Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-12-05
METHODS OF MINING,
The Longwal1 System of Cutting Coal to
be Tried in Lackawanna.

VIM. S. Gresley, a mining engineer of
Leicestershire, England, is in Scranton.
lie has come to the Pennsylvania region
to examing the system of mining.
Since his arrival here Mr.. Gresley has
written for several mining Journals a
number of articles explaining the "Long-
wall'' system of mining in use in Eng
land, and in particular in Warwickshire.
Mr.. Gresley's article in a recent number
of the Coltiery Engineer caused a great
deal of comment among mine owners
and mining engineers. OF the coal
mined at present only about go per cent.
is taken out. Mr.. Gresley claims that
by the Modified Longwall' system 80
per cent. of the coal can be mined, thus
increasing the present yield Of coal about
so per cent.
The Longwall system, as proposed by
Mr. Gresley, will do away with pillars
entirely, and the roof will be allowed to
cave as the work proceeds. According
to this system heading is to be run
from the shaft, slope or tunnel to the
end of the line of lease. At that point,
the farthest from the mouth of the mine,
the work of taking out the coal is to be
begun. On each side of the heading
openings are to be made, and the coal to
be taken out for about 500 feet of each
side. The work is then to proceed to-
ward the mouth of the mine, and the
roof allowed to settle behind the men as
they advance.
In order to protect the men in their
work and to make the mining possible,
the roof is supported by props and by an
abutment arrangement of logs raised in
the form of square pillar against the
roof, the vacant space being filed in by
'gob, or refuse, slate, culm, rock, etc.
The men will work in parties of about
100 on each side, and divide into COM
panies Of 10 or dozen each. AS the
work proceeds it is evident the heading
will get shorter, and the roof being let
down on the COB, having no pillars to
support it, will occasion no danger there
after to the surface or to the property
thereupon. AS there will be no pillars
all the coal will be virtually taken out,
the only loss being the culm waste. Ali
mines, however, cannot be worked by
this system. 1t is only applicable in
veins where the pitch is less than
twenty-five degrees.
The fall of roof upon the COB behind
the men will come quicker, and the
squeeze occasioned by such fall will
cause loosening of the coal, making it
easier mined, and requiring less powder.
The danger arising from old workings
will be avoided. 1t is further claimed
by Mr.. Gresley that the water will find
the best possible receptacle in the COB,
and on this account there will be less
need Of pumping.
He further states that it will require
no more timber than is at present used
to prop up the roof; and fewer mules
and mine cars will be needed.
The oft-repeated question as to what
to do with the culm heaps and culm
would be easy of solution. The culm
and waste, slate, sulphur, etc., could be
brought back into the mine to fill up
gobs, and thus save acres of valuable
land, and change the hideous appearance
of mining town studded with half
dozen of these dismal looking heaps.
The increase in the yield of coal in
given area would be about so per cent.
which means a corresponding increase in
the revenue to be derived by land
owners. The coal measurers of this state
are fast being worked out, and even now
fear has been expressed by some for
their too early exhaustion. 1t is not
long ago that Col. j. A. Price had an
article on the subject of economizing the
waste of coal and reducing it to mini
mum, claiming that the preservation of
the coal tracts like the care of our forests
is of great moment to the State.
The "LongwalP' system is not by any
means an original idea with Mr.. Gresley.
1t has been used in Warwickshire for
half century, at which time the system
OF pillar. and breast mining used at
present in this country was abandoned.
Longwall then can hardly be closed with
mere experiment when it has stood the
test for fifty years.
The ideas of Mr.. Gresley on the SUBJ
ject of Longwall have received the en-
dorsement of many practical mining
engineers, and several mining journals
have given it favorable editorial crit
icism. Among the journals which en-
dorsed Mr.. Gresley's views are Mr..
Rufus ]. Fosters Goliery Engineer and
the Engineering and Mining Journal of
New York.
number of mine owners have in
consideration the proposition of adopting
it in their mines. 1t will probably be
first used at Olyphant, where prepara-
tions are already being made for the
introduction. If it be adopted one place
and prove successful, there can be no
doubt of its acceptance wherever it can
be used with practical results. One
drawback to the system is there is no
guarantee that the danger to human life
will in any way be lessened by its use,
and this is serious one indeed.-Scran-