The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-07-24
WEST VIRGINIA
tFtotll coal Age.1

iFfon Coal Age.1
II may not be generally known that
IN many Important ways West VIZ
ginia mines have a leadership over.
those in other states. Their principal,
claim to distinction Is in their adop-
tion Of conseryational practices. 1t Is
true that the method Of extracting
coal now followed in all. the modern
mines of the state was anticipated Ii
parts OF the connellsyillc region, and
we have even seen documentary evil
dence that the rocahontas field took
It's system Of mining directly from
the Pennsylvania coke regions. In.
tthe Fairmont field, however, the
mining methods are almost Identical,
but they may have been independent
~ evolved.
We arc not disposed hero, however,
10 discuss the growth Of the system
aud award laurols for the discovery,
hut rather to give West Virginia
credit for extracting a larger per-
ocntngc than any other state by
sound mining methods. In no state
ia the percentage Of first recovery
lower and in noneis the final extrac-
;ion higher and in hardly any field is
as careful o record kept Of the per-
ccntage Of coal occurred.
IFS not a proud boast for Pcnnsyl-
yania that 1t originated and develop
cd a system Of mining and then large
~ refused to adopt II and continued
| to operate in more wasteful man.
ner. Nor is 1t creditable to Illinois
that its percentage of recovery is
small in all but its longwall work
Iings.
Illinois, like West Virginia, could
Have adotped these methods, but in
lstcad it has kept TO the wide room,
narrow pillar, short breaking line
land unsighted breast, and Ids only
Iattenpted to, secure itself by large
Ibrcaking pillars, and experience Is
lSlowinS that these are unequal to
1.-THE work that is demanded Of them
--tllat of correcting the other four
faults in the methods Just enumcrat-
cd.
1t is true that the labor union has
been partly the cause of the I'M
Imctllclicul methods Of many states,
talthough Just the same faults are to
be found In those which are unor-
ganizcl. We think, however, that
HAD Pennsylvania, Illinois aud OTHER
states really valued conservation and
clearly seen all the values which arc
cast away with wasted coal, they
would have one and all, found a way
Ito do better work. AS was stated at
1.-THE Coal Mining Institute of Ameri-
ca, tho Pennsylvania operators ihave
. always sought too large first recov.
cry, and ALPS Cameron suggested
that If a reduction in primary cx-
tractiontw twas more common, The 70:
ltality rate might possibly sbe de-
creased. Il THIS prccaution against
wetkeningt the L mine by excessive
4 "ffrst mining has been one Of the
chief merits in West Virginia man
\ agement.a,, hAstsu SiSIl .,,
But, West Virginia has the qistine-
ton that she has number Of mining
linen, mostly, we admit, with the Con- Con
solilation Coal company who lave
been willing to give the benefit o.
their experience to tho world at large
INnd, there is;not little that we have
learned from them. Tie custom o.
| dampcning the intake3to decrease tht
risk Of explosions arose in West VIZ
ginia and has been adopted at; nearly
|all the mines in that state. Many
workings in Pennsylvania, Illinois.
Kentucky ana some in Colorado, are
following the lead Of West Virginia
in this matter.
The state also, we believe, intro
Iduccd the steel mine tic and railroad
car rctarders, and certainly was one
of the first to use concrete for stop
pings and oyercasts, to purchase port
liable fans for immediate use In mine
explosions, and TO analyze the air cur
rent to determine the presence Of
mctlianc.
There still remain in West vir-
tginia as in ther states, old-time
-