The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-10

of this great industry Is of correspond
ing interest. The third part of the twen-
ty-second annual report of the United
States geological survey, now passing
through the press, contains the de-
scription of "The Pennsylvania An
thracite Coal Field" by Mr.. III. II.
Stock Editor of Mines and Minerals of
this city.
Speaking broadly, the anthracite coal
field, consisting of long, narrow, up
land valleys and located in east-central
Pennsylvania, may be said to be bound
ed on the west by the Susquehanna
river, on the north by the north branch
Of the Susquehanna, and on the east by
the Delaware and Lehigh rivers. The
anthracite region lies mainly within
Lackawanna, Luzerne, Carbon, Schuyl-
kill and Northumberland counties,
though the measures overlap into
Wayne, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Sulli-
van, Columbia, Dauphin and Lebanon.
OF the total anthracite territory, only
about 4S4 square miles are underlain by
workable coal measures; nor is this
productive area continuous, but con-
sists of detached basins.
FOUR MAIN DIVISIONS.
OF tile four main geographic dvis-
ions, the northern basin, including the
Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys,
contains 176 square miles. The eastern
middle basin has total coal area of
about 33 square miles. The southern
basin extends 20 miles from Mauch
Chunk on the Lehigh river west to
Dauphin on the Susquehanna, and con-
tains 1S1 square miles. The western
middle basin contains 94 square miles.
This anthracite coal field is divided
for trade and labor purposes into the
Wyoming region, or labor district No.
1; the Lehgh region, or labor district
No. z; and the Schuylkill regions, or
labor district No. ..
1t is probable that only a very small
part Of the coal measures originally
deposited in this region has escaped
erosion In the report of the coal waste
commission (HarriSburg), Mr.. ID. w.
Smith estimates the original contents
of the anthracite coal field before mill
ing began at more than 19,500 million
tons, and he thinks that this amount
of coal represents not more than per
cent, probably about . per cent, and
possibly only 1 per cent. of the vast
original coal deposit before erosion
took place The coal beds vary in thick
ness from mere traces of coal to the 80
or so feet of the mammoth bed. In the
Wyoming basin of the northern field
SIS per cent. of the total coal may be
considered marketable; in the eastern
middle field, rs to n per cent; in the
southern field, 72 per cent; in the west
ern middle field, 70 per cent.
DEVELOPMENT OF FIELD.
The development of the anthracite
coal field may be briefly suggested by
the following chronology: 1862. anthra-
cite discovered in Wyoming valley by
Connecticut settlers. 1863, Obadiah
Gore first burned anthracite in his
blacksmith forge. 1902, anthracite first
burned in CRATE in Philadelphia. 1912,
anthracite first successfully used in an
iron furnace at Philadelphia. 1923,
first cargo of anthracite shipped around
Cape Cod to Boston. 1S20-1S40 period
of canals and navigation companies.
1840-1901, period of railroad eXploita-
ton. 1855, anthracite leads charcoal
in manufacture of pig iron. 1887, i'm
portant development of lake and west
ern trade. 1900, large number of ,indi-
vidual collieries bought up by rail-
roads.
After a protracted contest with the
railroads, the individual operators con-
solidated their interests in 1899 with
the Pennsylvania Coal company and in
corporated railway for themselves;
whereupon, in January, 1901, the Penn
Sylvania Coal company was bought by
Messrs. Pierpont Morgan G. Co., at an
Of hn
value of the stock; this property was
then Immediately sold to the Erie rail-
road; and thus the contest was closed
The mining is by stripping" where
the coal outcrop can be easily reached
and by the room and pillar system for
work. Slopes and shafts
are the prevailing form of mine open
ing. Anthracite is universally mined
with hand rotary drills and by the use
of black blasting powder, dynamite or
giant powder being sometimes used
APPROXIMATE RESULT.
The reports of the bureau of mines
give 1913 tons of anthracite mined as
the approximate result per keg used, |
as against 2S2 tons, per keg of powder, !
of bituminous coal mined during the !
as a general rule. and mining machines
have never been applied successfully to |
the anthracite field, Ventilation is uni !
by rotary fans, and fire. damp |
exists in number of mines in such |
quantities as to render it necessary to |
work them entirely by the use of safety |
lamps. Every known form of haulage-
mule haulage, rope haulage, locomotive |
to be found in the anthra- |
cite mines, there being in 1900, S32 en- |
gines of various kinds, and 15,70S mules |
for hauling coal.
Unlike bituminous coal anthracite |
must be broken, sorted TO sizes, and |
have the impurities picked out, before |
it can be marketed. The coal is broken |
by toothed rolls, and screened in circu-
lar or horizontal screens, the slate be-
ing picked out by machinery or by |
boys and old men.
Some years ago the anthracite miners |
were mainly American, English, Welsh
and Irish; but at present a great many |
are represented in the an
thracite fields. The percentage of ma
tionalities are about as follows. Amer
lean, 2l; Irish, 16; English s; Welsh, 8
a little over 81 per cent-Polish, 81;
s. Italian, 3; German, 4;
and Austrian, Slavonic, Scotch and
over / per cent each. In
1899 the amount of employees inside the
mines was 92,223; of outside employees,
iS,433, total OF 140,656.
INCREASE OF PRODUCTION.
The production of the coal in the an
Ihraeite field by decennial periods since |