1900 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

hto.il. SIXTH BITUMINOUS DISTRICT. V.M
Mines at .Johnstown.
There are eighl mines located in and about this city. Three of
these are owned by the Cambria Steel Company, all well ventilated
by fans and conducted cm the most modern plans of mining, as well
as haulage and drainage with a view to the general safety of the
employes. One of the other mines is owned by the A. .). Haws Brick
Company, a second by M. b. Williams & Company, and another by
the Basic Brick Company. The other two are operated, respectively,
by the Cambria Coal Company and Coulter & Huff. The
latter, though ventilated by a furnace, is in excellent sanitary condition,
having the best of ventilation and drainage. The former,
however, I am compelled to say, is not up to the standard by any
means, and to put it in good condition will require a great deal of
improvement.
South Fork and Ehrenfeld Mines.
At these points nine mines are located. Four are those of the
Webster Coal and Coke Company, at Ehrenfeld, all of which art 1
well looked after as regards ventilation, drainage, etc. The two
largest have each a fan for ventilation, one a 12-foot Capel and
the other an lS-foot Guibal. In the latter working, in addition to
the fan already in use, the proprietors are now sinking a shaft at the
extreme face of the mine, which will be 41)1) feet deep, and over this
they purpose putting another large fan, capable of producing 200, IK)*)
cubic feet of air per minute. The area of this shaft for air alone is
to be 100 square feet. The other two mines operated by the Webster
Company, which are now ventilated by furnaces, will each soon
be equipped with a Ian. In the Argyle mine, at South Fork, there
lias already been made the change from a furnace to a Capel fan
which produces from 60,000 to 70, IKK) cubic feet of air per minute,
running at a very moderate speed, which leaves good power in reserve
for any emergency and for the natural increase of the miue—a matter
that is, or has in the past been, much overlooked in selecting and
instaling ventilating apparatus. This, in fact, is the great hindrance
to proper ventilation throughout the district at present. Old mines
have become very extensive by many years of operation, and others
have been rapidly developed in the pasi year or two. the results in
either case being the same— namely an insufficiency of power to
produce the required air. which was possibly ample at the time it
was installed, but in which no provision was made for the future.
The South Pork and Stineman Mines Xos. 1 and - are among the
oldest operations at this point, and in addition the capacity of each
has been increased to such an extent that the fans now producing