The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-08
MORE ABOUT MINES
IN THE kANAw4A VALLEY REGION.
Camel Coal wOrEIus.-rA.ioId Fashioned n.tAOd,
Of COnIsylng the Pusl to nAIkst-rhs la.
tsrprIss and Improvements Of the
Present Day-MiasrS' Wages.

Special Correspondence OF he InteNioeHceT.
CANNELrON, KANAwHA Co., W. VA.
June G.-Right across the Great Kanawhl
from Coal Valley, lies the little village o
Cannelton, so named from the mines work
ed here. 1t is now many years since the,
first opened, perhaps thirty. Away baci
in the days before the war Mr.. Adam Stock
ton made the first opening into the face o
the bill, mined coal and shipped it by
water to western market. To appreciate
fully the greatness Of that undertaking
must admit Of a slight DEPRESSION. The
seam Of camel coal mined here ia only
750'feet above the bed OF the river, perpen.
diCular height. II is now reached by an
incline 1850 feet long, inclined at an
average o! IS degrees. Up this cars can,
and have run at the rate Of one minute to
a rip, and the charms OF ride up this
steepness we're not sufficient to deter sens
OF US from walking. Now, from au
opening away up near the Stint Ledg'"
Mr.. Stockton mined his coal, and got it to
the river by the ingenious contrivance OF
filling sacks with it, then plac.
ing them. on heaps OF brush and
pulling them: down the hill. The
traveller could enjoy coming do'n by
that means Of transportation much better
than by the present. Alter time new
firm, composed OF Finch and John Stock.
ton, saw the mines Then came C1ons,
Pickett & Co., who during the war sold
the whole property to the Union Coal and
Oil Company. For some years they
operated actively, shipping coke and the
crude oil, the latter TO hlaysvillc, Ky. The
petroleum tlnds, though, killed this in
dustry, and in 1871 tue present company,
composed Of Eastern capitalists, took charge.
A NEW COMPANY.
Mr.. VIM. Remser, of New York, is presi-
dent, and Mr.. J. T. Lea, Of Philadelphia,
secretary. Mr.. Henry Davis is the agent
OF the company at this place. Mr.. Davis
has risen from the ranks, having at one
time, understand, dug coal himself. To.
day be occupies a prominent position, and
il genial, cultured man. The tract con-
trolled by this company consists OF 5000
acres, and contains some valuables coal.
They have Ave workable seams.
At present work is being pushed only
In No. 4,;on the Cannel coal. AS before
stated it Is high on :he mountain, being
only few feet below the Flint Ledge, yet
they have coal above this and have mined
It 10 some extent. Over half OF their can.
mel coal is worked out. This being the
first operation in this kind Of coal in this
region, explains this fact. When this
company took charge the coal was drawn
from the back hills through a tunnel to
the drum house, now they have side
track bnilt around the mountain, and on
it runs a mining engine made by the Bald
win works. 1t was originally intended for
underground work, but found to be i'm
practicable here at present. In answer to
the question ofecoHomy, Mr.. Davis told me
It was a great success. The seam varies in
the average being about three
feet, though only twenty one inches is now
being worked. After while other open.
ings will be made and better thickness
found again.
MINERS WAGES.
The miners receive from three
and one half to FIVE cents per
bushess according to the thick
ness Of the coal. Those working at three
and one half average from three 10 four
cars day, and the Sc. men perhaps only
two, the mining beirg bard and severe.
After the coal reaches the river it is taken
across on the ferry boat of the company,
Worked by steam canstan, from thereit
is run of ON the Il ats; from there up the
elevated incline into the tipplp, from which
place 1t is dumped iato the ears Of the g.
& 0. railroad. The coal finds iIs market
in The east, the bulk OF it in New York. It
Is used to enrich other Goals in the making
of gas. The output is about $50 tons per
day at present. When running full its
capacity is l15 tons.
In my letter oil Nav 23l, dated Coal Val
ley, made somG errors which ]
wish 10 correct. The coal, gas coal,
Is screened over one half inch screens, in
stead Of two inches, as stated Then, again,
was informed that from tivA to six cars
vas an average days work. Si.Ce then !
ind that in some places 1t requires heavy
work to get three 10 four. OF course this
would also decrease the output OF the mines
n question. j. l.. 5.