While Norman's info is one process for making coke, western PA and northern WVA
were dotted with beehive coke oven complexes. Andy Carnegie's right hand man
Henry Frick earned his first fortune with coke works in the Connellsville
PA area. The beehive process was less efficient since it just dumped the gasses
into the air, but thay were often located near coal mines and saved much
shipping cost over heavier coal. Beehives aperated well into the 50s and can
still be found with a little effort.

When I left Pittsburgh, Coal & Coke Days were celebrated every fall with the
lighting of the last remaining beehives.

CJ Riley


--- Norman+Laraine Larkin <lono@...> wrote:

Coke was a byproduct of the manufactured gas process,and as this process
evolved, the coke was, in-turn, burned to create additional forms of
manufactured gas. Beginning in the early 20th century, large volumes of coke
were produced in specialized by-product coking ovens close by (or a part of)
integrated steel mills.

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