Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-12-18

been made and are in use by the U.
S. Army and by the North Dakota
National Guard.
Surveys. plans and specifications
were made for the Heart river dam in
1912.
A report was made on the PROPOSE.
ton for scftenig END purifying the
water for tie Mayvllle Normal school.
The report goes into a discussion of
the highways and highway laws of the
state, and shows considerable work
done along this line during the past
two years.
A record of the flow Of all the i'm.
portant or typical streams and the
Red river valley is contained IN the
report, the records CT which ere Oh.
tanned by Prof. e. F. Chandler of the
State University, tine office of the
state engineer having c%o-operated
with the United States Geological Sur
vey in this work s,.
The state engineer being, ex-oficio
state coal mine inspector, his report
contains a full discussion of every
mine operated in this state. This
work has been under the direct charge
of J. w. Bliss, Assistant State Engin-
eer, and it shows that the production
Of Ignite during 1912 will be $4,000
tons, IA per cent more than was pro-
duced in 1911, and a greater amount
han has ever been mined in any n
year during the history of the state.
1t is to be remembered that as a
coal producing state North Dakota is
very youns. Ignite cannot be ship
ped great distances or held in stor-
lge for other than short periods on
account of its moisture content, which
is comparatively high. Furthermore,
until recently OILY three main lines
yassed through the western part of
the state, giving shipping facilities to
but four coal producing localities.
Practically the entire Ignite bearing
area was inaccessible to shipping
points. Further, that portion of the
state west and south of the Missouri
was given over to grazing purposes,
and settlers were few and far be-
tween. Now this section Of the state
is becoming ramified with railroads
and homesteaders have taken all Of
the available land, and as a result
Ignite mining has received consider
able stimulus.
During the year los mines operated.
Some of these operate but a portion
Of, the fall and winter, others operate
the year around, part Of the time on
double shifts. All of the mines are
developed either on a single or double
entry method of room and pillar work.
The beds of coal vary from three to
nineteen feet in thickness, occurring
at depths of from five to two hundred
feet. Where the overburden is light
the coal is mined by stripping. In
general, beds OF coal which are not
thick enough to permit a foot of coal
to be left for the roof are not worked
by. underground methods, on account
Of the cost of t%infbering. Practically
all of the timber used underground
consists of posts Of cedar and tama.
rack shipped from Minnesota and.
Wisconsin,. Local timber, such as cot
tonwood, elm. and ash is available
,nly in a few instances.
An average Of 1900 miners were EN-.
ployed during the winter months,
while 400 was the average for the
hummer. The state was especially
fortunate in that no fatalities are re-
ported during the year, aid very few
serious or minor accidents have been
reported. In none Of the mines is
there any explosive gas, although
black damp is occasionally found, and
ignite dust does not create a danger
GUS condition. Ignite being slightly
resilient, the coal ordinarily left to
support the roof usually gives amply
warning of falls. Thus ignite mining
tssSa comparatively safe occupation.
Briquetting is q subject of much in
teFest to mine owners, and the exper.