Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-05-29

! ItNt III todl, tllt dIlStS-NbulNt
there be as much coal mined per acre by
mining the bottom coal and taking chances
of the pillars, Il speak of Georges Greek, J
as mining above the bottom coal and pillar
ing according to the present system, taking
the mi,,es under our charge, or those in our
| immediate vicinity as test ? | leave the
solution ofthis question to your better quail
flied correspondents.
Prof Hodges report being the ground on
which Mr. Roy bases his ccnsurcs, and to
! which he clings with such tcnacity, let us
examine for a moment the possibility of its
truthfulncss. The professor states that the
| average yield per acre of the Georges Creek
Coal & Iron Company's mines was 5,,22
tons. How did he know? He was never
in its mines he never called on the agent
of said company for information, verbal or
otherwise, nor on any one else who could
have given him information; consequently
he had no more knowledge of the acreage
mined than you had, Mr.. Editor nor had
he any possibility of knowing how many
tons had been mined by that company I'M
less he had called at the principal office of
said company, which he never did. In the
arrive at his estimate? Does the professor
not mean his estimate as being the produc-
ton Of rooms, or what we might for con-
vcnicncc term-thc mine when honey
comhcd? In this manner it would even
exceed his estimate, but would bring it
nearer the truth. l think am justified in
supposing this, as doubt very much if the
professor would have approved the pillaring
a mine as it progresses inwards. The wri-
ter of this 1--WE think being the first to adopt
that system, it met with great opposition
from those who could control his action
that way, and nearly sent him 'to try his
dangerous schemes (the languagcd used)
somewhere else" The subject was referred
to as eminent engineers as Prof Hodge ever
was, and by them pronounced dangerous,
but the writer left to pursue his own judg
mcnt These eminent engineers advised
penetrating to the rear and mine backward
-as complete an absurditv as any, which
they, and Prof. Hodge with them, would
admit, if they knew everything
Again in the same year in which the pro-
fcssor writes his report, the Georges Creek
Coal 4 Iron Company leased to the Messrs.
Davis fortyive acres of coal at a certain
royalty per ton all the coal to be mined be-
fore the Mcssrs Davis commenced with
their own, and to be mined on the system
approved by the writer of this, and under
his general supervision. Eighteen months
after, il passed into the hands of what is now
known us the New Central Coal Company,
and by them wholly mined out, giving
yield of 300 tons per acre. and this, sir,
with long extent OF outcrop subject to a
large quantity of rusty coal, which it could
not be expected the operators would make
much effort to place in market, else the
yield might have been considerably more.
This must be pretty correct, rs this writer
became debtor to his company monthly for
the monies received, and it is but rcasona-
bic to suppose he got it.
We would merely say to your correspond
cnt, "Pompcy," that we have nowhere
persons in charge of mines, rs "drivclling
idiots" nor would we speak disrcspcctfully
of any one, unless we forget what is due to
ourselves. If the owners of coal pr perty
I q, 81 l,,
tom coal convenient to mine and suitable
for market, that settles the question as far
as they are concerned and for reasons
above mentioned, they may be right. But
the question for consideration, and which
should be honestly dealt with, is-has the
best method in accordance with the mtclli
gence of this day, been adopted for the
mining Of this vein taking into considera
ton the thickness and shape of cover, and
the power of resistance of the coal itself?
If these qualities have been brought into
requistion, and no neglect or want of hon
est effort to produce the best results shown,
then we fail to see the wastcful mode or
criminal manner of mining.
But, my dear editor, what could we say
to convince the Straitsvillc superintendent
of the honesty of our purposes? Nothing,
fear. He has had many years experience
in the Cumberland coal region. So have
we, and we had burrowed as we thought,
into pretty much all the known methods
used in the excavation of COAL etc, hunting
after knowledge, perhaps; but must confess,
for more significant reasons we had eXplor
ed the pages of Hodge, McFarlanc, Taylor,
and a host of others of equal celebrity, but
perhaps of less veracity, and thought that
some ray of light had penetrated our be-
nightcd intellect But what dclusion for
has not the sage of Straitsville said it? and
he must know. We had never much faith
in what are known as innate qualitics-an-
other mistake on our part we confess, after
hearing from Straitsville. Now | know
there are certain qualities in men suitable
for all purposes, if the right man can be
brought to bear on the purpose for which
he is wanted. This, am glad to hear, is
the case in Straitsvilc However, like Prof
Hodge, McFarlane, and Roy, we had no in
tcrest in doing wrong, but the advantage of
them i'm having considerable interest, TO us