Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1880-05-22


This is great saving of horse power.
The air is passable, with few excep-
tions, and there is no ground for COM
plant as to these exceptions, as the
miners employed in them can move
into other places where the air is
good if they choose. The ventila-
ton could be greatly improved by the
use of trap-doors and also using some
lumber for bratticing the openings
where tho air escapes, thus utilizing
the strong current that is passing
along the headings by driving it to
where the miners are employed,
which could be easily done by driving
cross cut in each of the five humid
red feet rooms. The want of cross
cuts is great draw back to the ven-
tilation Of mines of Georges Greek.
I noticed that in drawing pillars in
these two mines large number of
the props is drawn and the top coal
let down, the same being loaded by
the miners. A large portion of the
rails and cross ties are raised also and
used with the props in other portion
of the mine. The miners employed
Dy this company are all cheerful and
contented, and it is a pleasure to visit
them. The provisions of the law are
complied with in every respect.
MAY 14-Finds me at the Big
Vein mine beloging to the New Cen
trail coal company. In the first head
ings I found all the miners employed
| in drawing pillars. The air is pass
| able, the ventilation being on the ma
tural plan. / should judge that they
will have trouble this season with
black damp in those headings. AS
you penetrate this mine the grade
becomes very heavy and the air is
better in the upper headings. The, e
| is large amount of coal to be ship
ped from this mine yet. Owing to
the heavy grades the miners do not
get as much timber as th icy ought, but
the Superintendent promise to do his
best to supply the miners with it.
He informed me that he had a dark
| complsxioned Scotchman to load it in
the cars at the bottom of the plane,
to whom he had sometimes to apply
leather in order to make him attend
| to his duty. l returned to this mine
in the afternoon and weighed some
of the empty cars and found them to
conform to the weight taken by the
weighmaster. I weighed also num-
Der of loaded cars and left satisfied
that the scales are correct.
MAY l7th.-Visitsd the Koontz
mine. This mine is connected with
the O. and P. railroad by tramroad
two miles in length, operated by a 10.
connective engine. 7 a. m. found US
seated on the engine and l was soon
whirled along the mountain side to
the foot of the plane which connects
with the mine, which is opened on
the celebrated Koontz property, near
ly all underlaid with the big vein of
coal. Tho first thing that struck my
attention was the large stack of the
ventilsting furnace. With an addi-
ton to the stack it would be one Of
the best vsntilating furnaces in the
county. Entering this mine I pene-
tratsd to the face Of the lower head
ing; found the track in splendid con-
dition and the heading all safely &C.
cured with timber where needed.
The grades OF the upper headings of
this mine / found to be heavier than
anywhere on Georges Creek. The
superintendent is making prepara-
tions to construct an inclined plane,
fifteen hundred feet in length, with
the view Of running the coal from
these upper headings to the lower one,
thereby saving large amount OF
horse power. The company also con-
templates putting a locomotive en-
CINE into the lower heading for the
purpose Of hauling out the coal. I
see no good reason why this was not
done before, for it would have been
to the company's advantage. With
air-ways in their present shape and
the furnace power at their command,
there can be no obstacle to impede
the ventilation from clearing out the
smoke and steam.
| visited every working place in
this mine and found the ventilation
good, heading-roads all safe and in
good order and the tracks in good re-
pair. The great inpediment in this
mine is the heavy grades. All props
and cross ties that can be secured
with safety to the miners when draw
ing pillars, are saved. The hand OF
the practical miner who directs the
vast rami6cstions of this mine can be
seen at a glance. There is sufficient
territory opened at this mine to give
employment to three hundred men.
1t took me seven hours to make a
thorough inspection of this mine, and
1 left it with the conviction that the
requirements of the law are fully
complied with.
MAY l8.-Visited Buck Hill Mine
of the Georges Greek Coal and Iron
Company. Found this mine opened
upon the most approved principles
known to the science of mining, hav-
ing double heading penetrating to
the face Of the inner workings, divid-
ed by a pillar % feet thick. Each Of