Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-09
.DowN III THE COAL NINE
Union Coal and Mining companys
Works at Flaglsr's Station.


A New, Important and Growing Iniustry---
Resulting from the Building Il the
E-iirpaa-
Readers Of the JOURNAL already
knew something Of the Uaion Coal
ard Mining Company and the i'm
mense business il is doing in mining
coal along the b. & NJ. Railroad In
Wapello and Monroe counties, and
Of the commencement IL has made on
the Abba, Knoxville & Dies Moines
| Railroad in this county. In order to
make this knowledge more definite,
we made visit 10 the Marion county
mine last Thursday, In company with
Mr.. Geo. Conwell, Of this city. In
| accordance with previous arrange
ment we met there Mr. Samuel A.
Flagler, Superintendent OF all the
Company's mines in Iowa. This
mine Is known on the Company's
books as " No. A." Nos. /, 2 and be-
ing in Monroe and Wapello counties.
The Railroad Company has estab-
lished a station there and built a
side track one-fourth Of mile long,
for the accommodation OF the Coal
Company.
| FLAGLEg's
is the name given to the station, in
honor OF the Superintendent Of the
mines. BY this name it will be
known on the Railroad Company's
time tables. This station Is about 8
miles east Of Knoxville. The mine
is on land purchased by the Coal
Company from Mr.. Pifer. 1t is in
the bluff on the south side OF English
creek, and on the south side Of the
| railroad, which Is built in the valley,
and at this point about 300 feet from
| the foot of the bluff. The mouth Of
the mine is about 20 feet higher than
the railroad track, and 300 feet
from it. The Coal Company has
made heavy fill from the mouth Of
the mine out to the side-track, and
upon this has laid its track for
mining cars, which run out on a
slight decline to the weigh hodse,
where they are passed onto the
scales, weighed, and their contents
dumped down about - feet into the
railroad flats.
| The locomotives bring up the fats
empty from the south and back them
upon the side-track at the west end.
The side-iraek descends slightly, so
that when the brakes are of the flats
will run down, without pushing, to
tire proper place TO receive their
lading; and when loaded and the
brakes turned off, each car moves on
to give place to the next. Trains
going south each day halt at the sta
ton and take az many of the fats as
are loaded, averaging now six cars
per day, each car carrying twelve
tons, or 800 bushels. Each days
mining now turns out " tons, or
500 bushels Of coal. During
November, last, the first shipments
were made from this mine, and ag-
gregated only 2S ears. This months
shipments will not fall short of 200
cars, as the force Of miners Is
being increased.
Only 80 men are now employed at
this mine, but the force will be
doubled within few weeks. BY the
list Of February the Superintendent
expects To ship rs high as twelve
ears per day from this mine alone.
The employment Of more men at
present is prevented, first by want OF
houses to accommodate the men, and
second, by lack Of room for them To
work. Provisions are being made
as rapidly as possible to supply both
of these wants. A boarding house
20x30 feet two stories high Is being
erected. This will accommodate Is
men. Besides this the company is
building twelve dwellings, each
lIx20, which will be leased to the
miners who have families. These
buildings will stand on a spur Of the
bluff just west Of the mouth Of the
mine. Mr.. George Conwell will also,
in short time, put up store build
ing and open u stock Of goods to sup
ply the miners and citizens of the
neighborhood. Other buildings will
be erected next spring.
Mr.. Henry Booth is the pit boss in
charge ofthe mine. Mr.. w. A. Way
is the weighman. The Company
pays its miners Bets. per bushel for
all the coal they get out from this
mine, and Acts. per bushel at the
other mines. The reason for this diff