stances will the LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE take part in any controversy between reliable correspondence schools. All that are advertised must come recommended as to reliability, from both commercial and Brotherhood sources From information at hand both of the correspondence schools advertised will do all they promise to do.

Artificial Coal,

News comes from Germany that artificial coal is being manufactured at but a small part of the expense of digThis seems improbable, ging coal. but a report from the United States Deputy Consul at Mannheim contains the following:

I have seen the representative of Mr. George Montag, the inventor of an artificial coal, for which he has applied for letterspatent in a number of States. On invitation I assisted at a trial to demonstrate the combustive properties of the article and observed its ready inflammability and its apparently considerable heating qualities.

Mr. Montag claims that all sorts of earth may be used for his substitute, with the exception of sand and gravel, but I think that only those whose component parts are vegetable or ligneous, as moor peat and turf lands, would be available. The inventor also enumerates among suitable substances various kinds of clay, but I believe with a mental reservation to use these as an admixture with the vegetable soil, for graduating the heating qualities of the coal.

Certain ingredients are mixed with the earth and worked into a homogeneous mass for the purpose of making it inflammable. These ingredients are the inventor's secret, but since his preparation is intended to have the properties of pit coal, their nature can be easily guessed. They are to take the place and produce the effect of the bitumen of the mineral article, and must be substances of quick ignition and combustibility,

such as pitch, resin, naphtha, or similar products. One hundred kilograms (220 pounds) of such articles may be bought at Mannheim for about $2; but only six to eight per cent. is required for 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of the artificial coal. Including labor and general expenses, the cost for this quantity would be, say, 7 cents; a tract of nishes 50 kilograms of earth especially land bought lately by Mr. Montag fursuited for the purpose for 0.5 cent; so that 50 kilograms of the artificial coal will cost not more than 7.5 cents to produce. This calculation is taken from the notes of the inventor. The cheapness will be best illustrated by comparing the prices of the various grades of pit coal, which have run in the last year from 17 to 27 cents per 50 kilograms at this place.

The artificial coal, of a grayish black, is pressed in blocks (briquets) of three sizes,

viz.: No. 1, 74 inches long, 21⁄2 inches broad, 11⁄2 inches thick; No. 2, 61⁄2 inches long, 4 inches broad, 11⁄2 inches thick; No. 3, 34 inches long, 3 inches broad, 1% inches thick. The blocks are hard and

brittle, and when thrown into the furnace, whole or in pieces, they ignite readily and burn briskly.

The suggestion that for technical establishments blocks of larger size would be desirable, was answered with the statement that forms for making 10-pound pieces were already in preparation.

The result of an examination of the Mon

tag coal by the technical assayers at Karlsruhe showed that it contained:

Book Notices.

SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, published by The Colliery Engineer Company. This new monthly journal is the result of a consolidation of the Mechanics' Arts Magazine, the Steam-Electric Magazine and the Building Trade Magazine, all of which have been published by the Colliery Engineer Company at Scranton, Pa. By way of introduction the statement is made that Science and Industry will be a 64-page monthly magazine; its province will be to. explain, in simple, clear, and concise language, the facts and principles underlying the construction and operation of machinery and of apparatus of every description, the applications of science, and the principles and practice of building construction." The subscription price is $1 per year,

JIM SKEEVERS' OBJECT LESSONS, by John A. Hill. By way of introduction the author says: "A fact, a rule, a law or a principle of mechanics, when stated simply and alone, is hard to remember — especially so to men who do not make daily use of the statement. Recognizing that the same thing can be remembered, and the truth and value of it be quicker recognized, if clothed in the garb of a story, a trite saying, or a poem, the author commenced these insignificant little preachments some ten years ago. He wanted to teach some things to locomotive engineers, firemen, master mechanics, etc., and took this way to impress on their minds the lessons. Of the true life of the men who operate and maintain the American locomotive, no man can write, talk or think under

standingly, except he has devoted some years of his life to living and working and sympathizing with them - and this the writer has done. Under the pen name of John Alexander, these little sketches went out to the railroad world through the columns of Locomotive Engineering, and were received, enjoyed and appreciated far beyond their true merits. The author now gathers them into this little volume, partly for the benefit of those of his old friends who enjoy such things, and partly for his own satisfaction."

Enginemen and shopmen will find in Jim Skeevers' Object Lessons many technical truths clothed in amusing and interesting fiction. Bound in cloth, 157 pages, and published by American Ma

chinist Press, 218 William St., New York. Price $1.00.

46

STORIES OF THE RAILROAD, by John A. Hill. A splendid collection of stories of railroad life, written by a man who "has been there." The list is as follows: 'An Engineer's Christmas Story," "The Clean Man and the Dirty Angels," "Jim Wainwright's Kid," "A Peg-Legged Romance," "My Lady of the Eyes,' Some Freaks of Fate," Mormon Joe, the Robber," "A Midsummer Night's Trip" and The Polar Zone." The book is illustrated with eight full-page plates, is bound in cloth, contains 297 pages and is published by Doubleday & McLure Co., New York. Price $1.50.

In the fitting up of driving Something Worth boxes, wedges and shoes Looking After. often lies the cause of serious failure in any, or one, of the following classes-hot driving journals, broken crank pins and broken driving boxes. Any of these are of enough importance to pay us for dwelling on the matter a moment, and discussing the evils likely to lead up to such results.

The trouble may be in any of the following defects: Driving boxes rocking at the bottom or at the top, and poor bearings of the rubbing surfaces between box and wedge, or shoe, as the case may be. In either of the first-named defects, we have a very annoying affair to a good engineman, and the instrument of ultimate destruction to that box, either by breaking it or loosening the brass, if allowed to run

At

in that condition. In such cases enginemen should make an effort to head off such defects by making an intelligent report of same to the people in charge, at the earliest possible moment. If there is reason to believe that a box is "rocking," place the engine on “ quarter" on that side, block the wheels on opposite side, open the throttle, and by reversing her a few times the defect can be located. the same time the extent of the "rock," whether, or %, should be noted, so as to give the proper information to the men who do the repairing. This condition of boxes can be traced to two causes, one of which is the man who did the trueing and "lining up" of the wedges and shoe in the first place, failing to do a good job; and the other, the fellow who packed the driving box, when it got warm.

while the engine was being "broken in." This fellow likes things to work easy, and when that cellar caused him a little trouble to get it out, he said to himself, "I'll fix you before I put you in again," and he does just what he said he would do. If there are no liners that he can take off the sides of the cellar, he will just file enough off so it will go in "nice and easy," thus allowing the bottom points of the box to come together, or collapse, as it were, · after which that box will "rock" at the bottom. In cases where the "rock" is at the top, it is safe to charge it up to the back shop man.

The other bad condition, whose " long suit" lies in causing boxes to heat, is where the bearing between the shoe, or wedge, and box is not full, i. e., when the box will bear tight down its whole depth on the inside edge of the wedge or shoe, and not on the outside. This condition is bad, as it does not afford a solid bearing for the box when the engine is at work, causing it to twist on the journal, and also causing a great weight to be thrown on that part of the journal and brass, immediately in line with that part of the box that has a bearing on the shoe or wedge. Or, in other words, instead of the blow incidental to the working of the engine being distributed over the whole surface of the wedge, it is concentrated on the small line of contact referred to above, and the work on the journal, is in a like manner concentrated on a very small surface- result, undue friction and hot bearings,

To ascertain whether or not the box bears fully and evenly on the shoe or wedge, first put the wedge up tight, then place the engine on quarter, and get someone to reverse a few times with throttle open, and by watching this box from both inside and outside, any

defect in the bearing of the box on the shoe or wedge can be detected.

Trains.

This is one of the little Using Sand on Freight things that come in the line of an engineer's duty which requires a lot of careful management in order that it may not be detrimental to the progress of the train. Under the present plan of rating, viz., up to the maximum capacity of the engine, especially with the old and light power, it is an acknowledged fact that sand must be used quite freely, and a few remarks on the evils of doing too much, . would seem to be in order.

It is a common practice with some engineers, in taking a run for a hill, to open the sand lever or sander enough so the engine will hold the rail, and leave it there. While the engine is running, say, twenty miles an hour, the effect of the sand in retarding the progress of the train is not readily noticed; in fact, it may not be running

too fast. But when the ascent of the hill is commenced, the amount of sand on the rail will increase as the speed diminishes, and unless the sand lever or sander is readjusted, so as to keep just enough on the rail to keep engine from slipping, and no more, it is altogether likely that when you get to the "hard pull" the wheels of the train will be so much impeded by it that you will stall. It is not the sand under the engine that does all the mischief, although it has its evil effect; but when your train of, say, thirty cars (240 wheels) has to be pulled over perhaps one-sixteenth of an inch of sand, this, together with that which sticks onto the tread of the wheels when the rail is damp or frosty, adds very much to the resistance that must be overcome by the locomotive,