The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-09-26
an INTERESTING DOCUMENT.
CONTINUED from First Page

NN.''''''''''' ''''' . i''' ''isN'l
foreman for the Clear Spring Coal Company.
Our purpose was to learn whether the terrible
thrust had in any way affected the workings
Of the Clear Spring Colliery or the ninety
1907 barrier pillar separating the two
collcrics We found that no disturbance
that we could observe had taken place at this
point and that the barrier pillar had arrested
the squeeze if it had approached the western
boundary of the Twin Shaft workings.
We visited the bore hole drilled through
the Barrier Pillar, distance of ninety feet,
and decided to test the character of the
atmosphere passing through it with safety
lamp. A pipe was inserted into this hole,
with a valve attached and securely plugged.
After Withdrawing the plug and opening the
valve, we held a safety lamp twelve feet
from and in front of the hole, when we dis
covered an explosive mixture coming through
from the Twin Shaft workings. The fact
that it was forced through under considerable
pressure was evidence to us, in connection
with the knowledge we had already acquired,
that the Twin Shaft Mine workings were
full of gas The bore hole is nearly on the
same level as the bottom of the Twin Shaft
and is'marked on the Map b. II. n. 90 00o f."
We then visited what is known as the
Bank Farm, sometimes called the "Flats,
under which are part of the Twin Shaft
workings for the purpose of examining with
reference to surface fractures, so as to enable
us to determine in some measure, the extent
of the crush. We went over these fiat lands
from the Lehigh Valley Railroad to bore
hole, marked on Map 'B. H. Elev. Sur.
556.27' west, and along the bank of the
Susquehanua river to where the Lackawanna
cmptes into it; thence along east on the
northern bank of the Laclawanna river to
the Lehigh Valley Railroad. We noticed
that the squeeze had effected the surface all
over the Flats or Bank Farm" The sur
| face evidences, together with what we had
found to be the condition of the interior of
the Twin Shaft Mine workings from near
the bottom OF the shaft east to the
Barrier Pillar, between this and the
| Old Forge Coal Company, north to
bore hole and west to Barrier pillar between
Clear Spring and the Twin Shaft, proved that
a large territory Of over two hundred acres
must have broken down. The bore hole,
through the Barrier pillar was drilled with
view to communicate with any of the men
who might have escaped the fall and wan
dercd in the vicinity Of the bore hole but
the rescuers wore rewarded only by an ex-
]
effort to reach the men from Clear Spring was
abandoned and every effort put forth to ex-
pedite the re-opening Of No. slope. How
ever, from our first visit to the colllcry we
were of the opinion that but little hope
could be entertained of ever reaching the
imprisoned men even through this opening
| In connection with the bore hole marked
| "B. II. Eley. sur 5j6.27,n we inquired into
the character Of the rock strata through
which it was sunk, and why it was put down
in front of the workings at this point. Mr.
Law Informed us that a natural tissue had
been discovered at this point, in the course of
mining the coal, and the Newton Coal Min
| ing Company determined to satisfy them
selves fully as to the conditions and charac-
/ ter of the rock strata In order to accom-
| plsh this they engaged Mr.. II. p. Simpson,
boring contractor, To sink the hole. 1t was
begun on the 9TH day of February and COM
| peted to distance of 227 feet on March
| 18th, 1896. 1t will be seen by the Bore Hole
journal, furnished the commission, that the
Checker and Pittston veins are not cut in
drilling to the Marcy vein at this point, as
| compared with cross section through the
Twin Shaft, furnished us by Mr.. Law which
also accompanies our report. The distance
from the top of the Twin Shaft to the Marcy
vein is about 225 feet, and the distance from
the top Of bore hole to the Marcy vein is 2l9
feet, a difference of six feet; and the differ
ence of elevation between the top of the
Twin Shaft and the top Of bore hole is 20
| feet, as shown on map.