Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-01-02
A GIGANTIC
COAL INDUSTRY
An Enterprise Of Surprising Magnitude
and Resources.
COAL IN UNLIMITED QUANTITIES
Description Of the Browning Mines at
POcahOntas, One of the Richest in
the Flat Top Coal Field.
COAL IN UNLIMITED QUANTITIES

last week we we're at Pocahontas and
visited the Browning mines. When
Colonel Browning politely offered to show
us through the mines our first impulse was
TO decline the polite invitation. The re-
cent disaster at Pocahontas was so fresh
in our memory that We were nervous at
the mere suggestion, but we bad never
been in a coal mine and curiosity subdued
onr nervousness and We are glad that curl.
osity made us bold, We confess that our
idea of coal mining was greatly at FAULT
and especialiy so as to the operations at
these particular mines. Being an lndi'
vidual mining operation-the only one III
the Flat Top Coal Felds-we had no idea
ofthe magnitude of the enterprise, and we
are satisfied that very few persons are
familiar with its proportions. For some
reason there has been strenuous effort
made by hostile spirits to minimize the
value of this immensely valuable property
and treat it as coal operation too lnslg'
n;6cant TO lie ranked among the valuable
p,oper,ies of this marvelously wealthy re-
gion. If any such impression had been
made upon our mind by the adverse sug'
gestion, our visit to the Browning mines
more than dispelled the impression, as a
visit will for any other person who may
feel enough interest to go and see for
themselves.
In tie year 1891 Col. J. S. Browning
commenced mining coal on the land oil
Mrs. Browning, about three-fourihs OF a
mile southwest of the station at Pocahon'
tas. The doubling Thomases had already
settled it that there was no coal on thls
land. which was declared to be on the
wrong side of Laurel Creek and in what Is
called 1.-THE fault" But Colonel Brown
ing made an opening and struck one OF
the largest and finest veins OF coal that
has vet been shownin the Flat Top region
He had no capital, but they had the COAL
courage AMI resolution. The first mining
was of the crudest Characteristic coal was
rolled from the mine in wheelbarrows and
hauled TO the west end Of the n. x w.
railroad tracks and loaded from the wag-
ons to the cars.
In 1898 the character of the mining was
changed-a locomotive and cars were en-
ployed in hauling the coal from the mine
to tipple, which was erected at the west
end of the railway track on the property
of the Flat Top Coal Land Association.
This was continued until about one year
ago, when the Brownings were orderei t."
discontinue lhe Use Of the tipple, and 1t
became necessary TO either return to the
old method of hauling the coal Ill wagons
or of builIinl Il railway track to the mines
and the election Of another upple. The
latter plaza WAS adopted, half mile OF
road was Graded and laid with rails, the
cost of the Improvement being borne by
Colonel and Mrs. Browning, and amount
ing to SC, 900. Then tipple was built at
the MINES and lift constructed which,
with the other permanent improvements
made at the mines during the year l9Ol,
amounted to total expenditure on those
lines Of $1,000
MINING PROPERTY.
The mining property consists of from
800 to 800 acres of coal lands, which ex-
tend up Laurel Greek for distance OF
three and one-half miles. Of this large
boundary Mrs. Browning owned only
about It's acres: wh9ni the mining was
commenced. The other has since been
acquired by purchase. On June II, 1885,
the Brownings placed part of their valu-
\ able coal lands in what was known as a
Hpool," and lease was made to the
Laurel Cree Coal and Coke Company.
This company failed to comply with the
requirements of the lease for building a
railway to and developing and working
the property. suit was instituted by j.
S. and Ole II. Browning TO annul the
lease, and the deed creating the "pool.
This suit was resisted by the lessees,
and a protracted litigation ensued, which
was terminated by decree of the SD
preme Court of Appeals of Virginia, rem
dered at its term at Wytheville last Sum-
mer, which was a complete victory for the
Brownlngs. The deed which created tie
"pool" was annulled, and the Brownings
had restored to them 272 acres of land
that is valued by conservative, disinter'
ested persons at not less than $1,000 900.
The vein of coal which is now being
mined. is from twelve to fifteen feet in
thickness, and is, perhaps, of the finest
quality in the Flat Top fields. On mum
Der of occasions the Cramps have made
orders for hand-picked coal from this
mine to he used in tie trials Of war vessels
built for Japan aud other countries. As a
steam coal it is without superior and
equalled by very few, if any. Sixty-elght
feet below the vein which Is now being
worked there is an eleyen.fCot vein, aad
above it there Is believed to be another
vein four feet thick. These three veins,
extending over between six aud eight
hundred acres and reaching up Laurel
Greek distance of about three and a
half miles, make it property OF almost
inestimable value.
METHODS AND FACILITIES FOR MINING.
Two entrances have been made On the
south side of Laurel Greek. The drifts
leading from these entrances form juno
ton about two hundred yards from the