Oiled Bricks As Fuel

OILED BRICKS AS FUEL

A Barber's Plan For Solving the Coal Problem.

NOVEL WAY OF HEATING STOVES

How Frederick Antholz of New York Secures Heat by Soaking Common Building Bricks In Kerosene - Says His Tests Have Been Successful.

Brick - ordinary red building brick - as fuel is not a fallacy, says the New York Evening World. The bricks may be used in the stove like ordinary coals for either heating or cooking purposes. Frederick Antholz has solved, he says, the problem of the lack of anthracite, and he has proved the fact to the satisfaction of not only himself and the members of his family, but to scores of persons in his neighborhood, to whom he has liberally imparted his secret.

He is enthusiastic over his discovery, and so are those who have tried his plan, for that matter. It works like a charm, they declare. Here is his idea for setting the coal trust at defiance:

Saturate a relay of ordinary house bricks in a bucket of oil. One gallon of oil, costing 10 cents, will effectually lubricate ten bricks, and each brick will burn with an intense heat for a period of time sufficient to cook the entire meal for a family of six persons. The cost lies only in the amount of oil consumed, and a gallon of oil will suffice for the day's heating and cooking.

Antholz has been using brick fuel for the past few weeks, and he has come to the conclusion that he is henceforth independent of the coal trust. Besides, he declares, the cost is fully 70 per cent cheaper than with the use of coal. He has experimented also with the oil brick until he has discovered some things which will be useful to others, who will be glad to know of this admirable substitute for the priceless anthracite.

In the first place, says Antholz, it is necessary to soak the bricks thoroughly before attempting to set fire to them. For this purpose he suggests the use of a square pan or a bucket which will contain half a dozen bricks if intended for a family use although one brick can be treated in the same manner for the first experimental test. Fully submerge the bricks in common kerosene oil. Get the best oil.

In half an hour the bricks will be found to have absorbed considerable of the oil, if not all that has been poured into the receptacle. Pour in more oil and let the bricks soak for an hour. Lift out one of the bricks, allowing it to drain for a minute over the oil receptacle. Then place it on the empty grate of the stove.

Now comes the next move, which must be observed if success is to attend the project. Reduce the draft under the grate, leaving just a trifle of an opening in the vents through which air may reach the burning brick. Then partly close the damper or draft leading to the pipe or chimney.

These precautions are absolutely necessary, for as comparatively little smoke attends the blaze and fierce combustion follows the ignition of the oil the reduction of the draft is imperative.

The brick can be lighted with a match, or, better still, a bit of burning paper, which is held beneath the grate directly under the brick until the latter bursts into flame. The close the drafts as described. An intense heat will at once be thrown out and the combustion will continue uniformly for fully an hour.

When the brick is burned out, remove it to a place to cool off and, if more fire is needed, take another of your relay of bricks and place in the stove, starting the fire as before. The first brick when thoroughly cool may again be placed in the oil, when it will again become ready for firing.

Antholz is a barber doing business in New York. He was so elated over the success of his experiment that he thought it "too good a thing" to be withheld from the public, so he has communicated the success of his efforts to the above mentioned paper that everybody may be informed. He says:

"There is no doubt about the success of the plan. It is better than coal, gives a greater heat, costs less, works instantly and is easily controlled."