1873 - Old Forge Coal Mines

136 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
good ordinary working condition, having adequate supply of fresh air in
circulation. Here the lamented Wm. Grant, and his superintendent, came
to their death, April 11, by a fall of top slate, when making an examination
of the place at the foot of this slope.
No. 55. Shenandoah City.— James Neill, in trust, Operator.
This colliery is situated in Shenandoah City, on its south-eastern limits,
on the estate of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company.
It consists of a double track slope, sunk on the south dip of the E seam,
on an angle of 18° dip. The bottom lift is worked in panels 50 yards apart.
The east gangway is 800 yards long, and are now robbing back the pillars
the pillars are standing in its western panel. A second outlet is opened
west of the slope.
The bottom lift is subject to a robbing process, but a slant single track
is now sinking at the face of the west gangway, intending to sink it 100
yards deep, and open east and west panels. No. 2 gangway lies over the
E seam, in 9 feet of coal, and has been driven 500 yards ; communications
are opened between these workings by means of cross-cuts through the rock
parting, which is 150 yards thick. Eighty-five yards of a slope have been
sunk on the E seam, 250 yards from the bottom lift of the first old slope,
and driven on its south dip on an 18° angle, with east and west panels open,
from which air-holes are opened in to the upper levels. The coal is 40 feet
thick in this seam. A tunnel has been driven to the leader vein south, and
a tunnel has been opened on its east gangway—air-holes from here communicate
with the upper levels or lifts.
Ventilation.—The slope is used for a down-cast, and the air being split
at its bottom it is caused to pass in and down to the lower panels, and
there circulates through the working places by means of chicks and brattice,
and thence pass up and out to the old outcast, on the Plank Ridge
workings.
One hundred and eightj'-six hands are emploj'ed ; 32 mules are worked
in the colliery, and 125 wagons. The E seam is 55 feet thick. Eight engines
are in service— 420-horse power, with 12 boilers. Drainage is effected
by compress air-pumps. Fifty cars of prepared coal are shipped from the
colliery per day.
No. 4 drift south is 1,100 yards long, in the 1 feet vein. Its counter is
800 yards in from the drift, and is 80 yards up the slope, with 2 panels open
in it, with air-holes and outlets to ventilate the place—slant gangways are
open in it. Here 28 hands are employed and 8 mules worked. The drift
is used as an air inlet, and ventilation is fair.
No. 50.
Thomas.— Thomas Coat Company, Operators.
This colliery is situated in Shenandoah City, in its northern limits, on
the estate of Grirard. It consists of a double track slope, sunk 100 yards
deep, on a 41° south clip of the E seam, in 45 feet of coal, with east and
west panels. The east gangway is 1,000 yards long, when 50 yards of a
self-acting plane is driven up to a counter lift ; its east panel is 200 yards,
and its west panel is driven through old breasts for ventilation, etc." The
air-current passes dcwn into and through these working places and ventilates
these panels on its outward course to the fan. Sixty-nine breasts are