The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-05

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ing OF the later deliveries from the bunk
ers and the freight charges between here
and San Francisco and other ports where
It win be shipped
Surface 1npfovea<nts.
The surface improvements OF the Coal
creek property consist primarily Of mod
ern bunker with six compartments. having
q capacity OF handling 1.ae to i.5eo tons OF
coal day. equipped with all the latest
improved machinery fer dumping, screen
ing. cleaning and loading the product In
prime condition for the market require
menss. All the coal as taken from the
mines is dumped into hoppers from VIII
SON patent dumps. and from there passes
over shaking screens. which separate all
smaller grades from the lump coal. and
provide for the latter to be thoroughly
c.eansed from all impurities by men and
boys stationed alonside the screens a. the
coal Is passed 10 the bunkers. The smaller
grades passing through the screens are
conveyed by a Giant drag to an elevator
fifty-four feet high, equipped with large
iron buckets for the purpose OF elevating
the coal TO q rotary washer. where all
refuse matter that may be In II Is separ-
ated
The refuse is passed out below to a re-
fuse bin or spoils bank while the good coal
Is carried by the action Of the rotaries and
water out through the top of the washer.
whence 1t passes by gravity to revolving
screens. where 1t is sized into grades.
known as egg. nut and pea coal. as may
be desired. ample pockets being provided
In the bunkers for the several sizes All
of this machinery Is driven by an 1sx4e-
inch engine, which receives its motive
power from battery of boilers OF lis.
horse power stationed nearby. The ar
rangement OF the tracks at and near the
bunkers Is such as to admit OF the mine
cars being handled by gravity after being
disconnected from the electric locomotive
which brings them from the mine.
Extensions Under Way.
The improvements yet under way in
cluGe twelve-foot double-inlet fan for the
purpose of ventilating the extensive mine
workings and which Is to have a capacity
of 10000 TO 10000 cubic feet OF fresh air
per minute; and also an electric power
plant for transporting the coal from I'M
foreground TO the bunkers. distance Of
5000 feet. and also for lighting the main
avenues OF the mine, the surface improve
ments and the houses of the employees.
This latter plant will consist of two dyna-
mos, one for hauling and one for lighting,
the former requiring a l50-horse power
high speed engine and the other a CO.
horse power engine. The electric motor,
or locomotive. will weigh thirteen tons,
and will have 70 to S0-horse power capacity.
1t is intended to haul trains Of forty to
nifty loaded mine cars on each trip. As
these cars will hold a ton and a half Of
coal, the hauling power of the engine will
therefore be from sixty to seventy-five
tons Of coal. besides the cars. The new
electric machinery Is being furnished by
the General Electric Company. and the
dynamos Will receive their power from en-
gines Of the well known Ball pattern.
1t Is expected that the plant Will be in
full operation by the early fall. when en-
ployment will be given to $50 or 400 men,
and the output will be from 1000 to 1900
tons day. This output may. however,
be quickly increased as demands may re-
Quire.
The time required to develop a property
or this extent and the expensel involved
are such that none but an old established
company with unlimited capital and en-
terprise could successfully undertah4 it.
When the buildings. machinery and other
new facilities are completed. the expefdt-
lures Will have amounted to at least $50. !.
WV. and the time required for the Inn
provements alone not less than 4 year and
. half.
The company has already constructed
fifty coal cars to be used in the Coal creek
mine, and has ordered material for 100
more. The present rolling stock of the
railroad property leading to these mines
for mining purposes consists of 100 coal
cars OF thirty tons capacity each and ten
locomotives. which will be added to as
rapidly as the extensions Of the business
may require.