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

Iotal....'....... ........-.... So, 14U:
THE FLAT TOP NEWS
This bright publication is the out.
growth of the Flat Top Monitor. There
is legitimate field for this paper and /,
ought to succeed as it doubtless will
under the vigorous management OF it's
owner aud editor, Mr.. Everett Leftwich
The TIMES acknowledges courtesies
extended its correspondent by the
editor and typos of the News.
THE CoLLIERIEs.
Leaving the old original Southwest
Virginia Improvement Company to the
tender mercies of Brother SPOTS in his
history of Poe ahontas, 1 will devote
this sketch to those moro recent
developments, which are the legitimate
offspring of the improvement Company
1t is not within the scope or in
tent OF this sketch to contrast one
colliery with another, but rather to pre-.
sent homogeneo aggregation of one
common interest, and inasmuch as the
system of mining is prac tically the
same in all the operations it will not be
necessary or entertaining to enter into
details concerning each distinct in.
terest. | will, however, endeavor to
impartially present an exhibit of the
prominent characteristics OF each
Although visited the different col.
ler1es on occasions separated by weeks
and in some instances months, during
my pilgrimage among these highly in
teresting institutions, yet I shall treat
the subject in this summary as though
l took them in" all in one day. I con-
TESS that this requires heavy strain
upon the imagination, but we have to
do those things now and then in our
line as we'll as othor people. so come
along with me and let's look at the
coa' field in it's every day clothes. 1
think we had best begin at the other
end among tho new operations and come
out at the big end of the horn
TIDE WATER COAL AND COKE COMPANY.
AS the name i'm plies, this mine is at
the point in the field where the vein
dips or disappears from view and seeks
It's level below the earth's surface. No
mining has as yet been done below wat ar
level in this region, although there have
been number of leases made with that
end in view. So we begin at this mine
and gradually ascend TO the highest
point over on Mill, Simmons and Laurel
creeks whore the first openings were
made.
Upon entering the company store at
tidewater l was greeted by Mr.. R. B.
Bernheim, the buyer for the company,
and after short conversation was
directed to the mine and informed that
Mr.. George Booth, superintendent Of
the company, would give such practical
pointers as might interest. Arriving
at the mines l was shown to the top OF
the tipple and there found Mr.. Booth,
who pointed with justiaable pride at
his complete works. Mr.. Booth 10 his
own engineer when it comes to con-
structiou and has arranged worry In
ReDiously means Of hosting the coal
from the mine level to the top OF the
tipple, from whence it is dun ped into
the cars.
This tipple is arranged something on
the order of grain elevator in thatthe
coal being below the tops of the cars,
must Of necessity he raised, and hence sn
incline is cut through the solid rock from
the top Of the tipple. about hundred
feet, to point where the coal is reached
and through this cavernous aperture,
by means of q cable, the loaded cars are
hauled up and dumped down shute to
the hungry "gondolas" or large coal cars
below.
1t is very interesting to watch tho
process and think how much wealth
passes given point da ly from the gen.
erous earth, and Superintendent Booth
was kind enough to take me down to in
spect the lease o, supply.
Entering at the portal above do.
scribed we walked by the light of one OF
those modern "Alladin's lamps" which
miners use attached to the band OF their
caps, and were soon exploring the mys
teries OF
COAL MINING,
and will here proceed to elighten you
upon the details thereof as saw it
while in Tide water mine.
Beginning at the drift mouth" or
door to the main entry, the mine il
opened according to previously arranged
plans which are about as follows: The
main entry is driven straight in as far
as ne cessary 10 insure elbow room, saw
a thousand feet, and eventually through