ^Would say we now have 

 12 out of 13 locomotives equipped for oil btmiing, and this was done 

 primarily as a prevention of forest fires. From a cost of operating 

 standpoint it about breaks even. Considering this phase, the price of 

 oU compared with coal would necessarily be based on location, that is, 

 in one place coal would be cheaper than oil, or vice versa. 



So far as I know, we are the first inland road on the Coast to adopt 

 oil as fuel. We previously used British Columbia Bellevue mines coal, 

 which was the best we could secure, considering steaming qualities, 

 for which we paid $5.15 per ton, f.o.b. Spirit Lake. The oil now used 

 comes from the California oil fields by boat to Tacoma, and thence by 

 rail, costing $1.91 per bbl. at Spirit Lake. The relative consumption 

 is about 2,% bbls. of oil to one ton of coal. In figuring the cost the 

 division of the rates which accrue to this Company must be taken into 

 consideration and in our case coal would be a trifle cheaper, but con- 

 sidering the efficiency obtained from locomotives, on account of superior 

 steaming qualities, less labour being required to hostle engines, etc., 

 the cost is approximately the same for oil. * 



There is, however, another matter which must be given serious 

 consideration and that is, on account of the superior steaming qualities 



