Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-24
THE Coal FIELDS.
PENNSYLVANIA'S FUEL SUPPLY
FOR TIE WORLD.
Some Interesting Data Concerning
Anthracite Fields, Their History,
Methods of Mining, Etc.
IREcoRD-US1os Correspondence

Methods of Mining, Etc.
tREcoRD-USIoN Correspondence
WILKEsBARgE, March II, 1888.
When anthracite coal is quoted in San
Francisco at $25 per ton-which in ordi-
nary times can be purchased at the mine,
by the consumer inhabiting these regions,
for rs cents per ton, or delivered at his
door at price varying from 81 to 81 so
per ton-it has become luxury very
like" Strawberries in mid-winter Its
superficial value makes it something of
curiosity, and we find ourselves examining
the home of the black diamond with in
terest
Manifestly, nature knows distinctions
and establishes values. A bit of carbon is
transmitted in her wonderful laboratory
into that lucent drop of light, the dia-
mond, and made the rarest and costliest of
gems. This wonderful gem, with its heart
of fire, fascinates u.s. We know it cannot
lend its beauty, but the knowledge from
whence 1t sprang gives to carbon in other
forms a borrowed interest.
Anthracite, the most condensed variety
of mineral coal, is the purest form OF carbon
| IN its natural state, excepting the diamond.
Of the developed coal fields of the world,
| about one-seventh of the area is anthra-
cite, and one-half Of this somewhat cir
cumscribed area lies within the United
States. The prominent anthracite fields of
the world are those of Pennsylvania and
South Wales, which produce nine-tenths of
the quantity used. Fifteen years ago
Pennsylvania furnished three-fourths of
the total anthracite output, as against one
fourth produced by Wales, France and
elsewhere. At that time, Pennsylvanias
output, in round numbers, was fifteen mill
ion tons. In 1886, the same fields shipped
| thirty-two million tons. This looks sus-
plciously like monopoly on the part of the
old Keystone State and lends color to the
| legend embodying its solicitude for great
railroad corporation. According to the
story it was the custom of both bodies of
the Legislature to carefully inquire: elias
the Pennsylvania Railroad any further
business to transact? If not, il will be in
order to adjourn sine die"
An infant industry has been successfully
fostered," and this mighty corporation,
whose chief business is to transport the
coal over its roads, requires for its carrying
| from fifteen to twenty main lines and
branches. The capital invested in rail
roads, workshops, coal mines, iron-works,
etc. is immense. A low estimate is $780,
| 10000. Its twin is the Philadelphia and
Reading Railroad, and, as is usual in such
case, the latter is a little less "robustu-
Gus in size and vigor, but abundantly
able to meet any Congressional committee
who may be inspired to investigate its OPP
eratlons.
In the business of mining coal certain
! technical terms are used, which seem in a
degree arbitrary; as, for instance, coal is
mined from fields" though you see it
when it is brought up from the depths of
mountain.
Geologically, the anthracites exist in
four parallel fields. Geographically, they
lie within the counties of Schuylkill, Car
bon, ColumDiana, Northumberland and
Luzerne. The Appalachians of Eastern
Pennsylvania are a series of parallel ridges,
with separate names, as North, South,
Nittany, Kittany, Mauch Chunk, etc. The
anthracite mountains are known as Pocono
The coal fields are the Wyoming or
Northern, Middle or Second Lehigh, and
the Southern Schuyllill These fields are
divided into regions" and sub-divided
into districts or basins" The Wv
oming or Northern field, the oldest in point
| of discovery and development, and the
most important in area (haying 1886
square miles,, will illustrate this. 1t is d.
vided into the Lackawanna and Wyoming
regions, and the Lackawanna region is sub
divided into the Carbondale, Scranton and
Pittston districts. The Second or Middle
field. though distinct in formation, from its
contiguity merges its identity in the adj
Joining fields; and the anthracite belt for
commercial purposes has but three divis-
ions, Wyoming, Lehigh and Schuvlkill.
To properly understand the q ficulties
that hedge about the operative and collier,
in the mining of anthracite, would neces-
state some study of the peculiar stratif-
cation of the stone COAL" or rock fuel"
as it was first christened, which would pre-
suppose time and taste. Nothing declares
more plainly, however, the femininity of
nature than this same whimsical layer of
anthracite; curving and comforting with
out rhyme or reason; dipping at every
angle from the horizontal to the perpen-
dicular, yet preserving the parallel which
seems to be the law of the region, in the
series of basins thus formed 1t is this
undulation of dip which preserves the di-
versity in mining, and exercises an infiu-
ence over the Golfers fortune He may
go out "on strike" and his withdrawn
skill will etfectually cripple the operator,
hut at the same time an expert in the
Lehigh may find himself an amateur in
the Wyoming.
Every known plan of drift, tunnel slope
and shaft is employed. The first is per-
haps the least difficult When the coal bed
exists near the top of the hill, above water
level, it is mined by drifts and counter
drifts or upper levels, which are galleries
driven through the coal horizontally. The
other extreme, where great depth must be
penetrated, the shaft is the mode, which is
generally perpendicular, whatever NAV be
the dip of the strata
The irregular hardness of the coal is
another caprice of nature which tries the
soul of the miner. He may strike vein
whose density resists all efforts to release
it, time and labor alone overcoming its
objection to seeing the light of day. Extra
pay during its working will probably en-
able him to keep even with the world. but
is scarcely a reward for his labor.
The mine, with all Its appurtenances,
constitutes the colliery; and its sign
manuel is the breaker" immense, costly
and ineffably ugly. This black creation of
an Englishman's brain, brought disaster to
its inventor, but revolutionized anthracite
mining. The breaker is a mass of heavy
framework of great elevation and strength.
lis use is fOurfOld-tO break select senarata
and store the prepared coal. 1t is built
near the mouth OF the mine, and the coal
cars from the drift, tunnel. slope or shaft,
are hoisted by machinery to the top of the
breaker. Here the coal is dumped into
wide shute, provided with bar or fiat
screens and platforms. The coal is
separated by passing over the screens, and
selected by the workman on the platforms.
Right here is where the apprenticeship of
the collier begins; and the sight of the
little slate-picker beginning his labor of
life, at the tender age of nine or ten, might
I well engage the attention of orr henevoIent