The National tribune., 1893-04-20
NATIONAL

| Its vegetable origin cannot be doubted Whers
| strata of common coal have been broken through
by trap dkes the coal next the trap has been found
10 be anthracite with gradual transition into the
softer state; hence biologists look upon anthracite
natural coke, formed by heat, or other process
] from coal.
| Anthracite Is used as fuel like coke II is used
for burning lime and bricks, the reduction OF iron
etc. IL occurs extensively in Ireland, in parts O
in the United States, where ii is the substance &c
which the name coal is usually applied.
COAL MINING.
Coal Is usually found in seams or layers, with
rocks on top of it. The seams vary from one incl
to 30 feet in thickness and the rocks between them
are generally sandstone and n slaty kind of rock
called sbale Taken altogether these layers OF
| seams. called coal measures; and the coa
| measures, together with the rocks under them
which are always limestone and old red sandstone
are called the coal formation, or the carboniferous
! system.
The layers of the coal measures not Away:
| straight and level but are often slanting or BEN
| up At the ends hollow like a BASIN. WheT
! they bend up so that tho coal seam comes 10 the
SURFACE of the ground. it is called an outcrop
Sometimes breaks are found in the seams. These
are called faults or dikes, and are often y great
trouble TO the miner who does not know which
WHY TO dig 10 find The coal again.
When an oulcrop is found il is easy 10 mine the
coal by digging int il kind OF tunnel called an
adit or drift up which il is brought in cars but
sometimes very deep pits must be dug to reach it,
These pits which called shafts. are sometimes
more than quarter OF mile deep, and pass
side passage is cut into it, and from each side o.
this other passages are cut
THE COAL TOWN.
There are many such passages through each
seam, ali connecting with each other, that the
coal scam is cut up into kind of town with streets
and lanes. As the coal is dug away the roof is
propped up with strong posts and beams. The
coal is sometimes dug out with picks aud other
tools. sometimes blasted with gunpowder and
sometimes cut into blocks by coal cutting mn-
chimes.
1t is hosted from the mines through the shaft in
iron boxes, cages, by means of rope chain
passing over n wheel at the top, which is work ed
by steam-enginc. But in of The largest
mines tunnels lead from the surface down grad
ua slant into the side OF the HILL and the coal is
brought up through them in carts drawn some
times by mules and sometimes by seam. The
coal is then sorted into different sizes by dumping
IL onto wire sleeves, hen IL is ready for
shipment.-George Meikie, Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
SOME LIVE GOALS.
Australia is said to produce n yellow coal. A
very hard variety of coal is used in jewelry and
ornamental work, under the name of jet. Irish
peat, or tort. is coal in a transition state.
The first discovery of coal in America is said to
have been made by tie missionary explorer.
Father Hennepin, III 1863, on or near The presen,
site OF Ottawa III.
The first use of coal IN this country was from the
Virginia mines at Richmond. The first anthracite
coal was sent TO Philadelphia in 1903, but was
thought TO be OF little value The first estimate 81
it fuel IL referred 10 by the poet Bryant in his
Meditation on Rhode Island Coal"
"Yea they did wrong Thee fouIly they who mock ed
Thy honest face, and said thou woudst not
burn;
OF hewing thee to chimney-picces talked.
Aud grew profane, An! swore in bitter scorn
That men might To thy inner caves retire,
And there abide unsinged, the day of fire"
The growth OF tho coal industry In the United
States has been rapid and continuous. Ia 1920
there was produced IN the United States. of both
anthracite and btumiuons coal about 81, 600 tons
in 1877 The product so 900 600 tons 1t 10 Thai
OF nsand.-Eva Laulberson, IVA, Wyo.