The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-26

the mine. Parallel with the main
entry Is driven the air shaft and at
intervals there are ''break- throughs"
cut from tho main entry across to the
air shaft. When at given points ''cross
entries" are cut running at right angles
with the main entry and air shaft,
these are conducted as far as necessary
to reach the limits of the lease. On
either side of these cross entries the
miners 40 theil work in what are called
"rooms' which are sixty feet apart
along the cross entry.
Tracks are laid as fast as the entries.
cross entries and rooms are opened, and
mining cars, with capacity, in this
region, of about two tons, are brought
in, either by mules or mining locomo.
| tives.
AT given point in the mine the entry
Is widened and switches put in, thus
making distributing point, where
empties are delivered for allotment
among the miners, and loaded cars are
made up into trains to be hauled out.
When car is received into q room, it
Is met by two miners occupying the
| room, and before the coal is loaded, thew
| put on hook in the bottom of the car a
| Check" or brass tag having their num-
Der stamped thereon. Then the coal is
shoveled in, due care being taken to
| avoid slack, slate, sulphur band or bone
| coal, as the case may be.
Thus prepared the car is hauled out
! and emptied at the tipple, the foreman
in charge taking the numbered check
from the bottom Of the car and placing
1t upon hook with q corresponding
number and attached to board placed
upon the tipple wall. This is record
of each mans work, and is very sim
pie process. The miners are paid 10
this field at the following rates: Sew
enty i've cents per car OF ninety-two
cubic feet Tor about two tonslfor mining
In rooms and S1.05 per car for entry
coal. The companies lay all tracks and
pu. the timber in the entries and rooms
where necessary, thus relieving the
miners of any work other than digging
coal. The men pay for their own pow
der and tool sharpening. Good miners
load on an average Of from three to
four cars per day in this field except
In the narrow seams, where the average
Is somewhat less.
The wages paid miners on the above
basis average about $50 per month but
many men run as high as Sl0O, or even
more where great industry is shown or
opportunity favors. Other labor is paid
In accordance with work done or re-
sponsibility ait,ched, from fitty-ei
cents for boys to So per day for men
working in the timbering of entries or
rooms.
In the Tidewater mine, as in nearly
all in this region, the coal veins are
sufficiently thick to afford ample stand.
Ing room; here it is six feet. It was
about noon when I met Mr.. Booth, and
l was favored with an interesting sight
in the swarming of the men at the en-
trance OF the mine as they cane out to
get their dinners. We could see them
coming from afar off in the darkness,
their lamps cleaning in the subter
ranean gloom as though stray tongues
of flame we're rising from the orthodox
lake OF fire eternal for the wicked.
Rock Of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself In Thee"
Emerging from the mine we walked
along up the track to Mr.. Boo 9TH g resi-.
dence, and true to the generous m.
pulses OF this favored region was in.
vited to join the family at dinner, which
did to my satisfaction and gre at relisn.
Good by to Tidewater and on to
BOTTOM CREEK
found Sr. Spencer agreeable and equal to the
task OF showing me around and we climbed the
big uDp'e together. and there saw one of tho
mOet complete affairs of Its bind in the field 4 he
dump Ia OF peculiar pattern and the only one OF
Quoted me "underhea'h the ground" and showed
INC We In OF coal six feet in u ickncss and OF uni
form quality. Bottom Greek has very large ca
pacity an9 is ready foe the big demand coming
from the Wcst.
observed under struction one hundred
very handsome coke ovens, ana IL is plain that
this compan., though among the new .ase. Is
DEF crmined to DO is share OF the business. The
dwelling houses look comfortable and there is
evident cons liberation for the aborers Mr. Pat
tersop, the buyer ut the company store /. very
agr' cable to strangers and makes one feel M
though he would like to come again. Improve
ment and industry nrc on every hand ana cvoIy
onc.secp mbncd with The ,pirit of goahead-
atiycncss
PEERLESS COAL AND COKE Co
Organized early in lSi2, this company has made
Its mark most deci ely General Manager H. G.
Zacharias has develo jcd O-drr olt OF chaos in a
manner peculiarly hi own and one cannon but hc
Impressed with the magnitude III the undertake
ing
few months ago this point on the Ohio Rx-
tension was unit puched except by the reilroad IL.
seli but now nay be seen large force OF men lay
Ing track, building the immense tipple opening tho
nina Ina nd