1873 - Old Forge Coal Mines

INSPECTORS OF MINES 173
No. 35. Pyne.— J. G. White, Operator.
The colliery is situated at Swatara. 4 miles east of the town of Tremont,
in Schuylkill county, on the estate of the Philadelphia and Reading
Coal and Iron Company. It has been in operation 21 years, most of this time
it has been under the direct management of Col. Claud White, resident superintendent.
It consists of three different slope workings, some of which
are sunk on their third lift with exceeding extensive excavations, and a few
years ago had been one of the leading collieries in the count}". The present
working slope is on the Primrose vein on a 47° south dip. The vein
is a Red Ash. The lower lift east gangway is 110 yards, with 4 breasts
open ;
the west gangway is 56 yards long, with one breast working. The
Fisher Basin drift is producing some coal by robbing out the pillars.
Ventilation is produced hy a 20-horse fan. The mine is well ventilated
and the workings in safe and good order throughout, notwithstanding the
time and work done for over 21 years.
Engines.—A pair of hoisting engines=to 80-horse power, is used at the
slope, an 80-horse power engine is used for drainage, 2 breaker engines=
80-horse power, and a 5-horse feed pump=7 engines=26ij-horse power, with
15 boilers, all of which are inspected and reported to be in good condition.
3 pole pumps of 12, 16 and 18-inch columns are used for drainage.
Ninety-nine hands are employed; 15 mules and 83 wagons are used.
There are two miles of inside and outside track laid. Average monthly
ships 4,000 tons. There are no complaints on record against this colliery
or its management.
No. 36 Big Mountain.— Messrs. Patterson, Llewellyn & Co., Operators.
This colliery is situated south of Shamokin, in Northumberland county,
on the estate of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company.
It has been 28 years in operation. It consists of 4 drift openings on the*
Twin E seams, viz : Kirkham, Harper, Lawton and Mahanoy drifts. There
are 3 men working in the Lawton drift ; 6 hands are working in the Harper
drift, in 2 breasts; 28 hands are working in the Ivirkham drift, in 11
breasts, the gangway of which is 700 yards long. The Mahanoy drift is
1,000 yards long, with 3 cross-cuts open to No. 9 seam ;
these cross-cuts
are used for ventilation ;
Nos. 8 and 9 gangways are driving forward with
11 breasts working; in No. 8 a counter-schute is open and 60 yards of a
gangwa}' open in west, with 1 breast open. Planes Nos. 1 and 3 have an
aggregate length of 750 yards, and 2 planes, in No. 8 seam, whose length
is 300 yards ; there are 2 breasts working in this and 5 in the other.
Ventilation is produced by the action of a 20-horse power fan, which is
located in the Mahanoy drift ; all the other drifts being connected thereto,
and the air circulating throughout the entire workings, which system supplies
adequate ventilation for all purposes, the fan being located on an air
hole on the mountain, giving it full effect.
One hundred and forty-three hands are employed ;
there are 28 mules
and 76 wagons used ; 5| miles of track are laid. One 35-horse power engine
runs both the breaker and saw mill, with 2 steam boilers, which have
been examined and pronounced to be in good condition. There is little
or no complaint on record against this colliery or its management.