1900 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

No. 11. THIRD BITUMINOUS DISTRICT. 405
reasonably well during the year. At each of them I found a lawful
quantity of air in circulation, which was being well distributed to the
face of the workings. The drainage in each of them, except at one
or two points in the State Line and Beaver No. 2, was reasonably
good. In this part of my district the Connessing mine has been
abandoned and the Menard mine has not been in operation under
the law during the year. The Penn and Beaver No. 1 mines have
not been in operation for any length of time dining the hist six
months.
Mines Located Along the West I'enn Railroad in Westmoreland and
Armstrong Counties.
The ten mines Kerr No. 1. Blackstone, West l'enn, Biverview,
Gilpin, Had don, Kirkpatrick, Tine Run, Beale and Avonmore, were
all visited by me frequently during the year. In each of them
a lawful quantity of air was being produced and well distributed
to the face of the workings, except in the Blackstone mine,
where the current was somewhat weak at the face of some of
lie- entries. The drainage in this mine was defective at a few points.
The sanitary condition of all of them (with the exception noted) was
excellent. At the Avonmore mine a new It! foot diameter fan has
been installed during the year.
.Mines Located Along the Pittsburg. Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad
and in
Other Parts of Butler and Mercer Counties.
There are in this part of my district (not including the new mines
which were opened during the year) seventeen mines. Upon examination
I found a lawful volume of air being produced in the Stage,
Sherwin. Enterprise, of Butler county, Royle, Carver, Hill, Hickory.
Pardoe, Keystone Xo. 2 and Stoneboro Xo. 2, and the drainage
(except at a few points in some of them) was reasonably good.
While I measured a lawful quantity of air being produced at the
inlet of Keystone Xo. 1 mine the air current was not strong enough
at the face of some of the workings. The drainage of this mine was
only in
fair condition.
In the Mi/.ener mine there was not a lawful volume of air at the
face of the workings. An opening to daylight had been made at
the face of the workings, but at the date of my last visit this new
opening had practically closed, which very materially reduced the
volume of air. They were busy making a new opening, which no
doubt will remedy the defect. The drainage was only fairly good.
There was not a sufficient volume of air near the face of the workin-is
in the Diamond Xos. 1 and '_' mines. Another fan had been