The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1914-07-31
". "a. LENDS IN
MINING METHODS

OhAhl-EsrON. w. VA, July 30
The last issus Of The Coal Age, dealing
With The prosrsss in the mining msthods
in the several coal producing statss OF the
Union, declare that Wet virrinia leads
all the rest. Ii says in part:
1T will not b generally known thss
In many Important wsys wess virxinis
mines have . iesdenAhip over thoss in
other states. Theft principal claim 10
dass'nction 10 in their adoption OF con-
servst'onsi practices. IL is true that the
method OF extracting coal nov followed
In all the modern mines OF the state vs.
anticipated In parts OF the ConnsiIsvilIe
region, md We have even zen docuueu-
tary svidsncs that the Pocahontss dsld
took u sysssm Of mising dirscsy from
ths fnasyivsnis ooks regions. In ths
Faimont Aelds hoxsvss. he niuins
ussAsods ass alnons idsnsical, bus ~
nsy hsvs sbsuAipdssadsnay evolved p
~ - VOL ~" n ~ esrsuae isu,s.
e1aZ3 - 1cs6nonRsp,'
swasd 49, Sasths d1uotpsvy, - -
- 70 sivs vsH visuisis ersdIs sor -
trsctins larger psrcsasaes than say
other state By sound mining methods.
IN no state 10 the percentage Of first 10
covery lower and in none is the final ex-
traction higher, and In hardly any deld
v - careful . record kept of the perusns-
age Of coal secured
1T 10 not proud boast for Pennsyl-
vsnia that it orisinatsd and developed an
excellent system OF mining and then large
ly refused 10 adopt it AMI continued 10
operate in q wasteful manner. Nor 10 IL
creditable 70 Illinois that IT. percsntase
OF recovery 10 ANAL in all but its long
wall workings.
illinois, like West Virginia, could
have adopted these methods, but instead
IL has kept 10 the wide room, narrow
pillar, short breaking piIlars, and expert |
ence - showing that these are unequal to |
the work that u demanded Of them-th.t
OF correcting the other four faults in the
methods just enumerated.
1T 10 true that the labor union hss
been partly the cause of the unmethod- |
zeal methods OF many states, though lust
the same faults are 70 lie found in tho
which are unorsanized. We think, how
ever, that had Pennsylvanis. Illinois and
other states really valued conservation
and clearly sen all the values which are
cast away with wasted coal, they would
have, one and all, found way 70 do
better work. As "a. stated &C the Goal
Mining institute u America, the Penn
sylvsnis operators have always sought
too large . hrst recovery. and A. =.
Cameron suggested that II . reduction in
primary extraction wss more common,
the fatality rse might possibly be De.
creased. This precsution against week
ening the mine By excessive '6rst mining
has besn one of tie chief aerits in West
virginis management.
But West Virgins has the distinction
that she has numter Of mining men
who have been willing 10 give the ben
eht Of their experience 70 the World ~
large. And there - not . little thst rs
have learned from them. The cnstom of
dsmpening the intake 70 decre.-e the ri.k
Of explosions sro~s In West Virginia and
has been adopted &C nearly sIl the nine-
IN that stsss. M.Dy workings In Penn
sylysnis, Illinois. Kentucky and some In
Colorado are following the lead of West
Virginia IN ths matter.
The state slso, -e believe, introduced
The steele mine tie and railroad car re-.
tsrdsrs, and vs certainly one Of The
finest 70 nss concrete for sscprines and
overssts. 70 purchs.s portable fans for
immedisss uss IN mine explosions, and 70
srsiyzs th~ air current 70 determine de
prsxncs Of methsne.
There ssilI senain in West virdpi.
- N o<ber stases. old-nne mines ritb
antsqnsfsd methods. bot tbose Who -
The new wsss vipinis realize tfaAt in
lev yssn thsrs viH b. lev 6elds b~tsrr
developed, and lev vhers more care =
taken 70 psovds favorable living oondi-
toos.
lO~~x