The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-10-11
The Origin Of Coal No. 5.


duration Of the British coal fields have. Of
late years, been made the subject of much
anxious and intelligent inquiry, and their
absolute shape and structure, and the ex-
tent Of their resources, have been ascer-
tanned with remarkable precision But ~
regards the vast and undeveloped coal
fields Of the American Continent, the coal
deposits of Asia and some of the basins II
Continental Europe, though they have
been made the subject of careful investi-
CATION by eminent geologists, due esti-
mate Of their resources cannot be reached
until the practical miner pushes boldly III
to the bowels Of the earth. and lays bare
the character Of their fuels, the nature and
extent Of the various rOck-vaults, slip
dikes and other geological phenomena,
which characterize every coal district
Geological and statistical writers often
include the whole rocks Of the carbonifer-
Gus formation in their computations Of the
amount Of coal in the different beds Of a
given field. But mere extent Of coal-Oc-
curing rock does not by any means im-
ply the continuous existence Of produc-
tive ground prisms Of the land, denudi-
tion Of the coal, and the troubles Of the mine
destroy portion Of every coal district
The coal fields Of Great Britain are dir
vided into six principal districts, which in
clude 10000 square miles Of territory.
The New Castle field, or, as it is more gen
orally called, the Great Northern field,
ranks highest in commercial importance Of
the valuable deposits Of that highly favored
country. This basin, where it il capped
by the newer formation of the Peruvian
strata, contains the deepest mines in Eng
land, some Of which are upward of 1000
feet in depth The coal measures exist III
good regularity, possessing gentle decli-
nation toward the sea hence a large part
Of the field is covered by the German
ocean Many Of the mines are wrought
under the sea, and it was the opinion u
~ the late Nicholas Wood. one of the
ablest practical men which Great Britain
has produced, that full 700 square miles of
the productive coal rocks Of this
coal field lie under the waters Of the
German ocean. Fifty-seven different
seams II coal are found in this basin, which
average seventy-tve feet Of thickness
of these twelve are workable beds, whose
aggregate thickness measure at least fifty
feet One-tifth Of the annual coal produc-
ton uf the entire globe is drawn from the
Great Northern field. Seven hundred and
fifty square miles of territory are included
in this basin, exclusive Of that which lies
under the sea, which is believed to nearly
equal the land area.
The Cumberland field contains little
more than 100 square miles. Some Of
the beds are very thick and regular Along
the coast line the coal Is wrought for twu
miles under the sea. As early as 100 the
underground operations of the basin
had been pushed for quarter of a mile
under the waters Of the ocean. IN the year
1887, at the WorkingtOn coIliery, the pill
lars Of the mine having been made too
weak for the support Of the superincum-
bent strata, a crush resulted, when the sea
rushed in and drowned the whole popula-
tion Of the mine, whose bodies were never
recovered. This accident was the result
Of gross incompetency on the part Of the
manager who, prompted by false econO-
my, Sild despite the repeated admonitions
Of able men. daily weakened the supports
I Of the mine until the catastrophe occurred.
when, IN addition to the loss of life, the
\ works swere lost t. the proprietors forever.
The most extensive coal field 81 England
\ the great Central field lies within thee
tiesof y ork, Derby and Northumberland A
Y continuous range Of Goals exist for sixty
I five miles in length, and, IN some places.
/ for twenty miles in width In South Stat
I fordshire, and in Worcestershire, in A basin
which includes but, ninety miles ~ terrific
ry, the most extraordinary scenes W min
ing and manufacturing industry are found
which exist in the world FORCES, coal
pits, blast furnaces, railroads, and canals.
cover the whole face OF the country. whence
this district has earned the sobriquet w
the BLACK Country one " the coal
seams in the southern part Of this field "a
from twenty-four to thirtv-six feet i'm thick
ness, and Of admirable quality but il is
fast disappearing before the ponderous
blows Of the miners picks, and A
few more years shall witness the withdraw
al Of the last ton Of available coal of this
much priced deposit.
Coal is mined IN vast quantities in the
counties Of Lancashire, North Stafford
shire, Shropshire, Warw ckshire, Lester
shire, and IN other places in England Scot
land and Wales also contain some very inn
portant and extensive coal fields The
coal held Of Midlothian. east Of Edmburg,
is remarkable Tor including within the car
boniferOus limestone seven different beds
Of coal, varying in thickness from two To
five feet. The upper surface Of this for
nation IL nearly 800 feet below the coal
measures proper. In Ayrshire and In Ian
arkshire there are valuable coal deposits
Here also cxrit the celebrated Scui Y w
band ore, which has, iOr w many wears.
raised the Scotch iron trade u the fore
most rank in the world.
North ard South Wales are the scenes
# vast mining industries. The magnih
cent coal field u South Wales occupies 9O0
square miles of area and extends through
the counties Of Monmouth, Glamorgan ana
Carmaerthen, and is famed alike for the
thickness and excellence Of its coal. The
full thickness Of the coal measures. IN
some parts Of this district Is estimated Az
1000 feet, and ii contains no less than
ninety-siX feet Of coal. The strata incline
very rapidly, but as they exist in the form
Of an antedual ridge few parts of the field
reach 90 great a depth IN the northeast
ern portion " this field the fine free
burning Goals of Aberdeen are found.
which for the generation Of steam, are
not surpassed if indeed equalled. by any
other Goals in the world.
There are no valuable coal deposits in
Ireland. There are, indeed, good area Of
carboniferous strata and at one time there
we're doubtless continuous coal deposits.
but they appear to have been washed away
by denudition. The lower portions Of the