72 Anthracite Coal Applied to Generate Steam Power. 



ANTHRACITE COAL APPLIED TO GENERATE STEAM POWER, 



The Editor had the satisfaction, a short time ago, to direct the 

 pubUc attention, to the simple means adopted by Mr. John Price 

 Wetherill, of this city, to remedy the defect inherent in this Coal, 

 viz: the want of hydrogen. The Editor is informed by that 

 gentleman, that a great many persons were induced, in conse- 

 quence, to visit his White Lead Works, and to adopt his improve- 

 ment. The non-bituminous coals of this state, which are now 

 universally called anthracite, vary somewhat in their qualities. 

 Some are more easily ignited than others, have a portion of sul- 

 phur in them, and leave a greater residuum ; but they may be 

 generally designated as hydrates of carbon, the purest containing 

 upwards of ninety parts of carbon, water, and a siliceous earthy 

 residuum, which we understand from some of the master masons 

 here, sets mortar better than any siliceous matter they have hith- 

 erto used. The small quantity of hydrogen given out by this 

 coal, is insufficient, or has been hitherto thought so, to produce 

 the proper degree of flame wanted to generate steam. Hence, 

 its application to generate steam power, has been almost despaired 

 of, and hence, also, the insignificance of its value for this purpose, 

 when compared ^with bituminous coal. There have been at- 

 tempts in many quarters to remedy this great defect, and which 

 have been attended with more or less success. We have ma- 

 terials on hand for showing with how much energy, persons at a 

 great distance from each other, have been exerting their inge- 

 nuity in this direction. The details of a conflict of this kind, 

 between art and nature, would not be uninteresting ; indeed, what 

 concerns us more nearly than the history of the gradual ascendency 

 of mind over matter, and the steady progress of man's dominion 

 over nature. Upon the present occasion, we shall confine our- 

 selves, with one exceptipn, to a brief relation of the manner in 

 which, from the simplest beginnings, Mr. WetherilPs discovery 

 grew into importance. 



In January, 1825, Messrs. Jonah and George Thompson, of 

 this city, completed, for their Phoenix Nail Works, on French 

 Creek, a steam engine for anthracite coal. We understand this 

 was the first successful application of this fuel to the generation 

 of steam. This was accomplished by a sub-division of the fur- 



