THE PURCHASE OF COAL UNDER GOVERNMENT AND 
COMMERCIAL SPECIFICATIONS ON THE BASIS 
OF ITS HEATING VALUE. 
By D. T. Randall. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The people of this country have been purchasing coal for years 
on the statement of the selling agent as to its quality, or on the repu- 
tation of the mine or district from which it was obtained. The 
farmers of the country show more business judgment in the purchase 
of fertilizer than do many manufacturers in buying coal, for the 
farmer demands a chemical analysis of the fertilizer before he ac- 
cepts it. 
Until recently there has oeen but little reliable information regard- 
ing the character of the coal supply of the United States. This fact 
was recognized in the establishment of the fuel-testing plant of the 
United States Geological Survey at St. Louis in 1904. Extended 
general investigations have been conducted at this plant and its suc- 
cessors and in the field, and in addition the technologic branch of 
the Survey has been charged with the duty of analyzing and testing 
the coals used by the Government. 
The Government is a large purchaser of coal, reports from the vari- 
ous Departments indicating that nearly $6,300,000 is expended each 
year for fuel. Some time ago the necessity for a more uniform 
standard in the purchase of coal became apparent and the plan of 
buying it on the basis of its heating value was introduced in a few 
Departments. Many of the large commercial consumers in the United 
States have been purchasing their coal on contracts of this nature for 
some time. 
The present paper summarizes the information on this subject ob- 
tained by the Survey, including examples of specifications that are 
now in use and analyses of some of the coal purchased by the Govern- 
ment during the winter of 1906-7. 
