The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1885-03-11

drift, it is abandoned, and another one
opened. The so-ealled mines are, there
fore, but series of shallow pits.
OF late years, owing to the low price
of coal in the lower markets. coal mining
has not been as profitable as formerly,
and but little isnow mined IN this region,
except of the finer grades of camel coal,
which bring a higher price, and can,
therefore, yet be mined and transported
at Il profit.
The cause Of this stagnation in the
mining industry is the excessive cost of
transportation; due entirely to the I'M
certainty and danger of the river naTi-
cation. Coal-boats drawing FIVE feet of
water can only be run during high water,
(which can be expected but for a very
small part of the year. This, therefore,
necessitates the storage of large quanti-
ties of coal, often for months after it is
mined, while waiting for rise in the
river sufficient to carry it off. This stor-
age is of great detriment to the coal, as
it is injured by exposure to the weather.
In addition to the injury and loss by ex-
posure, an extra cost is involved through
the loss of capital lying idle for 50 long
time.
The boats used to carry the coal down
the river can never be returned, and
they are, therefore, usually sold at a great
loss. The river is 50 difficult of navig;,-
ton. that from three TO five men are re-
quired to manage each boat, or one man
to about each thousand bushels of coal;
the boats usually holding from three to
Ave thousand bushels of coal each.
In addition to these necessary and In
evitable expenses, there is great risk in
-volved in the navigation of the river,
large proportion of the boats never reach
ing their destination.
These combined causes make the cost
of coal, at the markets along the lower
river, 50 great, that Pennsylvania coal is
brought down the Ohio river, up the
kentucky, and sold at less price in
Frankfort than the coal from this region.
Thus, the work that has been done by the
State in improving the navigation of the
GeRtucky river, for part of its course
only, actually operates against the inter
estsI of Kentucky coal miners, instead of
furthering thela, for it enables Pennsyl-
vanEa.Soal to compete with shc-s IN their
own markets, without assisting them in
any degree Were Kentucky river slack
watered 70 the mines, SO that coal could
be shipped at nearly all seasons OF the
year, and the empty barges returned
cheapley, this region could supply coal
to the Whole of that part of the state bor-
dering the river, at prices which would
drive all foreign coal from the market;
and it could even do larger business on
the Ohio river in the fine camel Goals in
which it abounds.
Until improved means of transporta-
ton are furnished this region, either by
slackwater or railroad, there can be no
extensive and regularly conducted min
ing enterprises. The fne-grade camel
Goals viii probably continue to be mined
in precarious and haphazard way, as
they commonly bring price sufficient
to pay small profit over the risk and
expense of transportation; but, with
this exception, the great body of coal
viii remain untouched.
The lowest coal mines on the Ken
lucky river are near the mouth of the
South Fork, at Beatyyille and Proctor,
where one of the sub-conglomerate Goals
of excellent quality is mined. There
are few mines above this for about
twenty-five to thirty miles along the riy-
er, until near the mouth of Holly creek
Between these places the river runs thro'
'the narrows," gorge or canon while I
it has cut through the conglomerate
Tor UiUSb VI ills ttAStStiiCC TIC SUD-COfA-
glomerate Goals are beneath the level of
the river, while the hills do not rise suf
ficiently high over the eonglomerate, UNI
til some distance back from the river, to
hold the Goals which have been mined
further up.
Above Holly creek, banks have been
opened every few miles, until the last
are reached about five miles above Haz
ard, in Perry county. Most of these, as
already stated, are abandoned, and lave
fallen IN, 50 that exposures of the coal
that can be measured are rare Back
from the river, openings or exposures
of the Goals are very few, as there
has been no inducement to mine coal
while wood is still the most common
household fuel in use. In studying the
geology of this country, therefore, reli-
ance has to be placed mainly on natural
exposures or outcrops of coal; SC that it
Is a matter of considerable difficulty to
obtain a complete section, showing the
position of all the Goals.
yFyI,o- csa,oya In tb.. GENERAL character