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

No. 10. THIRD BITUMINOUS DISTRICT. 303
workings 10,500 ciihic feet of air per niiimto, which was a sulHcieut
quantity for the iiiimbci- of junsons employed.
Mines Situaled in the Keynohisvilh' Kej^ion, Jefferson County.
There are six mines located in the Keynoldsville region at present,
but the Sherwood mine has not ]»een operated under the ivgulations
of the mining act dtii ing this year.
l>ig Soldier and Sprague.—These two mines have their workings
now connected and tlie boundary lint^s, which have separated them
in the past have been partially destroyed, but no inconvenience is
caused tliereby, as the same company operates botli mines. The coal
produced is brought to a common point of delivery by two separate
systems of miae haulage. At the Sprague mine, the coal is hauled
for a distance of a mile by the tail roi>e system, while for doing similar
work and f(n' about the same distance, the endless rope system is
emi)loyed at the Big Soldier mine. The joint daily production for
both places is about 4,."'>00 tons. These mines have been running very
steadily during the year, and all of the mining has been done by coal
cuttirig machinery of the Harrison type. There have been erected at
these mines during the year slack storage bins, elevators and revolving
screens, which are all
of the most efficient and modern design.
This machinery is intended to prepare slack to sujjply the 200 bee hiv(»
coke ovens which have also been built here recently. The elevating
and screening apparatus have a capacity for preparing 700 tons of
slack daily. The comjtany operating these mines has had many fine
new houses of modern design and with modern conveniences built for
the use of the miners, and from appearance a beautiful village will
soon be established hei*e. Two fans, one twenty-four and the other
six feet in diameter, and a large sized furnace, produce the ventilation.
I measured 74,500 cubic feet of air per minute, which was being conducted
forward, in several separate currents, to the face of the workings.
The mines were reasonably well ventilated and the drainage
was excellent. The double entry plan of working is carried out here.
Hamilton.—This mine did not run very steadily during the year.
At the date of my last visit, I found it in very good condition generally,
and I mcasuied 18,500 cubic feet of air per minute circulating
therein. This was well conveyed to the working places of the mine.
The tail rope system of haulage is being put in operation here.
Bloomington.—This is a new drift opening. I found the interior
of the mine well ventilated. The drainage was good in the two butt
entries where the miners were employed, but the main face entries
were being driven to the ''dip," and are under water. The company
contem])lates putting in a new slope opening to the dip of the measures
in the near future, A ventilating fan has been purchased and