New-York tribune., 1877-09-18
THE LEHIGH COAL REGION.
MINERS AS NOW AT WORK.

LANsFoRD, Penn, Sept. 15-The old Lehigh
Coal Region, beginning at Mount Pisgah. near
Mauch Chunk, and extending to Tamaqua, is shaped
like huge boat. It's sides, which are paraiiei WIN
each other throughout most of the distance ana
are nowhere more than half mile apart, rise sew
eral hundred feet above the level OF the Len'gn
River and come together at Mount Pisgah, forming
the bows of the ship. The colieres of which there
are seven in this region proper, owned by the Le-
high Coal and Navigation Company, aud leased 10
the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre Coal Company
are all in Planters Creek Valley, which
may be called the hold OF tho vessel
the breakers resting up against the hiiiS'
and the tunnels through which the coal Is brought
out TO daylight penetrating the mountains on either
side from the bottom of the valley 1t must
not be supposed that all of the Lehigh coal
that is sent TO market is taken out OF the seven
mines in Planters Creek Valley for there are many
other collicries, some properly in the Schuylkill
region, and some in other regions whose product IS
sent TO New-York and Philadelphia over the Lehlgh
Valley Railroad and is sold Lehigh coal. But the
coal from this little valley was the first to take the
name. Formerly the only way of getting the coal
out of the valley was by drawing it up an inclined
plane to the top of Summit Hill, whence the cars
containing it descended to Mauch Chunk, about nine
miles, propelled by the force Of gravity over the
famous Switch Back railroad. About three years
ago tunnel was driven through the mountain at
this place. on the side nearest the Lehgh river, and
the coal now all brought out through this over the
Tamaqua Branch of the New-Jersey Central Rail
road. The Swtch-Back is only used for pleasure
travel.
The mammoth veins Of anthracite coal are
found on the hills both sides of Planters Creek
Valley, dipping inward at various angles, and aver
aging about sixty feet in thickness. Originally the
mining was done on the water-level. tunnels being
driven into the side OF the mountains until the coal
veins were reached and, on either side of these
gangways were constructed and breasts opened.
But the coal that was within reach on this level was
long ago exhausted and slopes have been opened to
reach levels both above and below the original one
1t is from gangways leading from the ends of these
slopes that all of the coal is now obtained. OF
course, the cost of bringing out the coal from the
higher and lower levels greater than it was when
taken from the water-leve The lower gangways
have to be kept free from water by constant pump
ing and in both instances there is expensive hoist
ing inside the mine.
spent part of the day, yesterday, in one of the
largest breakers in this valley and afterwards went
into the mine from which it is supplied with coal ;
and brief description of the manner in which coal
is mined and prepared for market showing the
character of the work done by each class of men i'll
and about the mines will make it easier to judge of
the adequacy of the wages they are paid, and serve
as an introduction to some remarks upon the differ
ences between the coal company and the miners of
this region which have only been adjusted within
the past week. My guide was very intelligent en-
gneer. detailed by Mr.. Zehmer, the Superintendent
of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre Coal Company's
mines in this region.
The position of Superintendent Of Mines in this
valley has not been an enviable one during
the last five or six years -Four thousand
ignorant and often discontented men and boys
are not easily controlled, even had there been
no Molly Maguire organization to plot the
murder of those who stood in the way. The firmest
and kindest treatment could not prevent some OF the
miners or laborers from believing that they were
unusly dealt with, from seeking to be revenged.
Mr. ZeAmer has had two assistants assassnated, and
for long time nothing but the most constant watch
funess saved him from similar fate. The pros
ecution of the leaders, and the recent hanging of
four men who lived in this little town and worked
in the mines here, has had a most salutary effect.
Still prudence requires superntendents and their
assistants to go armed at all times.
Supplied with miners lamp and in charge Of my
guide took seat in the forward part of little To-
comotive, smaller than those used on the narrow
for a ride into the tunnel. The distance from the
mouth to the slopes leading to the points where
mining is now in progress is about 2, 700 feet The
top of the tunnel, which is eight feet high,
is supported by cross-timbers resting upon upright
ones along the Sides but the darkness was so dense
and impenetrable that there was no opportunity for
observation on the journey III. The engine pulled
and iolted over the uneven track, and there
nothing to do but to hold At the end of the tun-
al n mi Of making
up trains of loaded cars from the upper and lower
slopes and distributing tue empty ears TO be filled
again. Each of the slopes IN this mne is about
hundred feet in length. The loaded from the
upper one come down TO the end of the tunnel by the
force of gravity, drawing up the empty cars at the
same time their speed being regulated by brake.
The cars from the lower slope are drawn up by
stationary engine
From the gangways the coal veins slope upward
at an angle of about thirty degrees. Breasts are
opened ten yards wide by taking the coal from the
face of the vein and inserting timbers to hold that
above In the middle of the breast chute is cut
down which the coal slides, as it is disengaged, into
the car which stands beneath. After working back
AS far as convenient, following the line of the bed
rock the miner turns upward and cuts across the
VEN of coal as far as he can reach and then back
parallel with his first cutting, when he opened
the breast Before proceeding far i'll the last direc
tion. the mass of coal which suspended from the
roof of the breast falls down. and then il can be
pushed down into the cars fast they can be
placed in position. Formerly the miners here as
they do now in some of the other regions, took the
coal out by the car, and received given prIce for
each load. Under that system it was not uncommon
for n miner employing one or two labOrers TO work
breast at an actual loss, for month more, until
he got a large mass of coal detached. Then. by pay
ING laborers TO load the coal, he could remain at
home while the product OF his breast PAID him good
wages above all expenses. Now, all inside work Is
paid for by the yard or day. prices being fixed
by the price of coal at Perth AmbOy.
After being hauled out of the mine. the cars,
loaded with coal, drawn up an inclined plane to