[Sacajaweau]

we had a coal/wood furnace when i was a kid....all gravity, we piled coats on us at night. Mom would turn the oven on for a bit with a pan of water inside. Rushed to get to school where it was toasty warm.

It was a big job keeping that furnace going...but the "smoked" baked apples hot from the furnace were to die for.

[mass55th]

"It was a big job keeping that furnace going..."

We had a coal, forced air furnace at our house too. We used to like to watch the coal bouncing down the shuttle to the basement when the coal delivery truck came. My Dad was the only one who knew how to get the coal burning. He worked on the NY Central Railroad, so he was out inspecting, and repairing tracks all day with his crew. I remember my mother telling the story of the one time the furnace went out, and my Dad had to come home from work so he could re-light it.