The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-01-29
mo SUBSTITUTE
FOR timber
In the Operation Of Ken
lucky Coal Mines.
Six-tenths Cubeit foot Of Timber
Used to Every ton Of
Coal Produced.

ly to agriculture and numbering among
the important Industries Of Kentucky,
is absolutely dependent upon the for
ests for its existence. Few people
who are not directly connected with
mining realize that Nhe Operations Of
the mines requires thousands of feet
of timber. in tine form of props. Ce-
ment and other materials have been
tried for this use in tue mines, but
no satisfactory substitute has been
found.
The coal industry brings more than
$40, 100000 year to the State of Ken
lucky. According 10 the State In
spector of Mines, Kentucky produced
In 1905, S,039, 246 tons of coal from her
large mines; not counting those that
produce only for local use. In 1906
this had increased to 9,59S.529 tons,
while last year (1901 10,436,061 tons
were taken out of this same class Of
mines.
In the recent study of the for
est conditions OF Kentucky made by the
Forest Service in cooperation with
the State Board of Agriculture, Fores-
try and Immigration, line report OF
which is now being prepared in Wash
ington an effort was made to ascertain
to what extent the mining companies
were dependent on timber, what was
was their present and future available
supply. and what steps, if any, might
be taken to insure the pernanence of
that supply.
Most of the coal companies operat-
ing in Kentucky own or control some
cumberland and draw at least part OF
their supply Of Mining umbers from
their own land. These companies sell
dom keep any account Of the amount
or value of tine timber thus cut, their
only charge being the cost of cut
ting and delivering this timber to
the mines. Few companies separate
the cost of sawn timber and split
or round props, and also keep the
purchase cost with the cost OF plac-
ing in tue mine under the one head Of
timbering" 1t is plain what diff
Guilty this puts in tie way of obtain
ing reliable data.
From the best figures obtainable
1t has been calculated t1at in the
eastern and southeastern parts of the
the State IL takes on an average Six
tenths OF a cubic foot of round or
split timber for each ton OF coal re-
moved. This includes props caps, room
ties and collors, but does not in
clude rails, brattice, or ooaer sawn
lumber. The mines in this region are
usually above water line and are en-
tered on the level, while in the West,
deep shafts are mostly used. The roof
is usually slate in the east and so
more props are needed tLan in the
West where a limestone roof often
makes the use of props unnecessary.
In this latter region an average OF
about one-fourtn of a cubic foot Of
timber per ton Of coal is needed vary
ing with the nature of the roof.
Toe total output of 10,436,061 tons
of coal for Kentucky in 1907 Was
taken from something Ike 300 mines.
Using the above figures as a basis,
this entailed the use Of something
over 1000, 900 cubic feet of round min
ing timber, or an equivalent OF about
100000 fet board measure, of timber
in the year. which is about
$4,000 feet board measure to
the average mine Of $4,000 ton
annual output Though this is
not all cut from merchandise saw
timber. much the greater part Cd It
is. Toe mines are usually supplied by
contract and as tie larger timber IS
spit up, yields more props, and is
consequently easier and cheaper TO han'
de it is generally taken in prefer
ence to the smaller growth. Copuec-
tors are usually given a free hand
and often tine finest ASH, popular, and
white oak timber Is made up into props
in preference to the less valuable
species.
Besides tie split props, there Us
something like one board foot of sawn
timber per ton of coal put into the
mines in the year for rails, and brattios
etc. 1t can not be determined how
much sawn Timber is used above
ground Tor tipple and other construc-
ton, but one board feet per ton would
be very conservative estimate. At
this rate the average mine would re-
quire about 10000 feet of sawn hum
ber besides the spit or round timber,
which would amount to an equivalent
of $4,000 board feet more.
At an average of 5000 feet of tim
Der per acre for forest land in Ken
lucky, about SO acres would nave 10
be cut over annually to supply needful
timber TO the average mdne. AT the
present rate Of growth. 1900 or more
acres Of woodland would be needed to