The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-07
VISIT TO THE COAL FIELDS.
The Mines and Miners-and Other
Notes by the Way.
rom the Marysyille Tribune.

Wednesday, July 10Th, We left Marys-
vile for a short visit to our old home,
at Somerset, in Perry county, and from
thence continue our journey to the great
coal fields which extend. over the south
ern half of this county and the counties
bordering.
There WAS little to note by the way,
except the cheering fact, that in south
era Licking and Northern Perry, the
wheat crop was the heaviest that has
been gathered in those sections for many
years past. This, Of course, Is fact
not 20 be arrived at by a mere passing
observation, bat the farmers themselves
say the crop was unusually heavy. The
corn, too, looks thrifty despite the severe
drought which seems to have been very
general throughout Central Ohio, bat
it is beginning to show signs oi distress.
It Is already tasseling, and unless rain
comes soon, the caring viii be short.
The oats crop IS light in straw, but will
yield good crop.
Friday morning, at 9 o'clock, in COM
pany with our seller BROTHER" we en-
barked upon the cars at Somerset, and
at ten o'clock we landed in the town of
Shawnee, the sou hern terminus of the
Newark and Straitsville railroad. Here
We were met by that prince Of good fell
/ lows, Mr. Wm. Houston, formerly mer-
chant at Somerset, who took rs in, and
to whom and his e5timable lady, an &C
quaintance of 'long ago." We were in
debted for many kindnessos shown rs.
The railroad for the present termin-
ates at Shawnee. 1t branches off into
/ different rayines 10 accommodate the
several companies that are engaged in
the coal trade; but there is talk Of push
ing tie road through other coal regions
and connecting with the road that as fin
ishcd from Portsmouth, some sixty or
/ seventy miles north. This would give a
through line from the Ohio river 10 the
lake.
Shawnee is only a little nvertwo years
old, and the citizens claim population
of 1000, and it may he termed in every
respect a mining town. 1t is built on
the south side Of a hill, cut by several
sharp ravincs. The houses are all frame
mostly painted brown, and many Of them
are elegantly gotten mp. 1t contains
four or five dry goods stores, two hotels,
three churches, and indeed all the ad.
jnncts of a lively little city.-Ground
has been broken for a large school build
ing, and there seems to be busy hum
of industry among the inhabitants that
indicates thrift
The coal companies operating at this
point are the
Shawnee Valley Coal and Iron Co.,
Newark Coal Company,
StraitsvilIe Camel Coal Co., of \. Y,
New York and Straitsville Coal and
I Iron Company,
Card & Upson Company,
These companies are running their
mines almost constantly, and the amount
Of coal taken ont each day would aston
ish any body but Il miner The Newark
Company, for instance, loaded $50 cars
the day preceding our visit, and eighty
to a hundred cars of 325 bushels each Is
an ordinary days work. They have
three banks opened, ami coal is drawn
ont by mules and dumped into one chute
into the cars. Before entering the cars,
| however, the coal passes through = screen
which separates the fine coal and parti-
cles of dirt, and the balance is then
weighed and dumped into the cars below
We had the pleasure of entering one
Of those mines, if pleasure it could be
| called for We were third of mile un-
derground, and with Z ponderous moan.
tain over Us, and the supports not what
a novice in the coal business would con-
slider altogether safe, we at times had
our mIsgiyinSs as to our seeing daylight
again. Bat having for our guide Mr.
Davis, one of the bosses Of the mines-a
high bred gentleman, who assured us
that he would bring us out all right-we
took our lamps, and following him he
led Us over tortuous path underground
to see Whit the world in this section was
composed of Iron railing are laid
through all these mines, and on these are
mounted the cars, holding each about
thirty-fve bushels, which convey tho
coal from the mine to the chute. These
are drawn by mules, who dash into the
dark may paths regardless of any future
state. As we passed room after room
where the workmen were engaged in tax
ing out coal, We had also to take into
consideration the necessity of frequently
vacating the main avenues, for we had
in early life been impressed with the
homely maxim, "Never stand in the way
of mule" These cars are passing back
and forth every few minutes.
In this bank, as in all others, there are
what are called "rooms" where the coal
Is being taken ont. Dividing these
rooms body of coal is left standing, de-
signed as a support for the rock and
earth above. Two hands, and some
times three work in room. When they
| fill car, it is taken away by the person
whose business it is to convey it out, and
an empty one returned. The coal in this
/ bank measures eleven feet in depth, and
comes ont smooth and clean, leaving in
most places a ceiling of solid sand stone
rock, and in many places as smooth as a
plastered ceiling. Where there is rock
above, very little proppIng is necessary;
but where the roofing is brittle, such as
slate, shale, &C., the propping has to be
frequent and heavy. With all the care
that can be exercised, mining is dan
| gerous occupation, and occasional acci-
dents occur. Only few days before, n
stone weighing several tons dropped
from the ceiling and wedged in a miner
50 tight that he did not for a while know
whether he was on the living or dead
list His comrades arrested him from
his perilous position, and he recovered
I