84 
Annual Report of the 
or other Metallurgical purposes, as it is established by the evidence 
presented, is confirmed by a very large volume of well authentica¬ 
ted pertinent facts, as to its diversified use, establishing this com¬ 
bustible as equal to wood or bituminous coal and therefore a 
good fuel substitute. Its ultimate aggregate value to the people of 
this state depends entirely upon its amount and availibility as 
found in the bogs or deposits of the state. I find in the report of 
Prof. Chamberlain on the Geological survey of the Eastern district 
of this state for 1873, this reference to peat. u He did not feel justi¬ 
fied in spending the necessary time to test the peat bogs in the 
heavily wooded regions, however much interest there might be 
attached to such observations. * * * There is scarcely a town¬ 
ship in the district inspected that does not possess more or less peat. 
It is found in marshes and swamps,'varying in depth and purity, 
and in this district, the amount is estimated at 300,000,000 cubic 
yards or aproximately estimated in condensed, dry and purified 
peat fuel, 50 millions tons. The attempt to utilize it as a fuel, at 
several points have varied in success. In almost all cases it seems 
to have furnished a very fine fuel, and in some cases it is claimed to 
be equal to the best hard wood. Briefly noticing the errors in pre¬ 
paring peat fuel the Prof, enumerates.” 1st. Too much expected 
by those engaging in its preparation. u 2d. The modes that were 
adopted left too small a margin from the price of other fuel. 3d. 
Error in selecting the marsh. 4th. Error in using peat near the 
edge or top of the deposit, or bog. 5th. Error through failure to 
dry peat before using it. 6th. Want of best conveniences in burn¬ 
ing it, as our stoves and furnaces are not adapted, being without grate 
to its perfect combustion. 7th. Want of knowledge on the sub¬ 
ject and an indisposition to change habits. These and other errors 
will readily be corrected by experience, and if the laudable efforts 
that are being made to develope new sources of fuel are sustained 
and encouraged by an enterprising public spirit, we may confident¬ 
ly anticipate a final success.” 
Prof. Whittlesey, in 1873, says: u In the iron districts of Penoka, 
Bad River, and on White River, there are large deposits of peat, 
and in other places peat exists in valuable quantities. Peat is used 
in Europe for smeliing iron, and produces metal of the same grade 
as charcoal iron.” Taylor, in his coal statistics in 1842, states 
that “ large deposits of peat are found in the valleys throughout the 
