Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1880-02-07
WHOLE NUMBER, 437.


mined and shipped to market, thous-
ands of tons are thus lost to the COM
panies and to the State.
The fourteen foot vein is very
pure coal, containing 80 per cent. of
fixed carbon, very regular, without
any faults or troubles, is perfectly
clear Of all noxious gases Of every
kind. The Black Damp or Carbonic
Acid Gas is in the measures above
the fourteen foot vein, and only finds
its way into the rooms or chambers
Of the workings, on the falling in of
the roof caused by the removal of the
props, and by the robbing of the pill
lars which had be5n left standing for
the protection Of the miner in the
progress of working out square of
coal. The square being finished, the
props and pillars Of coal are then
taken out in order to secure all the
coal possible; if the atmosphere out
side is close and damp, some few
hours are required to expel the gas.
If, on the contrary, the atmosphere is
dry and bracing, little or no incon-
venience is felt. All the mines have
made ample provision either by nat
ural drafts Of air or have erected fur
naces to secure gooa and healthy ven-
tilation. This coal is very easily
mined or rather dug, any ordinary
man of intelligence in a fair days
work of eight hours can mine from
five to six tons, while in many cases
eight or ten tons have been sent out
by skillful miners. -'
The accidents in these mines are in
great measure due to the careless
ness Of the men in moving about in
the mines, and the neglect Of the min
er to set up his props at the proper
times to secure safety, on account of
his eagerness to send out all the coal
possible upon receipt of Large or
der at the mine. Many more acci-
dents would occur but for the con-
stant vigilance Of the master miner
and his assistants in their daily rounds
Cf the mines.
There is no coal region in the world
where the coal veins are SO regular
and so safely and easily mined and
where such ample provision is made
by the company for the comfort of
tn sir employees, They all have COM
Portable homes with gardens attached,
and with proper economy of time on
the part of the miner all the comforts
of life could be had in the cultivation
OF vegetables, grapes, pears and small
fruits. Churches of almost every de-
nomination are open for worship.
The State has made ample provision
for the education of their children,
and if they fail to secure prosperity
and happiness, it is for the want of
proper appreciation of the value of
time, and judicious economy.
The lower veins of coal underlie
nearly the entire coal formation of
this basin, containing not less than
ninety thousand acres of five known
workable veins, viz: The three feet,
four feet, and six feet veins. The
Parker vein, go inches of very pure
coalD and the Bluelaugh vein 81 feet.
These five veins will yield not less
than fourteen thousand tons of coal
per acre. giving for the area of the
Basin one billion two hundred and
sixty millions tons of coal. These
small veins will prove of great COM
mercial value to the State when the
fourteen feet vein is exhausted.
The three, four and six feet veins
are opened in the Georges Creek
Valley, along the Potomac and Saw
age Rivers, and very recently the six
feet vein has been opened by the
Grant Coal Company on the side of
Dams Mountain near Clarysville, and
close to the Georges Creek Road now
building and the old Eckhart Branch
Road. This is a bright, lustrous coal,
very similar to the Clearfeld coal,
yielding four and one-half feet of coal
clear Of slate partings and bone coal.
The Parker and Bluebaugh veins have
been opened at the northern end of
the Basin near Barrelsville.
In addition to these known valu-
able veins of coal in the Cumberland
Basin, is the meadow mountain coal
field, crossing the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad near Oakland; it is evident
ly an extension of the Salisbury Coal
Basin, at least it contains the lower
coal veins of that Basin; it is very i'm
portant that careful survey and ex-
animation of this Basin should be
made. The Youghiogheny coal field
beyond this, is also worthy of care.
full survey and examination; while
very many rel orts have been made of
the Cumberland Coal Basin by scien-
tifc men standing deservedly high in
their profession, they have been simp-
ly reconnoisaances; they have all felt
and expressed the want and need of
a careful and accurate instrumental
survey of tho Basin; DR.. ?. T. Tyson
in his report to the Legislature in
1860, suggea I'd the absolute necessity
Of u full anl complete instrumental
survey Of tho State not already COW
cred by the Coast Surveys. He con-
sidered it absolutely essential to aid
in forming ., correct idea of the agri-
cultural an, other capabilities Of this
State. In i ,empting to make Geo.
lo0iool rnap of tba Stoto -, A. 81