The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-06

S(OAI-Alfs1Eg HT iAEfiI i0flssSSl
sgught.fof and mnesl- seeded Invention seems
Tut length 10 iiafe beet accom- flis'ieds The
Iessfs Batrdy OF Gartilierfie, fleair Glas-
gov. perhaps The largest coal aiii iron work
ers I'LL Scotland, have been FIR some time
tlsirig fnaeilif1e for cutting oiit coai. made
by Mess1s. Miller & Anderson, Coatbridge,
and are 40 satisfied with IFS success, after slf
ffcicnt trial, that they have now ordered SIX
more, one of which. il intended for the Hot
ton collierr, iii the north of England; aud
ut this trying period its advent there atid it
capabilities are looked forward TO with much
interest. The machine that has been work.
ing near Coatbridge does the work of thirty
men; does it well, with less waste, less dam-
age, and more satisfaction. It's services come
just in the nick of time, when miners are
scarce, coal is ut f'itnine prices owing to a
deficient supply, and there Is much dissatie-
faction with the dangers and discomforts OF
collier life. It's. waste of coal, too, Is much
less than by hand work. ard this itself, sec
mg the increased and increasing demand, is
no small CONTAMINATION.
The machine, which Is driven by com.
pressed mir, rs was the tunuelllng machine ut
Mount Gents, Is of cast iron, occupies six feet
of length by two and Il half of space. From
one side is extended a horizontal jib, round
which passes an endless chan in this chain
nine strong steel cutters are fixed; somewhat
on the principle of the teeth of Il circular saw.
The endless chain is driven by Il chain wheel
on al upright shaft, connected with the crank
s.:art of the engine Ivy Il series of spur heyei
wheels, the rotary motion Icing given TO the
crank shaft by al ordinary horizontal en-
CINE.
The machin" is sclf-propcling, moving as
its work is done. When it has been put
into position, and the compressed air let on,
the cutting commences with noise truly
fTightful to those vino hear it for the first
time. The endless chain with the Gistended
jb moves slowly out of sight under the coal,
cutting at the rate of one foot per minute.
or. stoppagcs included, forty=fve feet per
hour, aud averaging $50 feet per shift of
eight hours. 1t "ho'es" into the coal
two or three feet, as desired. and requires
only two men to attend to it. II does its
work ut night, and durin" the day the coal
is removed and the coal face prepared for the
next light.
The quantity of coal cut oft from an cX-
tremcly hard seam two feet ten inches thick
ovcrlaid with q layer ofClay ten to eighteen
inches thick, in the ci.ht.hcur shift, is nine
and half tons per hour. The most Elbo-
riouS part Of the miners work is dispensed
with-tllrre is 10 Ehl>iiii~-and K the roofing
he properly supported; the dangers hitherto
attending the miners occupation will be
greatly diminished. With such performance
on the first trial; what may not he expected
from the Improvements which experience
will suggest Atno distant day il is proha.
bic that our coal mines will be subterlanean
abodeS, similar to the salt mines of Siberia,
where men with their families may live and
move about and cni1y themselves us much
rs they do above ground, ranopicd by rock
and lighted with gus. though without sun,
or moon, or stars.
The coal refuse which ages have been ac-
cllmualins will bcrrmindcd to supply the in
i:c;lSin@ demand fol coal. This. ut all events.
Is certain. i'iic niaGhinr is 50 Tar success.
cutting out coal with less waste and less cost
than human labor nccrssitltes, and ii the OK.
pcctatiun this Success seems to warrant is
realized it will hc II new and most potent adj
Gitiou to the labor forces of the world,
doing for mining what traction engines have
done for loc0nDtion. the spinning jenny for
warn making, and the steam loom for Wcar.
inm, and more than amy OF those, will relieve
nrln from lrudgrry, discomfort, and dan
Ger imminent in no other department of toll,
and thus Tighten the burden OF labor. Suc-
ccssluliy applied to coal. it will soon find its
way to iron, copper, aud other min NJ, not
only removing the seam of ore, but giving
the laborcf room to walk on his feet and 10
work with comfort, aid thus take away the
drawbacks which render the miners orcull'
ton one of the least desirable, and. indeed
only tocrablc to those accustomed to 1t from
early ycars.--Ne,2 YORK. Ectnihg Post;