The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-12
THE STONE IS MINED NOW.


hilltopS and available locations are be-
coming fewer.
THE STONE IS MINED NOW.
To continue the supply a new plan of
conducting this old business has been
adopted. and Pittsburgh is the tirss and
only place in this country where stone
is mined. Into the hill above Soho
street a tunnel has been bored and now,
1875 feet beneath the surface, men are
blasting out the stone. Tho quarry, or
mine, belongs to Mr.. John W. Jones.
For two years he has been mining stone
in this manner and has taken out many
thousands of perches, demonstrating
the success Of method that it was at
first secuted by quarrymen. He has
wrought a revolution in the stone busi-
ness and how 1t was brought about is in
terestinR.
Mr.. Jones' quarry was first surface
one. The business was profitable but as
the depth OF stripping increased, SO did
the expense, and it became apparent
finally that he mnst go under the strip
ping or abandon the quarry. Old
quarrymen said IL would be impossible
tomine the stone and told him to goelsO-
where. The heavy blasting, they said,
would bring down the hill, and anyhow,
II would be too difficult to get out the
stone. Mr.. Jones, however, chung to
his idea, and could not see why il coal
could be mined, stone could not DO also.
At last, after cautiously feeling his way
by experiments, no secured experienced
men and drove his mine under the hill.
New emergencies had to DO met here,
but they were all overcome.
Among the troubles he encountered
was an old notion OF drlllers and quarry.
men that the greater the effect desired
the more powder should be used.
Heavy charges were rammed home, the
warning cry, fire." given, and the men
would run long distances TO get out OF
the way Of the shower OF falling frag-
inents OF rock. Some, Of course, ran as
far as possible in order to be longer get.
ting back to work. Many damage suits
for broken windows and broken heads
wero occnsioned by this mode, but 1t
was long adhered to.
VALUE OF AIR SPACES IN BLASTING.
Underground, however, it would not
work, and hore Mr.. Jones put into
practice a little principle of gunnery.
A little powder was placed in hole
that had been drilled deep into the
stone and the fuse was adjusted. A
space OF about six inches was left be-
tween the powder and the clay tamped
Lea nlN hA Al sci L.
tamped lightly, but thatat tho mouth
otthe hole was rammed hard. The re.
suit was that when the powder ignitel
the six inches OF space allowed the
CAGES to accumulate and the force was
expended in rending asunder rather
than in driving out the clay. The no.
port would be low and muiIled; hat
placed over the hole would scarcely DO
moved, but great masses OF rock would
roll out ready to be broken up with
sledges. By this plan Of leaving space
between tho powder and tho projectile
the heaviest cannon could be shivered
TO pieces.
Mining had not progressed far whom
its many advantages over the old plan
were apparent. The stone was close
sandstone and the further In tho work.
men went the better they found tho
stone. The vein grew thicker and tho
stone more uniform in grain, color and
quality, Beside the mine can DO worked
all seasons Of tho year, because II 10 FREQ
from frost, and tho workmen arc pro.
tocted from sun, rain and cold.
Tho work is not dangerous for the
workmen, because the thick layer Of
''callouS," as 1t Is termed, between tho
stone and clay, makes roof tough and
strong enough to hold up the earthly
matter above Hugo stone pillars hOlp
10 support II and since tho place has
been opened not an inch OF settlement
has been observed. Only one man has
been hurt in the place and no had his
log broken by stone rolling on II as q
result Of his own car6lessness.
INSIDE THE STONE MINE.
A great hole In tho hill has been
made and II has become an attraction
for sightscerS. Several classes from tho
high school have been through II In
search Of geological specimens. A door
large enough TO admit a team and
wagon opens into the face oil tho hill
which showsa perpendicular Of seventy.
five foot Ton feet In brings you into Il
vast chamber from which, by tho light
OF gasoline lamps, can DO seen similar
chambers branching out IN all dlreC.
tionS, with the roof supported by great