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THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 39
PREPARATION OF COAL*
By Dennis Dorris. Chief Coal Inspector Susquehanna Coal Company.
Chief Coal Inspector, Susquehanna Coal Co.
* Paper read at the meeting of the Nanticoke
Mining Institute, Nanticoke, Pa., Nov. 3, 1911.
A great many of the coal dealers and consumers
outside of the coal producing region of Pennsylvania
are under the impression that the coal
companies make no pretense or effort to properly
prepare the shipments they receive, that they are
the most abused class of people in the world, and
that the companies have no scruples along these
lines in preparing coal. I might say that the
same opinion prevails among a great many people
who reside in the shadow of the operations,
who are not familiar with the work of preparing
coal. They would cheerfully reverse their opinion
if they would visit the different plants and
witness the careful methods adopted in order to
produce a well prepared product.
Some years ago the position of colliery inspector
was considered a farce, and only a feeble effort
was made by him to hold up the standard of
preparation, owing to the fact that he was deprived
of the power of deciding as to whether
the coal should be accepted or rejected. The foreman,
or his assistant, were usually the people who
would pass judgment as to whether the coal should
go forward or not. Many exciting scenes and
tilts were witnessed in the vicinity of the "loaded"
tracks between the breaker foreman and the coal
inspector over some questionable coal—and the
disposition to be made of the same. The superintendent
was continually in a turmoil and kept
busy rendering decisions as to who was right in
this matter, and in almost every instance his decisions
would be rendered in favor of the coal
going forward. In those days an outside foreman
dreaded the thought of his coal being turned back,
as his reputation and pride was bitterly attacked,
and was always willing and ready to battle at
the mere mention of condemned coal. Nothing
would be more pleasing and gratifying to him
than to be successful in a victory over the inspector
on some questionable coal, and he would
become highly enthusiastic over the great achievement.
. Those who recall the troublesome days in the
inspecting of anthracite coal, which greatly disturbed
the trade by passing a
POORLY PREPARED PRODUCT,
which caused all kinds of abuse to be leveled
at the head of the inspector, can realize the vast
change in the system of inspecting.
The duties of the present day coal inspector
reach out over a large space. In this capacity,
he is broad and convincing, and the absolute judge
as to the quality of the preparation. When his
decision is rendered by actual test, no one questions
his authority as to the correctness of that
test. Occasionally now you will meet a foreman
who imagines the inspector is too severe and
rigid in his work as to what he classifies slate
and bone, and endeavors to convey this impression
to the superintendent, and appeals to
him for some relief, but that official, unlike
in the troublesome days, promptly waves him
aside and advises him that the inspector's word
is final. By doing this he realizes the necessity
of protecting the consumer against such overzealous
officials.
The managers and superintendents of today are
the most vigorous expounders of the rights and
needs of the consumer and have done much to
counteract the anti-colliery inspector feeling
which for years has been so detrimental to the
coal business. They have learned the cost of ill
will, and the profits in good will, in the sale of
anthracite coal. The management has come to
realize in this great industry, which has so many
common interests, that each is so dependent on
the other that one cannot remain apart and maintain
its full individual efficiency. Today one cannot
help noticing the wonderful change existing
between the breaker foreman, his organization,
and the coal inspector. They are in complete harmony
and there is an air of old fashioned hospitality
about the operations, a spirit of comradeship,
and a pleasant feeling among those who
are working for one common cause, which makes
it appear so different from the old days. The
breaker foreman has come to believe that the
coal inspector is one of the most important employees.
In fact, he considers him a necessity,
as he not only keeps him posted on the condition
of his coal, but also keeps him well informed by
frequently testing the refuse, so that that end of
the operation will not show a heavy percentage
of loss of merchantable coal going to the bank.
This is considered a serious problem and one
that it is necessary to closely guard against,
which, eventually, greatly affects the "prepared"
sizes.
There is a rule governing the inspection of
anthracite coal both for size and impurities.
Each size is limited to a certain percentage of
slate and bone, and when these percentages are
exceeded, the coal is
NOT CONSIDERED MERCHANTABLE
and is promptly condemned and re-prepared. It
is, therefore, necessary that the breaker provide
*Paper read at the meeting of the Nanticoke Mining Insti­ machinery for the treatment of condemned coal.
tute. Nanticoke. Pa.. November 3. 1911.