356 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 



There are six large oil tanks capable of holding 300,000,000 gallons, 

 four hoisting engines, forty cars for handling timber in the cylinders, eight- 

 double derricks, a well-equipped machine shop, etc. 



I was told that the dead oil of coal tar costs them ten cents per gallon 

 in New York, and that most of it is purchased from the Barrett Manufac- 

 turing Company. I called at the latter 's office in Battery Place, seeking 

 particulars as to their method of producing the oil, but was refused the 

 desired information. Neither did the company issue any descriptive or 

 informatory literature. It was claimed that they employ a secret process 

 for obtaining this oil, which is one of the products of the second distillation 

 of coal tar. Many other valuable products are obtained by these distilla- 

 tions, including lamp-black, and several others used in dyeing. 



The combined capacity of the Eppinger & Russell plant is 90,000 feet, 

 board measure, in each twenty-four hours. The cylinders being 100 feet 

 long, almost any size of material can be treated. 



Retrod of Treatment 



When the timber has been loaded upon the cars, it is run into the cyl- 

 inders, which are then hermetically sealed with the immense iron heads. 

 These are made tight by means of rubber gaskets and ingenious locking 

 bolts. I made three pencil sketches showing the method of fastening on 

 these heads, which are herewith presented. After the vacuum has been 

 applied, it is usually found necessary to give the nuts on the locking bolts 

 a few extra twists to make the heads more secure. 



Steam is first admitted into the cylinder surrounding the timber; 

 super-heated steam is also introduced into the cylinders by means of large 

 coils, so that it does not come in contact with the timber, and heat is main- 

 tained until the timber is warmed all through at a low temperature, so 

 as not to injure the woody fibres. The cylinder is then freed of all vapors, 

 and the vacuum pumps are put to work to exhaust all the sap and moisture 

 — which is then in the shape of vapor — from the cylinder. Heat is main- 

 tained in the coils to prevent the vapor from condensing and thereby 

 remaining in the timber. As the vacuum pumps are constantly removing 

 the hot vapor from the timber, it is necessary to keep the heat above the 



