The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-20
FLUSHING OF CULM
INTO THE MINES
PROCESS DESCRIBED BY VIII.
LIAM aRIFrrTHs.
Read Paper on the Subject at Last
Nights Meeting Of the Board Of
Trade - Culm When Properly
Flushed in, He Said, Absolutely
Prevents squeezes and Permits the
Mine Owners to Safely Rob Pill
lars-Remarks of Secretary Ather-
ton and ]. @. sanderson on Subject.


abandoned workings of coal mines and
the advantages arising therefrom were
thoroughly explained at last nights
meeting of the board of trade BY Will
liam Grifiths, mining engineer, and at
the conclusion of his remarks brief
discussion as to the advisability Of the
general adoption of this plan In this
part of the state was participated In
by several of the members present
Mr.. Griffiths. in beginning his re-
marks, told of the general disadvan-
tages arising from the present system
of piling clum on the surface; its un-
slightlness and the way in which it
pollutes the streams and rivers
throughout the anthracite region. He
said that about 25 per cent. of the coal
now mined Is practically useless.
He then described at length the pro-
cess which he said was originated by
the mining engineer of the Philadel-
phia and Reading Coal company in 1887
for the purpose of filling up abandoned
workings in mine near shenandoah.
The culm, after being ground to the
requisite fineness, is conveyed to a
| hopper, from which it Is carried down
a four foot pipe by a stream of water
to the portion of the mine 1T is desired
| to fill.
| CULM PACKS FIRM.
The water sinks away and filters to
the lowest portion of the mine. from
where it is pumped by the regular mine
pumps. The culm, said Mr. Griffiths,
packs very firm and is subject to little
| compression.
| One of the greatest advantages to
be gained from the process is the pre-
ventiOn of mine squeeZes. Under
methods now in use about one-third
of the coal in each mine must be left
for pillars and there Is always a dan
ger of these becoming weak on ac-
counting of the chipping and peelng
off caused by the air.
He described at length the progress
OF squeeze and the methods now In
use for stopping them. which were, he
said, uncertain, dangerous and prac-
tically useless" The flushing of culm
into the mine will form an effectual
barrier. beyond which a squeeze can
not pass and. IL properly done, fur
nishes positive safeguard against a
recurrence of trouble In this direction
The prevention of mine fires was an
other point dwelt upon. Mr.. Grifflths
stating that exhaustive experiments
have proved that culm flushed into q
mine in a wet condition is not liable
to spontaneous combustion. The
amount of extra coal which can be re-
covered by the filling of abandoned
workings with culm and the subse
quent robbing of pillars, while It de
pends to large extent upon a thous
and and one other conditions, must bt
very large. Mr.. Griffiths contended
In such cases, of course. the culn
takes the place of the pillars robbed
PROBLEM MUST BE FACED.
In closing his remarks Mr.. Griffith
displayed map of underground Scran
ton, showing how the entire city Is al
most completely undermined. He SAT-
that the problem of keeping the sur
face perfectly safe from squeezing an,
the necessity Of filling in under tn
places where large buildings are to b
erected is a problem that must b
faced by the board Of trade and citi
Zens at large.
While Mr.. Grifilths in this last par
of his talk made no very alarmin
statements, there was. nevertheless. Al
ominous under-current to his remarks
which made a deep impression on thos
present at the meeting. His remark
throughout were illustrated with eX
cellent stereopticon views shown
views of the exterior and interior i
mines where the system is in operation
Secretary Atherton made a few re
marks on the question when Mr. Grit
fiths had finished, stating that tn
matter was one of great seriousness
and one which should merit the earn
est attention of the board. He referre
to the fact that the cheap fuel afford
ed by the culm dumps has always bee
one of the great inducements offere
, by the board of trade to new indus
/ tries. and said that If this culm wa
to be flushed back into the mines til
board would have to shut off this pai
ticular and very effective argument
James Gardner Sanderson, who ha
, been very outspoken in his oppositio
, to the plan, was present at the mee'
I ing, but made only a few remarks. o
} account of the lateness Of the hou
He said he couldn't understand VIII
the present agitation of the questio
was so prevalent and stated that ever
particle Of the culm now cOmposin
the culm banks of the citv could
used. He told of the gas that is bein
produced in New England from Gull
I and how it Is being pressed into bricl
f and sold as coal. He thought that II
was necessary to fill up abandone
. workings for the public safety tn;
y ground up slate. ashes and refus
= could be used as well as culm.
THAT TIMETABLE CHANGE.
The TRANSFORMATION committee pr,