The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-03-19
over the present sys-

owners 10 MI out blanks provided
by the Inspector at the end of each
year relative to statistics, acreage
worked out, and unworked terri
tory, tons produced, accidents,
etc, and all other information not
of a private nature.
Only one company refused to
give these statistics to Mr.. Muir
ply, but he got them from another
/ source.
The subject of having ain ap-
preparation made to provide funds
for the administration of the office
received some consideration also.
In the matter OF drainage Mr..
Murphy has considerable to say.
He tells of the great benefit the
new drainage tunnel recently put
into operation by the Consolida-
ton Coal Company and after de-
scribing the workable coal mea-
sures of the Georges Creek basin
he advocates the building of a
general tunnel by the state for the
purpose Of draining off the entire
measure.
The following is Mr.. Murphy s
scheme:
a drainage tunnel could be
driven from some point on War; ior
Run near Cresaptown into the
bottom; Of the Georges Greek
Basin, that l believe would afford
complete drainage for all the coal
possessing any commercial value.
1t is doubtful If this tunnel would
need to be more than three miles
long, that is, the main drainage
tunnel; Of course it might require
branch tunnels of short distances
to reach some of the fiat work in
the bottom of the syncline. The
plan that suggests itself to my
mind in connection with this
tunnel, would be that the state
take it i'll hand. There is no bet
ter way that the state could spend
about 81 10000 than by paving
the way for an easy development
of the valuable coal seams in the
western part of the state. Private
corporations could not agree on
doing work like this that means
50 much economic value to the
commonwealth. Some would be
afraid that one company would
derive more benefit from it than
another, aud this would no doubt
be true. If the state would drive
the tunnel it could be made
source Of revenue for perhaps the
next 50 years. Each operating
company using it as an outlet for
their water would be charged so
much per ton, say one cent, as
Stunning that company would put
water into the tunnel proportion
ately with the number of tons
mined The revenue thus derived
from one seam of coal would more
than double the cost of construc-
ton, and as safety precaution,
from accommodations of water and
probable gas, it can hardly be es-
timated. The water itself could
be utilized. 1t would be an ever
flowing and constant stream, and
always increasing. Why not give
it drop enough at the opening and
wire the power thus furnished
back to the mines or towns, and
this would be the means of addi-
tlonal revenue to the state. Some
may say that this is away in the
future, but | do not agree to that.
l think it is live question and if
found practicable could be worked
out in the next few years. I trust
this matter will be taken up by
some people in the state and given
the consideration think it merits.
In order to keep scales at the
mines in good condition the in
speCtor thinks a set of test scales
should be kept at every weigh
Office, then the scales could be
tested at any time when thought
to be untrue.
His chapter on accidents in
British and in American coal