Mance: Quarry Industry of Southern Indiana 88 



ing method of stoking is the one in common use. The following 

 rules for hand-firing have been formulated by the Coal Stoking and 

 Anti-Smoke Committee of the Illinois Coal Operators' Asso- 

 ciation for hand-firing with Illinois and Indiana coals: 



1. Break all lumps, and do not throw any in the furnace 

 that are larger than your fist. The reason for this is that large 

 lumps do not ignite promptly and their presence also causes 

 holes to form in the fire, which allow the passage of too much 

 air. 



2. Keep the ash pits bright at all times. If they become 

 dark this is evidence that the fire is getting dirty and needs 

 cleaning. If this is not done, imperfect combustion and smoke 

 will result. If the furnace is equipped with a shaking grate, 

 it should be operated often enough to prevent any accumulation 

 of ashes in the fire. Do not allow ashes to collect in the ash 

 pits, since they not only shut off the air supply, but they may 

 also cause the grate to be burned. 



8. In firing do not land the coal all in one heap, but as it leaves 

 the shovel spread it over as wide a space as possible. A little 

 practice will enable one to catch the proper motion to give the 

 shovel in order to make the coal spread properly. 



4. Place the fresh coal from the bridge well forward to the 

 dead plate, and do not add more than three or four shovels at a 

 charge. If this amount makes smoke it should be reduced till 

 smoke ceases, which means, of course, that firing will be at more 

 frequent intervals than formerly in order to keep up steam. 

 This rule is applied in cases where the boiler is worked at a large 

 capacity. In cases, however, where a small capacity only is 

 required, firing by the coking method, wherein the fresh coal is 

 placed at the front of the fire, and pushed back and leveled when 

 it has become coked, is the best. 



5. Fire on one side of the furnace at a time so that the other 

 side containing a bright fire will ignite the volatile gases from the 

 fresh charge. 



6. Do not allow the fire to burn down dull before charging. 

 If this is done, it will result not only in a smoky chimney, but 

 also in an irregular steam pressure. 



7. Do not allow holes to form in the fire. Should one form 

 fill it by leveling and not by a scoop full of coal. Keep the fire 

 even and level at all times. As far as possible level the fire after 

 the coal has become coked. 



8. Carry as thick a fire as the draft will allow, but in deciding 



