When Homes Were Heated By Coal

[Clad2Silver]

I delivered the morning paper in the mid 60's. Before school, in the dark, in freezing temperatures. There were a few families that burned coal. I always liked the smell of burning coal on those frigid mornings. To this day I like the sulfur smell of coal burning. My family hates it.

A co-workers father used to (before my time) go around the neighborhood on rounds on weekends , maybe other days too ; and get folks stoves going.
He told of a Jewish family that had him tend their stove on the Sabbath who would give him a handful of raisins .
Not sure if that was his pay ,or a tip.....

I had to chuckle when I read your reply to the post because of the raisins. When I was a kid there was a Jewish family that lived a few houses down from us and on Halloween, instead of giving the kids candy, they gave out raisins.

 

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[OreCart]

I always figured a ton of coal was equal to about 2 cord of firewood, or 2 ton of pellets, or 200 gallons of home heating oil (roughly).

I like coal the best because it burns hot and I do not have to worry about chimney fires.

But I do admit that I burn anything to stay warm, this is Maine after all. This winter I have burned firewood, coal, wood pellets and corn.

 

[OreCart]

This is our old house, set up like the 1930's with my wife beside our old Woods and Bishop 1893 Pot Bellied Stove in period 1930 attire.

 

[Clad2Silver]

This is our old house, set up like the 1930's with my wife beside our old Woods and Bishop 1893 Pot Bellied Stove in period 1930 attire.

View attachment 1680261

Gotta' love those old things.

 

[Tony in SC]

My very first chores, in the 50's, was carrying two buckets of slop out to the hogs. Then stop at the coal pile and bring two buckets of coal. I hate coal and hogs to this day!!

 

[OreCart]

Gotta' love those old things.

I like pot bellied stoves. They do not burn firewood that well, and it is a pain to cut the wood up, and split it so small, but do they ever burn coal well.

Our main cook stove is almost as old, a 1917 Crawford Range. As I said, our other house is set up just like the 1930's, so we found a good deal on this old range and bought it. We love it. We did have to go with an antique gas stove because of clearance issues, but it is still a great stove. The height is lower than modern stoves, it has big burners, and it looks great as well.

Again, Katie in 1930 attire in front of it.

 

[ToddsPoint]

My grandma grew up in Arkansas and they were poor during the depression. She said when a train came the kids would go stand along the tracks. If it was a coal train, and there were hobos riding the cars, they would throw chunks of coal off the train for them. The kids took them home. Those must have been rough times. Gary

 

[Clad2Silver]

My grandma grew up in Arkansas and they were poor during the depression. She said when a train came the kids would go stand along the tracks. If it was a coal train, and there were hobos riding the cars, they would throw chunks of coal off the train for them. The kids took them home. Those must have been rough times. Gary

Back then, people did whatever they had to do in order to survive. No dishonor in that......

 

[Lunch Bag]

My Great Grandfather drove a team of horses to deliver coal in Boston.

One day while doing so, one of the few cars at the time backfired and startled the horses. Unfortunately my Great Grandfather was at the front of the horses adjusting a bridle and they and the heavy wagon ran him over leaving my Grandmother an orphan at age five.

 

[Clad2Silver]

That's a sad story......things weren't easy in those days.

 

[sawmill man]

I still burn coal from time to time, only when im stuck in the house and can keep a eye on it , it can get really hot. just seem to love the smell sometimes.

 

[sandchip]

Granny had a potbelly stove that she burned coal in when I was a young'un. When I was 14, my sister and her fiance talked her out of it, cleaned it up and painted it lemon yellow, and hauled it up to north Georgia. Ugh, what an abomination.

After the war, Daddy worked at a local building supply that had a siding where trains would park a gondola car full of coal or gravel or whatever came in. Daddy and Mr. S.T. would unload them with shovels. Real men back then. No whining. No victimhood. No apps to do it for you.

God help this nation.