1873 - Old Forge Coal Mines

152 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
SHAMOKIN DISTRICT.
No. 1.
Monitor Colliery.— George W. John A Bro., Operators.
This collier} 7 is situated one mile west of Locust Dale, on the Philadelphia
and Reading Coal and Iron Company's coal estates, in Northumberland
county. It consists of a double track slope operation, sunk 110 yards
deep on the south dip of the E or Mammoth coal seam, on an angle of 35°.
The vein is 25 feet in thickness. The west gangway on this lift has been
driven 380 yards, the coal of which has been extracted and operation in
this district abandoned. The east gangway on the same lift has been
driven 1,800 yards in, and courses around the point of an anticlinal or
saddle, and forming a north dip as it advances. 41 breasts have been
worked on its southern dip, while 25 breasts have been worked on its north
dip. There are 4 breasts now working ;
all these breasts are opened 9
yards in width, and the pillars are 6 yards in thickness, with a running
range of 60 yards of breastings. From the bottom of this lift the slope
is continued south 50 yards, and nearly horizontal to where another slope
is sunk 60 yards deeper, on an angle of 10°. The coal in this new lift has
been hoisted by rope attachments applied to the safety trucks of the upper
lift, which application results satisfactorily. The} r are also sinking another
lift from the bottom of this level. A gangway has been driven on the flat
coal at bottom of first lift in the center of the flat 130 yards in length, and
are making 3 breasts, giving employment to 6 men in said district.
The west gangway on the lower level has been driven 600 yards in on its
present course, and into the workings of another colliery, operated by S. A.
Wolf. 25 breasts have been opened on this gangway, and 7 new ones are
working. The coal seam is 20 feet in thickness at this point ; the breasts
average Syards in width. Here I proposed the breast to be driven forward
to the end of the run, of 4 j^ards in width, and mine back at 8 yards in
width, which would add greatly to the safety of miners, and I believe it to
be a judicial system of mining in this thick seam.
A slant gangway has been turned off from the main west gangway at a
distance of 300 yards, and driven in 130 yards, where 6 breasts are working,
giving employment to 12 men.
A second slant gangway is open in 500 yards west from the slope, and
is 100 yards in length, with 3 breasts and gangways working, employing 9
men.
The east gangway on the lower level has been driven in 150 yards, where
8 breasts had been opened and worked out, and is now abandoned.
The character of the work done in the several departments of these
mines is considered safe and satisfactory.
Ventilation.—September 30, I found by instrumental measurements the
quantum of air supplied to be 5,320 cubic feet at the east gangway inlet,
where 27 men were employed, and 7,782 cubic feet at the face of the west
gangway. The slope is used for an intake on the east side, while the A.
S. Wolf workings are used for an inlet on the west side, giving satisfactory
results, the entire mine being well ventilated. A good road for egress and
ingress, for miners' use and safety, is opened east of the slope, and runs
out to the surface.