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

152
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Wharton or Buck Mountain. They ship about 150 tons of coal per day,
with a breaker capacity of 450 tons per day.
Ventilation.—This is produced by a furnace located on top of the outlet,
which gives very unsatisfactory residts, owing to the furnace being placed
so far o"ff from where the power of rarefaction is required. The air is conducted
down the slope, thence along the main gangway to the first breast
opened next to the face of the gangway, thence back throug-h the crosscuts
to the up-cast. This mine gcLciMtes gas. This mode of ventilation
does very well where the vein will not admit of an air-way being driven.
But the great trouble encountered is i^i keeping the shutes air-tight to force
the air to the face of the gangway, whch is a matter of impossibility, as
the shute must be opened while the laborer loads his car. If an air-way
can possibly be driven parallel with the main gangway it is preferable to
do so. The air has been measured and reported according to law, 6,720
cubic feet at inlet, 7,300 cubic feet at outlet. Men employed, 34.
Ilachinery.—The}' use 1 hoisting engine of 60-horse power, 1 breaker
engine of 30-horse power, with 5 boilers—reported safe and in good condi-
tion. They have no metal speaking tube, and have no brake on the hoisting
drum. They do not allow men to ride on the slope. They have compe'tent
and sober engineers, they seem to have a competent and prdctical
mining boss, they have steam gauges on their boilers, and they have reported
all serious accidents to persons. They employ inside : 1 boss, 30
miners, 10 laborers, — company men, 3 drivers, 1 door boy, total number
of men and boys inside 46 ; outside : 1 boss, 2 mechanics, 3 head and plate
men, 10 company men about the breaker, 1 driver, 15 slate pickers, total
outside 32; mules, 7. Coal mined, 25,659.12; powder used, 550 kegs;
the vein is about 10 feet thick, coal good ; days worked, 236 ; shipped from
breaker, 24,298.07 tons.
Lewis Rothermal, general superintendent ; Alex. Witchej^, mine agent.
Beaver Meadow Collieries.
These mines are situated about three miles east of IIazleton,on the estate
of Hon. Tench Coxe, and operated by Ely.& Co.
Slope, No. 1.—Sunk on the north dip of the Mammoth or E vein a distance
of 150 feet to the basin ; vertical, 75 feet, at an angle of 30°. The
vein is about 27 feet thick The coal mined at present is from the stripping
or "patching." This slope will soon be abandoned, and a new one is now
being sunk to take the place of Nos. 1 and 2 slopes.
Slope, No. 3.—Sunk on the Wharton or D vein a distance of 200 feet, at
an angle of about 45° ; vertical, 140 feet. The east gangway has been
driven 1,000 feet and the west 300 feet. This slope has been sunk to the
basin, and will soon bo worked out on the east. The gangway is now being
robbed back. The vein is about 9 feet thick.
Slope, No. 4.—This is a new slope, sunk on the Wharton or D vein a distance
of' 350 feet, at an angle of about 45°, dipping north. This slope has
been sunk a lift lower than slope, No. 2, owing to the basin dipping from
east to west, and connects with the west gangwaj- on the north dip of slope.
No. 2. The east gangway has been driven 300 feet and the west 275 feet.
There are 7,500 feet of T iron and 1,500 feet of strap-iron track in and about
the mines, and 80 mine cars, with a breaker capacity of 800 tons per day,
including the new breaker. They employ 2 bosses, 16 miners, 35 laborers,
5 company men, 5 drivers, 1 door boy, in the mines ; outside they have 1
boss, 7 mechanics, 4 head and plate men, 4 company men ; about the breaker,
_ drivers, 13 slate pickers; in all 93 men and boys; mules, 9. They