Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-18
LYKENS MINES PRODUCE
100000 TONS YEARLY


Continued From First Pagc.l
tory here and workmen, besides help
ING TO supply the needs of the country,
are engaged in manufacturing tools
used IN the production of munitions
in Italy.
Noted For Coal Deposits
Lykens is noted for its coal depos-
us ana although black diamonds"
nave been recovered from beneath the
earth surface for a hundred years,
leNpert engineers say there are still
enough remaining to keep the miners
pusy tor thirty-tive years. Early in
me nineteenth century men living in
thls vicinity discovered coal in Short
mountain and it was then that the in
dustry was started. In the beginning
olly the families residing hereat< IS
were FURNISHED, but in 1880, with the
opening of wooden tracked railroad
TO Mlllersburg the field for distribution
was widened. Coal was hauled In
cars drawn by mules over the crude
railroad. and this was continued until
1873. Steam locomotives came into
peihs mere in that year and the prod
ucl OF the mine was conveyed in ears
over reconstructed railroad. In
.hat same year, too, the Lykens valley
breaker was erected and two years
X, '''S 'lIoll mountain breaker was
pull', SO that the coal could be pre-
pared FOR various uses. Eventually
all OF the coal was broken at the Short
Imodntain breaker This continued in
use until 1888 when a new breaker
WIN a greater capacity was construct
ed These buildings and machinery
were used until March, 1913, when a
new substantial concrete structure,
IWltn steel pockets and modern ma
Ichinery, Yves finished.
Great Shaft Sunk
During 1912 great four-compart-
Inent SHAFT, descending to a depth of
looO leeL was started and two
months ago the work was finished
rms Will. in the future, take the place
OF the four slopes used for many years
IN bringing coal to the surface and
taxing the miners To their work on the
various levels. Already one of the
Slopes has been abandoned and as the
tunnels can be built to meet the new
smart the others will not be used.
300 Feet Below Sea Level
Miners in the Short mountain col
| llery working at the highest point in
the mines, are 1900 feet above sea
leVel. Those at the lowest levels are
t1 yoo leet below the level of the sea,
there being difference of 2,1O0 feet
mines.
Eeach years approximately 300, 900
IONS or coal are produced in this one
colliery for use all over the United
states. Prior to 1873 no records of
the productions are obtainable but
since that time more than 1O,215,OOO
tons have been mined, and these fig
ures do not include the $1,000 tons
mined annually for use in and about
the colliery.
Mules That Work i'm the Dark
In moving coal cars from one point
TO another in the various tunnels and
levels, mules are used and there are
some OF these animals which have not
seen daylight for ten and twelve
Years. However, they are given every
comfort possible and hundreds Of
rect below the earth's surface concrete
stables, absolutely freproof, have
been built for them
ID. v Randall, who for a number of
] years was superintendent of the col
ltery at Lytle, near Minersvile. is the
new superintendent here, having re-
placed William Auman on January 1.
The latter was promoted to the super
llntendency of the mines in the Shamo-
kin district.
The Susquehanna Coal Company op-
orators of the Short mountain col
llery, are taking every precaution to
protect the workmen in their employ
Years ago heavy timbers were used in
the construction of the various tun-
nels, but now these are rapidly giving
way to structural iron which is con-
sidered much stronger.
The Eagle Iron Works
An industry closely affiliated with
the mines, is that of the Eagle Iron
works, established in 1888. At this
plant gray iron castings are made for
the mines and are used in the pumps,
holstS, boilers and all the machinery.
In connection with the plant there is a
well-equipped machine and repair
shop. Eight men are kept busy turn
ing out work for the colliery.
At the Lykens Knitting and Manu-
featuring Company's plant which ad-
Joins the iron works, 10 girls are en-
ployed and they turn out in one day
more than $50 dozen pairs of women's
and mems hose of all sizes and colors.
The plant is equipped with 1856 knit
ting machines, "a rIbbers and 16 loop
ing machines. Although much of the
output is shipped to jobbers in the
country the company does make di-
rect shipments to Argentina, Cuba and
many parts of the United States. The
plant was founded in 1892
Keen & Kniley are also manufac-
turers of mems hose and in day the
65 employees are able to turn out AIS
dozen pairs. Shipments at present
amount to 800 dozens a day and the
concern is able to fill the orders be-
cause when business was slack some
months ago big stock was rolled up