Eastern Utah advocate. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1895-1915, 1912-11-14
IMPROVED METHODS
Advance Chapter From Geological
survey On Coal Mining.

As an indication OF the improve
ment In coal mining methods the
statement contained in the report
ON coal. b. y. W. Parker. now belnI
printed by the United States geolo-
gical survey AZ an advance chapter
from Mineral Resources For 1911
Is OF interest. The number Of ma
chimes used IN mining coal In 1911
was 1879. an Increase OF five hun
drod and sixty-five over 1910. The
leading coal producing state, Penn
sylyania, ~ also first In the total
tonnage mined by the use OF ma
chimes and In the total number OF
machines In use. but IN The proper
ton OF machine mined coal TO the
total output ohio far outranks all
other states. In 1911 Pcnnsylvania's
production OF machine mined coal
was 69.13i.923 short tons, or i776
per cent Of the total. ohio's pro-
duction of machine mined coal was
20. $4,000 short tons. or S6.33 per
cent OF the total. Ohio II third in
the production OF machine mined
coal. though ranking fourth IN the
total production West virginia,
the second state In coal production,
IL also second In the output OF ma
chine mined coal. which In 1911
was 29.12t.4SO short tons. or is.67
per cent OF che total Illinois IL
fourth In che quantity OF machine
mined coal. with 23.O93.SO7 short
tons.
Although the total production OF
bltumlnoua coal In the United States
decreased from it7.iit.tl2 shor
tons In 1910 to 4O5.757.tOl shor,
tons In 1911. the quantity OF coal
undcrcut or otherwise mined by the
use OF machines increased from
i7i.Oi2.293 short tons TO i77.97i,
SIC tons. The percentage OF Oh,
machine mined tonnage To the tota
output increased from ara In t91i
no ta.S9 IN 1871.
Capable 90 Large Incrrase.
The progress made In rcccn
years In the substitution q me
saanical methods In the mining %
bltuminous coal has been enc of IN.
most interesting developments q
the history Of the industry. II ha
been stated by those who are faml
liar with bltumlnouH coal mining A.
the United States that the mines n
present developed are capable o
producing. with plentiful suppl
~ labor and ample tranaportatioI
facilities. from so TO &c per cen
moro than the high record OF l9i'
and even higher record OF 1910. l
ia probably not AN cXaggeratiou q
state that the bitumlnous mines q
the United States could produc
from Xix hundred 90 seven hundre
million tons OF coal without opcnin
another new mine, In order Z
meet this condition and also 4
meet ,he general tendency towar
iucroased cost of labor. operator
have been impellod 20 the utllizatio
% labor saving and expense reduS
lng machinery.
Greater Safety secured.
In addition TO the lessening q
the mining cost, however. there ar
two other aims 20 be accompllshe
By the use OF mining machines, Tn
underwriting OF coal by hand Is on
OF the most eXacting kinds OF labo
and the use OF machinery MATERIAL
reduces the arduous tasks OF m
laborer. More important than thi
however, u Is Parker's belief. Il N
greater safety secured through n
duclng the practice. too prevalent /
many mining districts. OF "shootin
from the solid" This practice "a
not be 40 strongly condemned. Il
Il Increases the liability 60 accldeI
ana Is contrary 10 the principle ,
conservation In that a produces
: considerable quantity OF undcsirab
! or unmarketable fuel