Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the anthracite and bituminous ...

No. 12.] Sixth Bituminous District. 431
a furnace, which keeps up good ventilation, but the drainage is not
very good, as there is a great deal of water given off in the mine on ac-
count of such loose strata overlying the coal bed.
There are two other small operations at this place, but they scarcely
ever come under the law, as they do not employ more than 9 men, therefore
I did not examine them.
mines.
They are the McCartney and the Gwin
Delany Mine is operated by the Altoona Coal and Coke Company.
The opening is a slope on the pitch of the coal seam. The ventilation
is produced by a furnace, and by splitting the air and using overcasts
it gives very good residts. The system of mining is double heading.
The drainage could be improved by a little ditching, but upon the
whole, the mine I consider is in good condition.
The Horse Shoe Bline, which is owned by this company, has been idle
nearly the whole of the past year, therefore I have no report to make
of it.
Amshury 3Iine is located on the Cresson and Coalport railroad and
operated by the Cresson and Clearfield Coal and Coke Company. There
has been a new fan put up at this colliery during the past year, a Guibal,
15' in diameter, which gives very satisfactory results in running at a
rate less than half of its regular capacity; since this fan was put in
there has been the best of ventilation in this mine. The drainage here
was found to be a little faulty on last examination, but is reported now
in a fairly good condition. Mr. Richard Bowen has full charge of this
colliery.
Gallitzin Shaft.—Mine-boss, William Rodda. The ventilation I find
generally in good condition in this mine, as every advantage is taken
here of the laws that govern air in motion To lessen the friction, by split-
ting and shortening its route and also by giving it as large areas as is
practicable. The result of this is that more air is circulated througli the
mine with its 12' fan, by many thousands of feet, than in any other in the
district. I would state just here that there is more suffering to-day in
our mines from a want of properly distributing the air that is produced
by the fans and furnaces than from the lack of means to produce air.
It was the reverse a few years ago, so that in the majority of cases the
fault lies at the door of the mine-bosses and not the operators at present.
The drainage here could be greatly improved; the trouble is that the
headings are driven too narrow to allow room for drains, though it is
compulsory on them in several of their headings, as the top is very bad
or weak, but the drainage has been somewhat improved lately.
Gallitzin Slope.—Mine-boss, Mr. Gowen Stoker. This is one of the
most productive mines in the district, the capacity is about 1,500 tons a
day. A very fine system of rope haulage is in use. The coal is not
only conveyed along the gangways, but it is hauled from the cross head-
ings with branch ropes very successfully. They have also in use here