1898 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

No. 11. EIGHTH ANTHRACITE DISTRICT. 247for llic Eighth anthracite district, and J. N. Rice, Esq., Presidentui the JNIarion Coal Company, to wit:''As to the safety and propriety of using the main upcast airway ofthe Marion colliery, in East Norwegian township, Schuylkill county,Pennsylvania, as a rope way for an underground slope and for aluimp way/' report as follows:That on the 29th day of July, 1898, in company with Mr. John Maguireand Mr. Abednego Reese, the superintendent of the MarionCoal Comjiany, we carefully examined the upcast airway of theMarion colliery in which we found the velocity of the the return airto be not less than 800 feet per minute; we also find the renewal ofl)ulleys and making the necessary repairs, etc., requires the constant( are of at least one person. We further find that to run and carefor the pumps in this airway willrequire the constant attention ofa pumpman day and night, and to make repairs to the pumps andsteam and column lines will require the presence of several men inaddition to the pumpman, as the necessity may require.The only means of egress from the pumps stationed in this airwayliK' up to the fan a distance of over 000 feet on an average pitch ofabout 30 degrees, or down on the same pitch a distance of about 300feet and out by way of the main hoisting slope, which is in the Lewisvein. The main upcast airway of this colliery is in the Little Tracyvein, and besides being the only second opening to the colliery, is theonly place of escapement for all the gas generated in this mine, which,in addition to the present four workable lifts on the Lewis vein, includesseveral worked out or abandoned lifts of the Lewis, Little andBig Tracy veins, the main portion of which are now inaccessible, andtherefore cannot be properly examined. Having inspected and examinedthe main upcast airway, we returned to Pottsville and metill the office of Mr. John Maguire, the Mine Inspector, where, aftera careful examination of the maps of the Marion colliery, and havingcarefully examined the Mine Inspector's report of this district inreference to the terrific outbursts of gas which so frequently occurin the d(.'epmines of this region, we decided, that by reason of theclose proximity of this airway to the old and abandoned workings,and the liability of outbursts of explosive gas in the deep or newworkings of this colliery, that the return air in the upcast is liable tobecame explosiAe at any time.Wheras: In view of the above facts, we unanimously find that itis not safe or proper, even with safety lamps, to use the main upcastairway of the Marion colliery as a pumpway or ropeway for anunderground slope, with the conditions existing at the time thatthe (examination of the same was made, and would suggest that the:^farionCoal Company enlarge the return airway of the Tracv vein