1873 - Old Forge Coal Mines

INSPECTORS OF MINES. 127
power, with 23 boilers, fire in use. A ball engine is used, with a 24-inch
column for drainage. All of which, with their machinery and slope tackle
are in apparent good order, and the mining system in practice is considered
safe.
No. 35. Locust Dale.— Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron C&mpany,
Operators.
This colliery is situated at Locust Dale, in Columbia county, on the estate
of the said corporation. It consists of a double track slope, sunk in
2 lifts under water level, 305 .yards deep. On the south dip of the E seam.
on an angle of 45°, gangways are opened east and west. The east panel
is 750 yards long, with 18 breast, making each 8 yards, with supporting
pillars 11 yards thick, and mining runs of 65 yards. The upper lift gangway
is supported by a chain pillar of 45 feet thick of coal. The upper lift
has been on fire for some time. The tops of the breast are peirced by headings
into this level, in order to force any gases that may accumulate on
that occasion The coal is 26 feet thick. The ventilation of this district
is very good. 797 yards of a western panel is opened. 32 breasts have
been opened, and 2 are working without a fault. The coal is 16 feet thick,
and worked like the other side, the ventilation of which is satisfactory
;
25,218 cubic feet of air had been obtained by the operation of the fan ;
95
hands are employed inside; 12 mules and 44 wagons are used ;
46 men and
49 boys are employed outside ;
7 engines, of 860-horse power, witli 25
boilers, are in use. The drainage of these mines is effected by a ball pump
of 2 twenty-two inch columns ; a steam pump is located at the west end to
pump from the water level—using 3 boilers for this purpose. The daily
shipments from the breaker is 70 cars=i300 tons.
Morgan Lewis has charge of the inside works, and Wm. Roudenbush
of the outside works.
No. 36.
Knickerbocker.— Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company,
Operators.
This colliery is situated at Yatesville, 2 miles south of Shenandoah City,
on the estate of the said corporation. It consists of a slope, sunk 102
yards deep on the south, 40° dip of the G seam in one lift, under the water
level ; 2 gangways are opened, 1 nine hundred and ten yards long, with 14
breasts working ; 2 seams are worked in connection with this slope, the
coal of which is in the aggregate 21 feet thick. A second outlet is opened
165 yards west of the slope. The north dip is opened by a cross-cut in
the basin, and opened gangways on both divisions. The east panel is 740
yards, and is finished. The west panel is 185 yards—a self-acting plane.
56 yards in length to the counter of the north dip ; its west gangway is
200 yards long, and is finished; a switch-back is driven eastward, and 5
breasts are working on it ; another switch-back is opened on the west side,
and 3 breasts are working on it. 85 yards of a tunnel are driven south to
No. 3 seam, which seam is but the upper branch of the E seam, ;is it is
known the E seam is split here by a slate and rock parting, the east gangway
of which is finished; the west gangway is 300 yards, and breasts
are working in it. On one of these breasts a 12 feet fan is erected to ventilate
these panels. The formation of these veins on the present lift, ex-