Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-03-24


ferrcd to, exclusive of royalty and new inn
prOvements. should not exceed eighty cents
per ton, and by the use of cOal-cuttIng
machinery could be still further reduced.
The different mines and collicry plants
are, as a whole in good condition.
IF the different operations were con-
Solldated considerable saving could he effected
in various ways.
1T might bc found expedicnt to abandon
some of the shafts or slopes for hoistlng pur-
poses and take the coal through other open
lngS i'll close proximity, thereby increasing
the output and reducing the fixed charges.
At present each of the operations have shops
for doing the Colhery work which could be
consolidated at convenient points and the
cost OF this department very much reduced.
"A very important advantage in such a
consolidation would he in opening new
collieries, which could be located with view
to mining the greatest amount of coal with
the smallest expenditure of money, thereby
enabling one plant to do the work which,
with different Interests as at present would
require two or more.
''Whe there is no doubt that the cUusoli-
datiOn of the different interests in the Cape
Breton coal field would result in decreased
cost of operation AMI a corresponding in.
crease III the profits ut present realized, these
profits could be further increased by reducing
the cost of mining if steady work prevailed
throughout the year instead of one-half the
year as at present us there are certain fixed
charges that have to be met whether the
mines are IDLE or working To do this would
necesstate a shipping point open at all times
and more extended and constant market
+. Glpln, lr., inspector of mines of Nova
Scotia, states the amount of available coal on
these various properties aS 100, 900 tons.
"Note the difference between the
foregoing expert report and the follow
ing taken from the RegiSter:
Mr.. lngall, the mining engineer of the sur
vey. gives much interesting information re-
garding the methods employed in the mines
In the United States fully 20 per- ce"t. of all
the coal mines are developed by drifts the
cheapest of all methods. There are few
shafts, and those not deep and not very
many slope mines. In Nova Scotia the
mines are nearly all very deep from 80 to
500 feet under the surface. Most of the i'm
portant veins pitch from twenty to tortv-fve
degrees. Nearly all the gas mInes in which
safety lamps are required. Fire bosses must
be employed and expensive devices made use
OF to guard against fire.
Here is another interesting extract
from the prospectus Of the Dominion
coal company, limited
Should the United States duty Of seventy
five cents per ton be removed. it seems ev.
dent that this company will find large maj
ket on the New England Seaboard, for whicl
llS INJSlllbI ut ltltNaltT would tlldDlt IL l.
compete on advantageous terms
1t is estimated that 1t could put coal t. o. b.
vessel at Louisburg for about 81 a ton, prob
ably cheaper than coal Is shipped at any pOl
in the world. The accountant shows tina
the companies whose books he examine
have been making during the past five veai
an average profit of about forty cents per ton
on their output, not including various
sources of revenue. such as profits of the com
pany stores, revenue for railroads outside OF
coal traffic and profits of the steamship com,
pany. This profit per ton should be COnSid-
erably increased b" constellation, but even
tins as basis shows an annual profit of the
combined present output (ahout S25 ooo tons)
ofall the mines except the one above men
toned, operated Individually, of about
$3.50, 900.
"However. If the Register and the
authorities it quo'"s should apprlst
the directors of the Dominion coal
company of what a miserable invest
ment they have made they may be per
suaded to quit at once and cease to
waste their time and money. AS char
itably disposed volunteers OF advice to
the misguided it would be only con
sistent in them to hasten Ia pull the
wool from the eyes OF the dt!uled in.
vestors. 1t is true that New England
men of means are proverhlaIly sa-
gaclouS and prudent in investigating
costly roperlieS ana IN aScertaining
suitability of commodities for desired
markets. nevertheless, if they can be
made to know all that the Register
and its witnesses can tell them, they
may yet be saved from great loss and
deep iSappoinlment."
think Mr.. Miller has proven that
the real ignoramu>es are not the coal
operators of West Virginia. but those
who have asserted that free coal will
not hurt or harm the business of those
operators. THOMAS =. GRASTY.
Manufacturers Rec0iW.