Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-11-26

opment of the mines.
During the year seventeen fatal ac-
cidents occurred, or one life lost per
66.649 tons of coal mined. Twelve hun
dred men were employed underground
and 410 men outside, total 1910 men;
SO boys were employed underground
and 10 outside, total. ~.
Oil was Substituted.
Oil was substituted for coal as q fuel
upon the Southern Pacific railroad
from San Francisco, Cal, to FL Paso,
Tex. a distance of 1,150 miles, and
upon the Santa Fee Pacific railroad
from San Francisco, Cal, to Selig-
man, Ariz.. and branch lines. oil
miles. or a total mileage Of 2.061 miles.
Besides the substitution of oil upon
these railroads, fuel oil has also re-
placed coal for domestic and manufac-
turing uses in many parts of Califor-
MIA. Arizona and Texas, where New
Mexico coal formerly found a market:
yet, the coal production of the mines
most affected by competition of oil,
Mckinley county mines, shows an in
creased production of 3O,221 tons over
the preceding year.
Never before has so much substan-
tial development and equipment been
put upon the coal mines of New Next
90 in a single year, and the results
of development are beyond the most
sanguine expectations of the opera
tors. Taking every condition and
circumstance bearing upon the coal
industry Of New Mexico into consid.
Grafton, it is evident that a very pros
porous era is close at hand for the
coal miners of the territory.
Area of Coal Lands.
The area of coal lands in the terri
tory is given approximately as 1866
$50 acres. and the available tonnage
at S.173, $40 coo tons. Mckinley coun-
ty stands first among the coal-pro-
ducing counties of the territory, show
ing a production of 561,436 tons, of a
value Of s779,1s2, against 531,215 tons
last year; 700 men were employed.
Colfax county is second, with 264,3 1854
tons. valued at s2S0,197, ACT men and
20 boys employed, against 332.046 IONS
last year. a decrease of 67,6S2 tons,
caused by lack of labor and conse-
quent restricted development. Lin
coin county is third, with 121 ,902 tons,
1853 men and G boys employed,
against a production of 49, 1872 tons
last year. Santa Fe county is fourth,
with a product of 103,461 tons; 1T
men and Z boys employed. This
shows a decrease of 1885 tons. due
to fire in the Cerrillos bituminious
mine %curtailing the product. Rio
Arriba county produced $4,000 tons,
giving employment to As men and 3
boys. Socorro county produced 90
6S1 tons, 62 men employed, against a
product of 14,116 toni last year. San
Juan county produced 1900 tons; 3
men employed. During the year II
new mines were opened-9 In Colfax
county, l in Santa Fe county and 1
in Socorro county. Four mines were
abandoned, 8 in Colfax county and l
in Lincoln county. Three mines in
Mckinley county temporarily suspend
ed operation on account of lack OF de-
maid.
Danger From Explosions.
The inspector calls special attention
to the necessity of measures being
taken to eliminate the probability of
coal dust explosions, now of such fire.
quent occurrence in all Of the central
IcOuthprn and wactarp coo~lprnduoip,
states, as well as in the coal mines in
the territory; so general is this dan.
ger, he states, and so great has been
the loss OF life therefrom that effec-
tive measures to counteract II are
well worthy the attention of the fed
that a commission composed of ex,
perts in the manufacture of explosives
be appointed for the purpose of ex.
perimenting and producing a flameless
explosive which could be manufac.
tured at reasonable cost, and which
would be safe and convenient to use.
With the same end in view, he recon.
mends that restrictions be placed up.
on miners in regard to shooting off
the Solid" or shooting coal without
any preparatory coal cutting or under,
mining, whereby the force of the ex
plosion is projected in the direction OF
the mouth Of the drill hole, thus fire.
quently producing a blown-out shot
from which cause a majority of dust
explosions originate.
Attention is directed to the advisa
bility of making a geological survey OF
the territory for the purpose OF iden,
tifying the c~oal-bearing areas OF the
territory more accurately; such sur
vey, he states, would also be of great
utility to the operators in metallifer
Gus mining.
The mine inspector again recon
mends that the law be amended, max
ing the miner as we'll as the mine