The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-29

In recent number of the Presbyter-
ian Journal, the Rev. N. G.. Parke, ID.
D., of Pittston. had an article OH THE
Miners and Mines of the Anthracite
Coal Region" 1t is as follows:
Those who have received their impressions of
these miners from what they have seen OF them
in passing as tourists through the coal region.
or from the city journals during the recent
strike, are not likely to have very favorable
or correct impressions of them or their work.
The clothes they wear in going to and in return.
ing from their work do not suggest to strangers
an exalted type OF civilization. They are then
dressed for their work, and that dress is cer-
tainly by no means inviting. But on their re-
turn from their work they are obliged to go
through very thorough ablutions from the crown
OF their heads to the solcs Of their feet; and
when dressed for the street, after their work
for the day is done, they appear just as pre-
sentablc as our merchants or bankers. Some one
has defined "drt" as "matter out Of place.
and that is the kind of dirt that soils the faces
aud hands and clothes OF those who labor in the
anthracite coal mines, including superintendent,
engineers, mine bosses and men who Use the
picks and shovels.
This dirty and somewhat dangerous work that
calls for so much OF washing and changing of
garments is not, is commonly supposed, dis
tasteful to those engaged in it. Many OF them
prefer it to work "outsidc." It has some at
fractions. The work is generally healthy. The
temperature in the mines is much the same in
winter as in summer. Tie miners do not have
to work as many hours in the day as the men
who work outside. They go to work early, and
they often arc through with it before noom And
If their employers could would give them
steady work six days in the week they could
earn wages equal to that of our best skilled me-
chanics As it is, with work only three or four
days in a week miners who are temperate and
frugal accumulate property. They have snug
bank accounts build for their families pleasant
homes, and educate their children in our high
schools and colleges. They are among our coal
cpcratois and some of them find their way to
our state Legislature anu to the national con-
gress. Their apprenticeship in the coal mines is
not in the way Of their promotion. One Of our
representative men in the coal region laid claim
to tile title OF NJ. d. on the ground that lie had
graduated "mule driver" in the coal mines
The mathematical professor in the Johns Hop.
kins university, who died recently, and who was
the editor of the Mathematical Journal, pub
liShed by the university, was a Pttston boy.
graduate of Lafayette college, and son of Alex
ander Craig, who for thirty five or forty years
had charge Of all the mining engineers OF the
Pennsylvania Coal company.
ALL NOT MINERS
All the men who work in the mines are not
really miners. Those properly known as miners
are contractors, ordinarily two men associated
contract will, the proprietors of the mines to
mine the coal at so much per ton or car, and
work at one "breast.' They, the miners, work
with drills and picks and powder. Their work
requires measure of skill These two miners
employ two laborers who use Sloves and load
the coal into the cars. These laborcrs work more
hours than their employers. as it takes more time
to load the coal than to ''blast" it. These Ia
borcrs are often obliged to wait for cars.
Hoys in large numbers are employed in and
around the mines for driving mules, opening and
shutting doors in the brattce work designed to
distribute fresh air in ''headngs'' where the
men are at work, and for picking slate from
the coal as it is being prepared for the market.
A company Of two or three hundred of these
boys rugged for work and marched through New
York city would attract as much attention as
the same number Of Esquimauy Indians, and
elicit more of sympathy than they deserve The
law of the state requires that these boys. before
they can be employed in this service, must be
at least u years old. The wages of the slate
pickers vary nom 20 cents to 81, and they are.
for the most part as bright and healthy and
happy and nischievous other boys.
The openings to tile coal mines are made by
what are known as drifts" Slopes" and
''shafts." When the coal lies above the valley
in the hills, drifts are made into the coal at
water level and all cost Of pumping is saved.
The mines drain themselves Slopes go down to
the coal at an angle. The length of these vary
from 500 to 1900 feet. The most common type
OF onenns to the coal in the Wyoming valley is
through perpendicular shafts. These vary in size
and in depth according to the depth of the coal
from the surface and the amount Of work to be
done through them. Through these shafts the
coal is lifted in elevators water is pumped from
the mines and fresh air introduced into them.
THREE OR FOUR VEINS.
There are three four coal veins, or coal
measures, pierced by one Of these shafts, vary.
ing in thickness from eleven TO three feet, The
measures nearest the surface are commonly the
largest. These coal measures are separated by
solid rock from fifty to one hundred feet thick
In mining cut the coal pillars of coal are lett
standing amounting to ore-thrd Of tine mineral
in the vein TO hold up the rock. Besides these
pillars woodsen props are used to hold up the
roof
In tho office OF the s,lpcrintcndcnts OF these
mines accurate maps are kept OF all the work
lngs in them and these maps OF the underground
workings resemble very much the maps of cities
with their avenues and streets and railways. As
work progresses in the mines the railroads length
en-, so that there are now very many more miles
OF railroad in the valley under than above
ground.
On the outside, near the head OF the shafts.
there are fans connected with the workings OF
the mines, so arranged as 10 carry fresh air into
all subtenanean streets and gangways where men
are working, and at the same Time, TO carry out
foul gas and powder smoke. These fans resemble
the "old oyeishot water wheels" that were once
used TO grind our grain, only they are made to
revoNe with hundred times their velocity.
Any arrangement in the working OF these fans
makes the mines dangerous; and while they are
kept in motion day and night, every morning be.
fore the men go in TO work an official known os