The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1886-11-24

coal Will be extensively mined IN a
very short time. From careful
study OF the coal interests OF Bates
county for years, am led to believe
that the coal is almost inexhaus,able.
1t would be impossible, however,
for me to give even an intelligent
approximate estimate of this vast
arrear.
COAL. SHIPPED DURING THE YRAR.
The following is the amount of
coal mined and shipped during the
wear as taken from the companies
records.
Rich Hill Coal Mining Company,
S39, 800 tons. This includes all the
slrippings and contracts. Keith &
Perry Coal Company, 10000 tons.
This is from December I, 1855 to
1886, inclusive.
DIVISION OF COAL.
AT Nos. 5 and E, OF the Rich Hill
Coal Mining Company, there are
shoots or bins in operation where the
coal is divided into three parts,
namely, from its size, the egg, nut
and slack coal. When the coal is
hoiste6 from the mines by the MAN
| shaft, 1t is taken from the cage and
weighed and dumped into the screen.
The bars of this screen is tar enough
apart to let egg, nut, and slack, go
through and the lump coal passes
directly over the screen into the rail.
road cars. The egg, nut and slack
is conducted BY small shoot to the
revolving buckets, which convey it to
the revolving screen. This screen
is run by small stationery engine,
10 horse power, which separates the
coal into the apartments above spec.
flied. This coal may then be load
ed INTO railroad cars by simply Init.
ing door and let the coal run ,n,e
the car.
| GASES IN MINES.
No mine is ever entirely free from
gases, one need not expect to find
this state of things to exist, but if a
sufficient current of AIR IS sent CON
tinuously through the mines 1t drives
out these gases before they can &C
cumulate. There Is several kinds
of gases to be found, the black
damp, white gas and explosive gas.
consider the white gas the most injur
lous from the fact that it will allow
the men to work IN it until they be
come weak and powerless to get out
usually fall to sleep and die, while
explosive gas, while the most pow.
erful can be guarded against. l
clings to the top Of the roofing ant
If not driven out by the air it woul
soon accumulate sufficient TO be
come ign,tel from the candle of tn
workman and explode. 1t takes
certain proportion of atmospheri
air mixed with this gas, before it WI
ignite. For instance, If room wa
. completely tull OF it tree from air,
would be perfectly tree from explo
. sion until atmospheric air was let ir
One too, of gas mixed with seven
ten teet OF air would be the greate'
, explosive mixture. This gas cor
. s,sts of four parts of hydrogen an
i. one of carbon. Carbonic acid q
, Cor black damp) is invisible, in
combus.able, and inexplosive. 1t
r a positive poison and at once kills,
' laws close to the bottom, like mu
: does in water. The miner can +
warned OF its presence bv his ligs
y going out. After damp sa 81
n that accumulates just after an explt
d sion. 1t has a choking sensatit
# and 1t will kill If one stays in It.
It presence is recognized by choki'
Il sensation, and a kind OF lethar,
takes possession of the victim. The
mines being SO we'll ventilated ii
there Is practically no danger tro
:, any of these gases.
VENTILATION.
Da,ar xont;iatiou tn pIye ole