The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-03-30

L IGOHIefence HeHbloHsu dDofe, WHICH
failed to accomplish anything owing
to the war.
The coal found in Spitzbergen il
semi bituminous and OF excellent quail
ity. Norway, having no coal of hei
own, buys part of her supply from
Spitzbergen and the rest from Eng
land The Spitzbergen product is OF
the same quality as the best Welsh
steam coal and has been found TO be
better for some purposes. Russia also
buys some coal from these Arctic
mines.
Big Annual Output.
The average annual output is now
about 100000 tons and steadily in
creasing. In fact, the Arctic Coal
company had great difficulty last sum-
mer owing to the war in getting
enough colliers--it charters only two
to handle the output During the
four summer months that Spitzbergen
is open to navigation many steamers
OF all nationalities call at the COM
panys piers for supplies.
Coal is mined in Spitzenbergen un-
der probably the most unusual circum-
stances existing anywhere. A vein
about three feet thick outcrops at sew
eral points so that the shafts are driv-
en- horizontally into the hillside. This
method of mining is much less ex-
pensive than when 1t is necessary to
drive a perpendicular shaft.
owing to the intense cold there is no
gas in the mine and the danger of the
explosions which occur so frequently
In mines in this country does not exist.
But also owing to the cold there is no
water supply for the boilers, nor for
cooking or washing. All water used
must be melted from ice or snow.
Ordinarily coal deteriorates when left
in the open air. but in Spitzbergen it
is so cold that the coal freezes imme-
diately it is brought to the surface and
consequently the company is able to
stack it in large quantities on its docks
awaiting the reopening of navigation
in the spring. Thus the miners are
employed all the year round.
Darkness For Eight Months.
During the long winter months there
Is perpetual night, and the company
employees work, eat and sleep in the
dark. Contrarily, during the four
summer months the midnight son
makes night as bright as day. In this
latitude it is almost impossible to sleep.
During the summer months the miners
work longer hours than In winter. In
the winter they while away their spare
time with monographs, cards and
other games.
There is no mail for eight months of
the year, but, thanks to the recent
installation of wireless plant, the
men get the news of the world twice
a day by wireless from -one of the
Norwegian stations.
During the sunni er months a regu-
lar steamer service plies between
Spitzbergen and Tromso, Norway. 1t
is through this port that the people
of Sptzbergen get all their supplies.
And supplies they must have in large
quantities, to last an entire year.
Years Supplies.
Not only must all food and clothing
be brought in from the outside, but
every part of every machine must
be duplicated, so that if anything goes
wrong with the mining machinery
during the winter a broken part can
be replaced. Mr. Turner, the COM
pany's manager is obliged to figure
out in advance what his men will need
for the next year, and then every Sep
tember when the harbor freezes up |
he comes south and makes his pur-
chases, some in the United States and |
others in Europe.
All these supplies food, clothes and |
machinery, are shipped to Tromso,
Norway, and piled up there awaiting
the time when navigation opens up in
the spring. The two steamers char
.ered by the company are leased to
mother service during the winter, as
otherwise they would be worse than
Useless to the company.
How has the war affected your
'usiness?" a reporter for the Sun
Lsked Mr. Turner recently.
I'VE are selling much more coal
han before the war;" he replied.
is making a fortune out of {
er shipping and the Norwegian ship 6
ers are using more coal than ever be-
)re. AS we sell at the same price as
nglish coal, we are able to supply
large part of the demand.
1T will only be a question of time,
think, before all Scandinavia, at {
asst Norway and Sweden, and per-
APPS Russia, will buy their coal sup
lies from us. Our war business is n
icelent." q