Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1901-02-01
IN MONTANA MINES
Annual Report of State Mine Inspector
Byrne Gives Some Valuable and
Interesting Statistics.
ACCIDENTS in CARBON
The Inspector Makes Some Suggestions
and Recommendations Concerning
the States Coal Interests.
ACCIDENTS IN CARBON

and comprehensive manner. 1t shows
that during the past year there has been
a constant development in mining inter
ests. and that the state of Montana is
each year becoming richer and richer as
her sturdy sons dclve with unqucnch
able energy for the hidden treasures of
earth.
Of particular interest i'm this locality
is the summary of mining interests of
this county given under the head Of Car
bon County Coal Mines, which Is as
follows:
Rocky Fork Coal Co. The mines of
this company are located at Red Lodge
the county seat of Carbon county, and
the terminus of the Rocky Fork branch
Of the Northern Pacific railway. d. q.
O'Shea, resident manager. Pobert Pct
tigrew. superintendent. The mines pro
dncc 4 good quality of Ignite coal
which IS used largely fol- steam purpo
seS on the Montana divisions of the
Northern Pacific railway. 1t Is also an
excellent domestic fuel the supply
placed on the local markets for this
purpose not euualing the demand dur
ing the year. The coal seams in this
field are numerous and not far apart
the strata between the seams being some
300 to 400 feet thick Work at present
Ky mostly confined to NOS. . and ! seams
On which slopes are sunk To 4 depth Of
l,S0O and 900 feet respectively and arc
worked on the double entry system. The
workings are generally well ventilated
| and every Recommendation offered for
be temporarily poor have been cheer
nished without stint for the protection
shown by the management to safeguard
the lives and persons Of their employees
while underground. Five hundred men
are employed In the several departments
during the gre;ter part OF the year, this
number being slightly reduced in the
summer months. In 1899 the expanding
business of the company made necessary
vast and expensive improvements as aids
to increasing production and facilities
for handling it. a modern coal plant
has been in course Of construction for
nearly two years and was lately put in
commission. Tbe new and old plant
consists Of boiler plant, $50 horse power:
two pairs OF haulagc engines of 800 and
POO horse power: one McEwcn engine for
driving electric generators $50 horse
power: one Eddy generator. 26:)= horse
power: seven electric mining and shear
ing machines: one electric locomotives
Electric power is also used for pumping
thr mine water, in shops and for general
| purposes several Other steam engines are
also employed, such as operating box car
| lnadcrs, screening and clrvating marhin
cry and running rentilating fans. the
| whole making a works of considerable
magnitude.
Carbon Coal Co. The mines Of this
company are located at Carbos1ado
Henry Bllrrell, manager. e. S. Gun
bingham. superintendent. Located on
tho Rocky Fork branch OF the Northern
Pacific railway. This seam Is worked
through Il shaft 500 feet deep and pro
duces $50 tons of Ignite coal per day.
nearly all of which is slsed for steam and
smelling purposes at the Anaconda
smelling Works. \ u foot fan is used
tor veDtilating the mime. supplying Il
current which keeps the workings we'll
aired Some tlRae ago thc plan of work
ING WAS changed from the double entry
to the longWalI systcnl. The change
benefited both the company and the
miners, 1t was found That conditions
favored the latter SYSTEM, materially in
crcaslng the tonnage per man and pro
ducing 1t cheaper l1) men are emu
ploved IN the mine and works. In equip
ing this property DO expense was spared
Ihe buildings are constructed OF brick
and steel. The head franae is Il steel
structure 80 feet high from The collar Of
the -haft. The tipplc building IS cr
ccted at and cpyer- the shaft haNing a
dimension Of 40Nl5O feet constructed
entirely of steel. Hosting is done with
a pair af Litchfield engines alX2s inch
cylinders. Inch cable. cage and ear of
one and oneh half tons capacity. The
plant is designed to handle yery=lar9e
output.
Clarke Fork Coal Co. The mines of
this company are situated at Gebo. on
the Clarke Fork branch Of the Northern
Pacific railway. Henry Burrell, mana
ger. Henry Welch, superintendent. En-
ploys $50 men. 1t is a four percent
slope opening penetrating the seam
which is six feet thick for 800 feet 1t
is worked ON the double entry system
and ventilated by fans. The coal is
mined by electric machines and used for
steam and domestic purposes. The coal
is hauled to the surface by means of
l5O- foot horse power Ottumway engine
and l-inch rope. From the mine en-
trance to the tipple it is hauled on an
electric railway distance Of 1890 feet.
In 1899 a very complete steam and cleo
trio plant was completed consisting of
new haulage engines, two electric gen
rators of 135 horse power each, electric
mining machines, railway and steel tip