The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1910-04-02
! BIG PROPERTY IS AS NEAR PERFECT
: LY WORKED As POSSIBLE
NEG lDRY HOUSE IN USE
All Modern Convenisnces are Afforded
the Men and Lockers for Clothes
Abandoned.

Through the courtesy OF Genera
Superintendent Richards. reporter
for the Diamond Drill was privileged
70 take a trip through the big Tobir
snine recently Contrasting modern
mining methods with those in vogue .
dozen years ago, the Tobin is ..revela.
tion There are larger mines but there
is no body Of ore that is moie SYSTEM
atically and economically worked than
the Tobin.
Our first object Of interest was the
new changing house which was com
pleted last winter We found an up
to-date structure in every particular
and in no way is the comfort Of the
+ men overlooked.
THE building is 26xli4. two stories
the lower one being solid concrete and
in a nalf basement form.
The lower floor Is entirely devoted
10 washing and bathing. Large wash
benches. running through the room.
six shower baths and porcelain tub
make up the conveniences for washing
purposes In addition thore are sew
eral wash tubs for the use Of the men
when they wish TO wash out their
mine clothing.
A generous supply OF steam pipes
heat this floor and keep the tempera-
tnre whore IL is always comfor table for
men 10 wash
BY an inside stairway the men may
pass to the upper floor. after washing,
where their clothing is kept and where
they dress. One arrangement that en-
gagged our attention is the abolition OF
lockers for clothing. In explaining
this Mr. Richards said that they have
Bxperimented- great deal and find
that they can get better results by
abolishing the lockers and Keeping
strict watch ON the dry at all times.
The lockers they nave found to be
temptation. When they had lockers
they were constantly being broken into
so they decided to abolish the lockers,
retaining only a small box under the
seat where men may lock up their
boots and hat These boot lockers"
are open on the bottom with steam
pipes below.
The floors of the building are all Of
concrete and regularly every day, after
changing time. tho hose Is turned on
and the.house cleansed by flooding the
floors. The drainage is excellent.
The main level OF the Tobin is now
the 10th which is 1000 feet below sur
face. A new level. the lith Is now
being opened mp but the main mining
during the coming season will loo done
on the 10th. This level is connected
with the new shalt, sunk two years
ago, by ~ long rock tunnel. $50 feet
long. affording lots Of room for the
switching OF tramcars. about which
we ill have something 10 say later
The new shaft IL the third snaft
which the Tobin has had since il was
opened up. II is figured that this shaft
is located at such distance away from
the ore body that IL will serve the
mine for all time. The other two
shafts. tho Hennepin and the old
robin. both entered the ore body. The
Hennepin was abandoned two years
sgo but tne Tobin was only recently
abandoned. Around both II these
shafts were lett very large oIe pillars
which are now being taken down and
he methods employed In their removal
we're devised for that particular pur-
pose and are working we'll
Take the Tobin shaft pillar, which
IS Just being attacked. rs an example
" what Is being done. Raises have
,een run mp all around the pillar from
he-main level TO point about 200 feet
rom ..he mp OF the pillar These
aises convbsss nc the center OF the big :
DiIlar at this point, leaving but mar. ,
w partitions between them. Then !
pillar is under cut with drifts In ,
n directions, care being taken that
be ground slopes towards the raises at
II points. Between these drifts are /
eft small pillars sufficient TO sustain
he weight Of the ore while the work
nen are honeycombing the ore body 4
When all Of the drifts are completed. v
no pillars will he tlasted ont and the y
ntire chunk Of ore. 200 feet high and
bout 100 feet In diameter. will begin
o settle aud crush and as II crushes IL
siIi mill itself down the raises to the 4
aain level below whore chutes ARE con- 1
4iently arranged and 1t Is run into 81
ne cars No labor will Dv necessary u
fter the pillars are blasted ont exopet- +