1873 - Old Forge Coal Mines

INSPECTORS OF MINES. 263
REPORT GIVING: A
DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION OF COL-
LERIES IN SOUTH DISTRICT OF LUZERNE AND
CARBON COUNTIES.
x
Colliery No. 1, Upper Leiiigii, Luzerne county.—Landowners, Nescopec
Goal Company.— Operators, Upper Lehigh Coal Company.
Slopes Nos. 1 and 2 are on the north side of the basin, and on the estate
of the Nescopec coal company.
Slope No. 3 is on the south side of the basin, and on the estate of Hon.
Tench Coxe. The vein worked is the Buck Mountain. Average thickness
14 feet of good clear coal, a strong bottom slate and an excellent roof.
These works and machinery are in excellent order. Good attention is paid
to the ventilation of the mines by the mine agent, W. Powell, Sr., and W.
Powell, Jr., assistant.
Slope No. 1, south dip, 320 feet in length and 150 feet vertical, with a
pumping slope of the same length, and an inside slope in the west gangway,
called No. 5 slope, with a hoisting engine and steam pump. The steam is
carried through pipes from the surface boilers, and the exhaust is put into
the upcast to assist the furnace to create ventilation for the use of the
mines. The current of air traveling through the workings at present will
average 18,000 cubic feet per minute. The slopes and workings are in good
condition.
Slope No. 2, south dip, 330 feet in length, 191 vertical feet ; also a pumping
slope of the same length. A large and commodious breaker is built at
the top of this slope, and the cars are taken out of No. 2 slope to top of
breaker ; also cars of No. 1 slope are taken up a breaker up lane on the opposite
side from No. 2. This breaker prepares the coal of both slopes.
There is also an outside slope in the east gangway of No. 2 slope, called
No. 4 slope. There are extensive workings and well ventilated by a 12 foot
fan on the east side and a furnace on the west side. The current of air on
both sides will average 34,000 cubic feet per minute.
The directions of gangway in starting from all the slopes are east and
west, but the west gangway is gone around the basin, and is now opposite
No. 2 slope, on the opposite pitch. These workings formerly constituted
the Upper Lehigh collieries, and coal is shipped at present only from these.
The shipment for 1873 being 20,038S§ tons.
Powder used in blasting, 3,067 kegs ; men and boys employed inside,
154 ; men and boys emplo3 r ed outside, 96 ;
total, 250. Mules inside, 44
;
mules outside, 16; total, 60.
No. 3, north dip. This is a new slope—idle at present, waiting for a new
breaker. It is on the estate of Tench Coxe.
Machinery of all the collieries consists of 6 hoisting engines, 4 pumping
engines, 1 breaker engine and 1 fan engine—total, 12. Horse power, 415.
There are 27 boilers in good condition.
D. Bertsch. superintendent; W. Powell, Sr., mine agent: W, Powell,
Jr., assistant: S. M. Riglitei, outside foreman.
Colliery No. 2, Cross Creek, Drifton, Luzerne county.— On the Estate
of Tench Coxe.— Operators, Coxe, Bros. & Co.
No. 1 slope is 360 feet in length, 103 feet vertical. This slope is sunk
on the Buck Mountain vein ; average thickness 14 feet. Also a slant is