The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-12-16
Especial coFrssp0Hdence Mandfactnrl
IS ers Record.)

y . t# r. = .H#
AS Illustrating the last word" In
mine equipment Of, the presnt day,
the, Annabeile mine OF the Four States
Coal and Coke Co. presents number
Of interesting phases. : II Is particu.
larry Interesting, In that It shows
the high estimation in which proper
preparedness Is held by such leaders
In Industrial achievement as the meh
WHO are at the head OF the enterprise.
The Four States Coal and Coke Co.
Is one OF the concerns organized and
controlled by the Zones interests"
I which have for years been such prom.
inent factors inSthe coal business, and
which control coNl.producing plants
IN Pennsylvania. West Virginia. Vlr.
glnia, Ohio and Kentucky. with sell.
ing agencies throughout the country.
and which Is well known to business
men In most OF the States OF the I'm
ion. The -Four States Coal and Coke
Co. purchased in this county, Marion,
large acreage nnderlaid with Pitts.
burg coal, and a short time ago began
preparations for mining coal on
large scale, and with such perfection
In appliances as the experience OF
men behind II had taught them would
be most economical for the operators
and safest for the employees.
!. AnnabelIe mine No is situated at
the. town Of Annabelle. W. Va, on
branch OF the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad that leaves the main line OF
the Monongahela division about 10
miles south Of this place. 1t is shaft
mine, the coal being reached by two
shafts 200 feet deep. The first OF
these Is circular, 10 feet In diameter
and used exclusively for evntilation.
The second shaft is oval In cross.
section, and Is 25 feet and inches
long and, ~ feet and Z, inches, wide,
This Is the shaft through which the
coal isihaistedfto. ahe ssutface- e Both
these! shafts are lined throughout
with concrete, which is distinct I'D.
vancegin mine construction. inasmuch
MS II succeeds the old.fashioned wood
en.llned shaft that was standing In.
Yltation to destruction by fire and q
constant. menace to the lives OF those
employed at the bottom. The big
shaft is equipped with two cageways
fol, holsting, and leach, OF these con.
tains awo running guides of GxS inch
yellow; pine. supported on extra heavy
steel beams imbedded In the concrete.
The. good OF which these guides are
madesis the onlywood to be found in
abe shaft. The substitution OF con.
crete for wood In lining this shaft not
only means greater safety for the min.
ers. but It means shaft that will
stand as It is until the last ton OF coal
is taken from mine No. l.
The tipple Is an unusually large one,
built OF heavy structural steel. and Is
equipped with number OF improved
devices for, the economical handling
OF coal. The mine cars are hoIsted
from the mine directly to the tipple
floor, where they are handled by semi
automatic devices which require u
minimum OF handwork and at the
same time secure the maximum OF
safely. These devices include auto.
matte cross.over dumps with steam
pnll.backs for DUMPING the cars. gray
ity tracks and kick.backs for return.
ing the, cars to the shaft! jIsteam.ope.
rated transfer cars and cagng ma
chimes which lift the cars up anG
place them on the cage ready TO be
lowered TO the mine. The same ope.
ration which placesaJhe empty cars
on the cage takes off the full ones
which have Just been hoisted, The
machinery for handling empty cars Is
all operated by one man, who controls
also the hosting OF the cages. signal
ing the hosting engineer when ready
to lower the cage into the mine. The
hoisting engineer also receives sig
nal from the bottom of the shaft wher
the loaded car has been put on the
cage ready TO be brought up. An ex
ira precautlon In the matter OF safe
ty has here been taken by having thu
signal from the man on top given b!
on, electric bell, while that from be
low is given by means OF an air.ope
rated whistle, thus doing away witt
the danger that would arise from con
fnslng signals. AS one cage descends
at the time the other ascends, the
hosting engineer awaits both signals
before making the hoist, 4
Another simple but Interesting de
vice is one at the bottom OF the shaft
which automatically, transfers one ca
at q itime from q train to the cages
II is operated by system of levers
one OF which: Is struck each time thu
cage descends, This appliance no
only facilitates the handling OF tn,
mine cars. but Also protects the mel
from accident.
Throughout all the workings, an
at every point on the tipple where at
cidents might occur, safety device
are installed All moving machiner
is, guarded with iron ratings; a
working places easily accessible hav