Report of the Bureau of Mines of the Department of Internal Affairs of ...

104 REPORT OF THE INSPECTORS OF MINES. Off. Doc.
An Extensive Squeeze at the W.odward Mine.
On the morning of March 26 a squeeze began in West gangway of
the Eed Ash workings of the AVoodward mine of the Dehaware, Lackawanna
and Western Company at Plymouth township. It was first
I'oticed by the fire boss when making the usual morning examination
of the mine. The colliery was started to work as usual but the
squeeze by this time had rapidly spread and had assumed a dangerous
aspect and all the employes were sent out. The squeezing was
first noticed at the inner breasts where the seam was unusually
thick and shelly. The pillars and breasts were of uniform breadth,
the pillars being 30 feet and the breasts 24 feet in width, and it
was believed thcit enough pillars wore reserved to make sure of
preventing a squeeze. However, it came, and kept crushing and
spreading until the latter part of May, so that by that time an
area of 35 acres was affected, all above the second lift and west of
the shaft. As usual in this district, as soon as the squeeze began,
explosive gases appeared in the return airways and the affected
workings were also filled with the same kind of gases. A great
aiuount of timbering work was done in the effort to prevent its
spreading, and some undoubtedly to good purpose. All work was
done with safety lamps and men were kept on the outer side of the
squeeze where they could retreat if necessary. The workings of all
the seams were affected but there was no coal lost aside from what
was in the pillars. The most important parts of the gangways and
airways have been reopened and repaired and the work of opening
the others is still progressing. Excellent care was taken in the execution
of the work for much of it was in perilous situations, but all was
well done and without injury to any who took part.
The Destruction of the Baltimore Tunnel Breaker,
Saturday morning, February 20, when about to start to work, the
Baltimore Tunnel breaker took fire in the oil room, evidently from a
boy's lamp, and in one hour was entirely consumed. This was the
first breaker erected in the Wyoming Valley. It was erected in
1854 by the Baltimore Coal Company, and the seam they worked is
designated as the Baltimore seam throughout the valley and evidently
will be known by that name as long as it will be spoken of.
The first shipment of coal was made by the old canal froui the boat
sheds near EasI Market street, Wilkos-Barre. The breaker was located
about half a mile east of the boat sheds and here the first loco
motive in
the Wyoming Valley was used to haul the cars back and
forth between the breaker and the chutes, and before the l)i'eaker was
erected, between the n\ine and the chutes. In 1867 the colliery was
purchased by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company and they are