The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-06-10

when the real work is started. First
The four lines of pipes and pump are
put in. The pipes are used thus: Two
as steam pipes-one to convey the steam
to the pump, another for exhaust. The
other two: one for water and another j
for compressed air. When the water
flows in the men have to have water
proof suits and rubber boots. They
put in two drill machines, one on each
side of the shaft. Each machine nt eds
two men, the four miners that | have
mentioned before take up this work.
In drilling each machine starts hole
about three feet from the center and
the machines drill toward each other,
so when the holes are five to six feet
deep they nearly meet at the bottom.
They make four holes, two from each
side, put four or five sticks of dynamite
in each, and blast all four at the same
time with a tattery. This blast is
called cut and it is the most danger
Gus for the timber. 1t is the strongest
and throws the dirt straight up, while
all the rest throw toward each other
from side to side. Some times when
the men come down they will find
several pieces of timber knocked out
and the rest so damaged that it will
have 20 be taken down and new ones
put in their place. This second job is
worse than the first, for all the slabs
and wedges are wet and full of dirt.
This putting in the timber and al the
other work becomes very unpleasant
as the shaft grows deeper. Every time
a man raises his hand the water will
ruu down bis sleeve. And the two
steam pipes and pump make the atmo-
sphere very warm and uncomfortable
! When the shaft reaches 14O feet be-
low the mark where the ore lies they
generally stop. These 40 feet is start
to sinking it farther, to the next level
Until then it is used as place for the
pump and for collecting the water that
it may not overflow into the level. Al
1.-THE 100 foot mark they may strike
i drift, 20 feet wide and IL feet high
This does not apply to all levels-som'
are larger and some smaller.) They g
on with this drift until it comes to th'
ore. Then it is made as wide as tn
vein and 20 to 25 feet high.
In making this drift through the or
they put in five or six more drilling ma
, chimes and in short time there is &C
commodation for from forty to fit
men. When the drift is advanced
little farther the timbermen begin t
, put in the timber. This timber is no
, cut like it was in tt e shaft. 1t is il
: the rough. When this is complete
, the drift has the appearance of a tur
; mel. If the vein is wide, side drifts ar
: put in, and there is chute to every 2;
;. Their Dimensions are 6x6 feet and the
: are built with rough timbers, whic
| are called cribbens. ALI the space bt
3 tween the timber and the walls an
: around the chutes is filled with rocl
n This rock is taken from the raise whic
e is driven up to the surface, and thel
: are one or two machines continual
8 breaking down the rock into it.
v Down in the level there are cars an
y tracks made from this raise which
:. formed into chute. The car is file
It in few seconds and dumped wher
q ever the rock is needed. When this
q filed up there is space of from six
T. ten feet between this loose rock az
n ground. Then it is again started fro
,r the shaft end of the vein and taken
70 feet higher. This time there is no tir
IS ber put in, only the chutes are raised ar
d it is again filled with rock. But Il
"a work for the miners and trsmmers
now much easier than it was in Il
m drift. Trammers do not need to 10,
ID the ore on the cars. There is chu
20l to every Is feet. The ore is thrown
N to the chutes, and down in the level
70 dumped into the cars, which mu
,f will pull to the shaft.
o This work goes on until it begins
& cave in. Before it caves in, in hard 9
,e mines it always gives a warning to m
70 to get into safety. In all the min
IN that have seen caved in, the grou
tn up to the surface was moved in. VIII
re this settles down the men will go
90 again and get out all the ore possih
er This is dangerous work, and men "
ne go in must know what they are doil