Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-03-22
An gndergrOund Railway

RiSse.-In company with Mt JAMES Is.
THOMAS, Superintendent of the Consolida-
ton Coal Company's Mines in this vicinity,
we paid visit to Hoffman Mines, on We'd
nesday, to note the progress, efficiency, and
safety of the little locomotive engine, the
Ant" es laeans Of mining Transporter
ton. The use Of engines in mines being
alleged as tending to the material yitiation
Of the atmosphere therein, and as encum-
bering the circulation to the exclusion OF
pure mir, VIC were DESTROYS of testing for
ourselves how fsr the objections are based
upon reasonable grounds.
Going In the mine we were provided
seat in the cab, with the engineer, MIR.
JAMES JACOBS The little engine sped rap
idly into the dark cavern, and in seven or
aight minutes we were nearly two miles in
to the bosom of Mother Earth, the trip oc-
c.sioning no discomfort whatever except
few jars i'll passing around curves
These were sometimes vigorous enough to
make US feel if the engine was not of the
track it might run off At the end of the
inward run we found Mr.. THOMAS CONGO
RAN, Mr.. ANDREW NELSON, officials in i'm
mediate charge of the mine, and others.
A short time elapsed, when the loaded
train being in readress, we jumped III an
empty car placed at the rear. Owing to
the fact that at this point some upward
grade has 20 be surmounted our progress
was not so rapid, which, with the extra ci-
fort of the locomotive caused some accumu-
lation of smoke and steam This, however,
was but momcntary, as, the grade ascendcd,
we saw nothing more OF ii. Even
this will he obyiated is coon as the head
ing Is completed so AS to admit the engine
to Il further Inward passage of 1000 feet,
v hen a start from the extremity will give
it sufficient impetus to override the grade
Besides, the managers of the mine are per
fcctin@ additional arrangements for ycntlla-
ton which will make underground locomo-
ton success beyond peradYenturc. As it
is the air which reaches the miners at work
is perfectly pure but to accumulate the
ccrtaintics, other effective means are in pro
gress, when completed, will leave the EeX-
ed question open to no objection. So, that,
ii is asserted if HE miner suffers, il will not
he in his room and if at all, it will be i'll
places, where lie should moi so.
Mr.. CoKCoRAN showed Us an air-staft at
the bottom OF which Il d0uble-vaultcd fur
mace was already glowing with a huge coal
fire. Just here, not only as shoWn by the
fire, but as fcl', a strong draught Of Geld
air poured through the caSity-onr sutfici-
cRt it seemed to Us, to exhaust all The im-
purity that can possibly originate in one
,,,inc. Yet, if we mistake not, ii is con
tcmplatcd TO place another Of these shafts in
operation in the same mine--a provision
ON ;hc part Of the Company Which troDies
the certainty Of abundant atmospheric cir
c,llation If it is not supcrf;,ous.
| We must not omit to state that after
coming out on til G train we Immediately re-
entered on foot some distance. Although
| the engine had jjI!st passed, not a trace Of
lihpltIlN tDtit' Nv NtttIttti, lin dA bNllI5 us
fresh, pure and cool as outside the nine
an cv :lcnte that the draugh, carries off the
little steam and smoke as rapidly az they
are emitted
| Judging from our observations here. We
feel SURE fla; when coal operators provide
for ventilation rs has been, and is l'eing
done here, no possible objection can be llrg-
ed against the employment of locomotive
engines for raining transportation. The
| probability is, that in cases where expert
n~nts have been adjud@ci as untavorablc
to- their u4e, it has been done without the
essential pl~iminarics for a fair trial
And when it IS found, as it will be doubt
less ere long, that thcir Use is an undisput-
ed success, other mines, now using horse
power, will find them necessity in order to
keep pace in the progress of rapid produc-
ton. This point attained, the mutual i'll
tcrcsts Of operators and employees will be
! found tc converge exactly on that which
enables each to produce the most with the
least physical labor,
Our thanks are due TO the friends nam
ed above for courtesies shown.