Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1880-12-11

thoroughly inspected by the ohciais.
A little farther on is the junction,
where the road becomes double line,
traversing the mountain sides on each
side of the valley. The track leading
to the right is intended for the use of
the Maryland Coal Company, as their
mines are located upon that side.
This track crosses the county road, as
also the @. & P. R. 1t was laid across
on Sunday, but seems to be a good
Job, which bears out the old proverb,
the better the day the better work
As the train moved on it passsd
over the plane of the old 'Cony mine,
the tram-road leading to the Koontz
mine, belonging to the New Central
Coal Company, and also Castle rum
this being as far as the track is laid.
At this point Y is formed to get
round to the mines of the Maryland
Coal Company, and the track up to
this company's property, is expected
to be finished this month.
Returning to the junction the left
track was taken, leading to the Ameri-
can Company's property. The road on
this side crosses the planes of the new
'Cony and Big Vein mines, and at
Charlestown another Y is formed to
get up to the mines of the last named
company. This portion of the road is
nearly completed, being ballasted al
most up to the head of the jackson
mine plane, and coal will be shipped
before long from this mine direct to
Philadelphia and Jersey City.
1t was novel sight to see the train
moving along the mountain sides, five
hundred feet above the level of the
@. & P. R., and large numbers of the
"Conyites" were out to witness it.
And they may well believe that the
day of their redemption is near at
hand.
A few words about the merits of
this road. All the material used in
its construction is of the best quality,
the rails having been manufactured
at Reading, Pa, from the best of Eng
lish blooms. The framing and put
ting together of the timber-work is
pronounced by competsnt judges to
bs frst.clsss, and the masonry is of
the same character. All the talk that
is heard about the insecurity Of the
bridges and trsstles is imaginary; they
will stand the most rigid inspections
and pronounced by competent men to
be safe for the purposes for which
they are intended. There is no doubt
that before three months the travelling
public will verify this opinion. When
this road is finished it will compare
favorsbly with any other road of =
similar character in the country, and
reflect credit upon the Msssrs. Phelps,
the contractors, and the men having
charge of the work under them.
There will be no business done on
this road until the experienced man
ager at its head is satisfied that all is
safe. In the meantime temporary
tation will be erected upon one OF
the mountain sides with steps leading
up to it, and early in the spring q
road will be constructed down into
jackson for freight and passenger
travel. Then three trains daily will
be run between that place and Cum
berlana at a low rate of fare and in
the short time of one hour.
There are two questions that have
often heard since the construction of
this road began. The FIRST is-"Will
the road pays" Let us see what facts
and figures will demonstrate, allowing
no other companies to ship but the
American and the Maryland. The
facilities afforded these two companies
by this road in the shape of enabling
them to dump their coal at the mouth
of these mines, instead of running it
down the long inclined plane now
used by them before it can be dumped
into the hoppers, will increase their
shipping capacity to 100000 tons an
nually. This is not an exaggerated
estimate of the capacity of those two
companies mines, Judging from their
past business. Now, 100000 tons at
thirty cents per ton, gives a gross in
come of $4,000. Allow 70 per cent.
of this amount, $l47, 900, for the work.
ing expenses, there remains $63, ,000--
sum equal to 10 per cent. on the
capital invested in building the road.
There is also 20 cents per ton saved
on the 100000 tons of coal shipped,