Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1904-05-14
Hints On Shaft Work.

In view of the enormous expense in
Cured in shaft work and the necessity
of capable and economical management
connected Herewith, a few hints Of
practical value may prove of Interest tc
readers of the Mining and Scientific
Press.
Occasionally we see statements made
by managers setting forth the cost pei
foot of shaft work and pointing with
pride to the low cost of same, but never
a suggestion of how or under what con-
ditions this was accomplished. On the
other hand, have heard managers an
nounce at stockholders and directors
meetings that shaft work cost from 500
to $120 per foot. 1t is easy to see what
a 1000 foot shaft would come to at such
figure.
These reports are accepted by the
stockholders, unconscious of the fact
that such work should and could be done
for from one-half to three-fourths of
the above amount.
After you have decided what kind of
shaft you want-and to my mind YER
tical shaft is the only proper working
shaft-the next thing is to introduce
some system and religiously adhere to
it. First of all, do not have too many
bosses. Usually superintendent goes
to the sinking crew and gives certain
orders; perhaps before he is gone ten
minutes the foreman comes along and
advises something directly opposite;
then probably two or three shift bosses
come along and make counter suggest
ions. So it is only reasonable to suppose
that chaos is the inevitable result.
My idea is to give the foreman full
charge of the shaft work, if he is cap
able, and if not, get some one who is.
Then if the superintendent has orders
to give, let them be given through his
foreman. 1t is well enough to have
shift bosses come around to see if the
shaft men need anything, and if they
do, procure it for them. For the aim
should be to have the men in the thaft
stay there and not be running all over
the mine looking for tools, etc. To a.
void this, as means of communication
with the top man, l have used what l
call tag board. A piece of board 6x12
inches is a convenient size, and have
written on it, or better still burned on,
everything liable to be needed in the
shaft, and opposite each item hole in
which to insert wooden peg. This
board is fastened on the cable Just a.
bove the hook so as to be in reach, and
left there. When anything is needed all
the shaft men need do is to insert the
peg opposite the article needed and send
the bucket to the surface. At glance
the top man sees what is wanted and
sends it down. This keeps the men at
their work and avoids the CAREFUL hand
ling of men by the engineer One of
the greatest items of expense is the
breaking of the ground, and care should
be taken not to break too much out of
the sides of the shaft.
The space between the walls and the
timbers must be filled in and conse-
quently is lot of needless work, and
besides is not so substantial. To avoid
breaking too much ground out of the
sides, or too little for that matter, /
have used plumb-bob attached to a
light pole, long enough to reach the last
set, by placing the pole, with plumb-line
attached, in the corners of the set and
letting the plumb-bob drop to the bot
tom; you can see at a glance how much
ground is to come out. Aim at least to
take out from to 8 inches outside of
the shaft timbers. This leaves enough
room to get blocking and tagging be-
hind the sets. Some men who profess
to be miners try to take too much
ground out of the bottom at one setting
up, and to that end they tell the men
to drill 9-foot or 10-foot holes, then fill
them with dynamite. The result is that
it takes one, and sometimes two and
three days, to replace the timbers that
have been blasted out, and besides they
don't break the ground clean, but leave
it in such condition that it cannot be
drilled or picked out. When the mer
are shoveling have them pick the bot.