Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-04-09
BOWELS OF THE EARTH
Down In a Coal Mine, Underneath
the Ground.
How Coal Bank IS Inspected Ventilation
and Timbsring-0iving Entries
ard Working
Rooms.

OF all the industries about Us, by which
Wheeling's reputation 10 sustained in the
world Of manufacture, there il none more
important than hes coal mines; and Of all
the busy workers, the jewels in her COM
mercial aureole, there are none that more
require the PROTECTING agis of appropriate
legislation than the coal miner. Cut Oh
from heavens bright light and free air, he
tolls in the bowels Of the earth, surrounded
by dangers known to no other trade. Over
him hang huge masses of rock, threatening
to tall and to either crush him into life
less lump, or to cut of the narrow path
which leady TO the outer air. Around him
hang the noxious vapors of the mine-the
deadly carburstted hydrogen, generated in
natures own laboratory, or the equally
desdly carbonic acid gas, the poison thrown
of by his own lungs or which settles into
the cavities of the mine like water. His
calling Is
TRULY A DANGEROUS ONE
and about him has been thrown as great
protection as the law can afford. 1t is pro-
yided that such and such quantity OF air
shall be forced into the mines to each
worker and that supporting timbers shall
be of such strength and number as safety
shall require. The State has provided
mine inspector, whose duty it is to eX-
smine the mines, decide upon their require
ments and provide for the enforcement Of
The law. This official is Mr.. Oscar Veazey,
whose presence in the city has been already
noted. He has inspected most OF the
mines in this vicinity and yesterday tested
the Manchester, or Kimberly works. he
was accompanied by q REGISTER reporter,
who went for the purpose OF giving
The general world an idea Of how coal is
mined and how mine is inspected: The
party consisted Of Mr.. Yeazey, Mr.. Kimber.
IL, Mr.. d. r. Brooks and the writer.
In this section of country, where the coal
vein lies above the water level and there
is comparatively little danger OF the fatal
lire damp, the most important consldera-
lion is ventilation, and to the inspection
of this Mr.. Veszey most particularly directs
his attention. The safety and health OF the
miner demand that the air he breathes be
fresh and pure. Air must be forced into
mine, either by
THE DBAUGHr OF FURNACE,
or by fan, the latter being the better, but
the former the more customary, especially
N the hill mining. This is the case at the
Manchester mine, as will be described
further on. The party entered the mine,
on foot proceeding along the main entry
Tor about 80 yards, to climb up and enter
the air passage. large furnace is here
blazing briskly and the rush of air to feed
the flames creates a current BY which the
mine is ventilated. The fresh air is drawn
through the main entry and after travers.
ing the entire mine, supplying every room
end entry, returns to feed this furnace.
Mr.. Veazey tested the current with an
thermometer and found it scarcely sutf-
cient, though no lack of pure air was after
ward found in the mine.
Descending TO the main entry, train OF
empty cars, with mule motor, was boarded
and the party whirled swiftly along the
narrow tunnel, back into the bowels Of the
earth, where the miners were at work in
The "rooms." In working coal mine, the
ground is laid of into squares, or blocks.
after the manner ofa city. Parallel en-
tries are driven along and at regular inter
walls, depending on the size Of the pillars"
20 be left, cross openings are made to open
avenues for the removal of coal from the
mines and in the large coal pillars are the
rooms, where the miners dig out the coal.
The entry drivers, or men who cut out the
entries, are always the best workmen
in the mine and have certain
privileges in the choice Of having
their coal, rock, etc, removed. This is be.
cause they work with less air, for there is
no circulation in the new entries until
they are carried q certain distance and
cross cut made. The last cross cut is then
sealed up and the air carried to the newest
or farthest one. The entry driver is paid
by the yard and his wages will average s.
day.
MINING THE COAL.
Working the rooms or chambers is the
regular mining Of coal, Starting into the
face Of the seam of coal, which averages ~
feet in thickness, the miners cut out the
coal to width Of "a feet to chamber. AS
rapidly as the coal is cut away the roof is
supported by posts Of locust or other wood,
which are furnished the miners by the
operator. The entries are supported in the
same manner, except where the roof is an
unbroken mass of smooth stone, which re-
quires no support. Sometimes this roof of
soapstone gives way and frequently the
most cautious miner is buried like hy
beneath slab of it. The weight on the
roof Of q room is tremendous, while very
often the floor heaves and breaks the posts
like pipestems, or punches them through
IS it rises. As the miner works he keeps q
wary eye on the roof, sounding the stone
to test its solidity.
In working the coal the miner makes a
bearing 10 the face Of the coal, about u
foot from the roof. This is done with a
Ok he Mi ia 10 iuhk Loft
banded so as to make the coal fly. When
he has cut creyice Of some four feet in
depth q powder blast Is inserted at the
bottom and the entire mass lifted out. If
the shot" as they call il, is inserted in
the centre Of the room, it is called a gut
shot; il at either end, near the wall, a"rio
shot" The "open.end shot, is when the
blast is inserted at the centre, directed to
one side or the other. When the "be lring
in" is made, an inch and q half hole il
drilled in the bottom to the same dspth
powder, through which "nesdle" runs, to
allow the fire to ignite the entire length at
once. A straw fuse is inserted and lighted
and the miners retire to await the explo-
sion, which echoes through the mine like
muftied thunder. The mass of coal is up
heaved by the explosion, to be shoveled
into q car and hauled of.
HONEY CoMBED HILL.
When a number of blocks of mine have
been worked out, the hill becomes per-
feet honey comb and man pulls out the
braces or posts. 1t is risky work, bat he
gets seven cents q post and many like the
work. When the post is jerked away, the
heavy stratum of rock falls with q tremen-
dous crash and woe betide the luckless
wight who is caught in the fall.
A mine is in charge OF bank boss, who
the mine, knows where and
now each man is working and has general
inside control and management. There is
a tracklayer, who keeps up the tram road
and driver for each mule train. Each
miner furnishes his own tools, powder snd
oil and his wages average 81 so day. Tue
posts are furnished by the operator; they
cost about 10 cents each and the Manches-
ter mine uses 5000 year. So much for
the working Of q mine.
Seated in the bottom of an empty car,
the lamps lighting up the narrow tunnel,
the mule train sped onward and in the
course Of time arrived in the limits of the
farthest entry. This was at the hill due