How to Make Coal Burn

Delaware State Reporter




Description: Winter Is On Its Way - Learn How To Burn Coal.

Date: December 3 1858

Newspaper published in: Dover, Delaware

Source: newspaper archivese/Column: Farm and Home Section:

How To Burn Coal:

Nine out of ten who attempt to burn coal in a stove waste about as much coal as is necessary to be consumed for all the heat desirable.

Observe the following simple rules, suggested by a contemporary, and few who adopt the burning of coal will return to wood fires.

First to make a coal fire: Clean the stove out thoroughly. Put in a double handful of shavings or light kindling wood. Fill the earthen cavity (if there be one) near full of chunks of dry wood, say four or six inches in length. On top of the wood put a dozen or so lumps of egg coal, coal that is 2 or 3 inches in diameter. After this burns about ten minutes, add twenty some more lumps of coal. Now, after all the wood has burned out, fill the cavity half or two thirds full of coal. This fire will be a good one, all the coal becomes fully ignited.

Never fill a stove more than half or two thirds full of coal even in the coldest weather.

When the fire is low, never shake the grate or disturb the ashes but add ten or fifteen lumps of coal and set the draught open. When these coals are heated through and somewhat ignited, add an amount necessary for a new fire but do not disturb the ashes yet. Let the draught be open half and hour, now, shake the out ashes. The coal will be thoroughly ignited and keep the stove at high heat from six to twelve hours, according to the coldness of the weather. In very cold weather add fifteen to twenty lumps of coal every hour.