Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-08-10

. mo"UIu" to Sand Cnulcc coal mines. T.
miles distant overland but H. rja a
branch of the Montana Central rail
road. Mr.. Dirkrrmau is an active
/ youu" man Of - years, "A large prop
crty holder and an influential citizen.
. Endowed with Il handsome face and Il
! muslral voice, II Is Il pleasure. even to
ono OF his own -cy, To- meet him. II
Is not strange. therefore, that hc is
| exceedingly popular, as We were re
/ habIy Informed. with the faircr half
| of Great Falls.
Behind two brisk horses. held by
| Prof. .. G. Morrison, the gcoogist Of
| Montana, we set ont AT g. o'clock for
Sand Goulcc. On the "bcuch" above
town We stopped to take view of the
| city. Stretched ont upon Il level.
spacious river bottom, the broad
streets, pretty buildings and green en-
yironmcnt furnish pretty prospect.
In a Typographical SENSE nothing
could be finer.
y mile further ON "" encountered Il
man killing prairie dogs on Mr.. Glib
| sons land. \ handful of raw cotton
saturated with hi-suIphidc of carbon.
was thrown in each cXcavatiOn, the
mouth of tn" latter closed with earth,
and subduod. dcspaniug cries from
within told that all was over. The
professor explained that the fumes of
the dru" filled the little cavcrlI$ quick
ly and produced instantaneous death
to the inmates.
Prof. Morrison pressed his horses
across the prairie with such vigor that
in a little time we sighted the familiar
landmarks which mark approaches 10
coal mine. Presently we alightcd
and met Edward Anderson, manager
an aifablc gentleman, who quickly
turned his charge over to II. W. John
son, mine boss. Before entering tine
mime, however, we had found in the
boiler. house four boiler of $50 horse
power running air-c"mprcSsug en-
giucS. thcS" in turn pruprIliug the min
lu" machiGc~ and drills in the mime,
and the Ito, VcntIlating fan. The
plant, which Is new, includes the 9th
Cr usual buildings. Ihc mime is well
laid Off and worked with scientific
regard !ur all Tia" d'>du"'" Of safety.
economy. and cleanliness. The aver
age thickness oi th" seam is 10 feet, >
feet being the lowest at long intervals,
and T. the ii@hrol at short. \ roof Of
solid black slate. feet thick, needs
lijtIc"ruo proppagc, consequently but
few men have been hurt here, these
only SLIGHTLY. Above the slate there is
a str"i"m Of sandstone extending 10
feet nearly t" the surface. The grade
to the c""irc is sscjf-drainiug to the mine
Tor me water winch Is conveyed to tn"
compressor motors. The main head
iuu is POO feet deem. and fine two side
L.,l;,,,r. .,,I O6n N.,I;,,,,.,. :.
I '',' r. -, iI!''' -
uS'u I"I I"ll"'I'u'i'hS an" HfIiIlilE' anu
blasting Tor getting down the coal.
These are rapII operations, and great
amount "l coal can be taken out IN
gwen time. me top portion ct tn"
Goa Is nearly aS hrI&Ilt aS anthracite,
and' rolN"rjrd mt" coke, makes IA turi
whose assn per crhla%r Is less tnan 10.
ne ,alIcr Is Hll' steam c"aI WIN h"l
less than 80 Pe'o""."i carbon. Ih"Pr
"hcr OF state requiring Keen scrutiny
at me dump, Is me worst draWbark
winch aIlllctS thH con Compared
Wl'lI ur"r%rS rrrN coal II ls,"l course,
inferior, hut 1t Is better than some coal
WIN WiIcll ours comes mt" c"mpctl-
lloll. ne ralIf"3dS ana SmcitcrS ar"
liberal consumers "l tine Sand toulcc
coal, and inc company owning and de
NeIoplng TINS Ilcld nave Il good thing
OF IT. Ihc area OF deposit Is practlcal-
~ unlimited, the "utcr"p never hay
lhE pc"h outlined.
Wages here are pald by the day, as
Follows:
Machine miners tracHlaycrS and black
smiths. ..''''.,:..; ....'.''...; ;...:.. So"
l'rIHttS IIaGIT ''''cr men ana assist aoo
Laborcrs , and timber men n,sistants. SO
Blacksmith helpers observation-disclosures. 2.25
Outside handa........ 200
The cost of living corresponds with
the wages. In the fall and winter the
men work steadily, and. doing we'll,
generally there is little or no friction
in the way Of labor troubles.
Mr.. johnson is one Of the most dis
erect and competent mining BOSSES in
the country. tie is proud of being a
miner and equally SO of being Il Corn
iShman.
\ short drive with Mr.. Anderson.
the Superintendent. discovered an un-
assuming gentleman who carries his
Great reputation as = civil rnpinrcr
and mining expert with genuine mod
cStv.
In the foregoing account we have
named only one or the Sand CouIcc
s.,,