Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the anthracite coal regions of ...

124 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
have been made in the colliery ; there is an immense amount of coal on the
tract, which cannot be exhausted for a number of years to come. There
are 9 engines, of 918-horse power, with 36 boilers in use; 19 mules, 33'
wagons and 2,500 yards of tracks are in use ; 100 men and 31: boys are
employed. The present daily shipments will average 250 tons, but the coK
liery can soon be in a condition to ship 500 tons daily.
Pkeston, No. 1, Colliery.— Owned and opera'ed by the P. and It. Goal and
Iron Company.
It consists of a slope opening the II or Orchard Red Ash vein in 7 feet
of coal ; and a drift opens the D vein, which produces a large amount of
coal, and well ventilated by a 20-horse power fan ; the vein here is 13 feet
thick. A eelf-acting plane opens a counter lift, and a second counter lift is
still run up 110 yards, the coal of which passes down a counter shute where
it is re-loaded. This panel is ventilated by natural air currents, which is
found sufiScient for the present. 8,219 tons of coal had been mined ; 120
men and 25 boys are employed. I find the colliery in good ordinarj^ condition
; 105-horse power engines with 7 boilers are in use, 2 steam pumps
are used for drainage.
Prestox, No. 2, Colliery.— Owned and operated by the P. and R. Goal and
Iron ComjJany.
The E vein is opened by a slope 202 yards deep in 25 feet of coal, 48
breasts are working on its west panel and 5 on its east panel. A tunnel
north opens the D vein in 15 feet of coal, with. 19 breasts opan on its west
panel and 2 breasts on its east panel. The G vein is open southward by
another tunnel in 11 feet of coal. An outlet is in course of construction
in this vein, which will increase ventilation to satisfaction. The E vein
panels are ventilated by a 20-horse power fan; 39,528 tons of coal had
been mined ; 200 men and 30 boys are emploj^ed ; steam power^l75-horse,
with 13 boilers ; 2 steam pumps are used for drainage, and 2 fans are used
for ventilating the mines, all of which with their sundry appointments are
in good condition.
Preston, Nos. 3 and 4, Collieries. ^
—
Owned and operated by the P. and P.,
Goal and Iron Company.
No. 4 consists of a tunnel opening the E vein south, and mining chiefly
confined to robbing out pillar coal. No. 3 consists of a slope for coal and
a pumping slope. Both slopes are sunk in the E vein. Its west gangway
has changed to east, rounding an anticlinal in 20 feet of coal, and the coal
in its eastern panel is 23 feet thick. A tunnel is driving south to open the
Hunter basin on its north dip gf the E vein. All the coal mined in both
collieries is prepared at No. 4 breaker, the haulage done by a locomotive.
Ventilation is produced by a 40-horse power fan, and affords an ample supply
of air. 16,356 tons of coal had been mined ; 100 men and 50 boys are
employed ; a 30-horse power engine is used to run No. 4 breaker, while a
600-horse power Bull pump and 315-horse power engines, with 17 boilers,
are used at No. 3 slopes. I found the colliery with all its appointn-ients in
excellent condition.