COAL - Clpdigital.org

34 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
is to avoid all delays in working out blocks of
rooms or pillars, as delays cause a loss of coal
and working material, adding to the cost of production.
Delays call for reposting, tracking,
draining and many other things, such as repairing
tracks, doors, stoppings, overcasts and power lines,
workings, etc. 1 herefore, a place begun should
not be allowed to drag along for years before being
finished.
Under the second heading or division of the
working force is the cutting of coal by electricity
or air so as to obtain the best results from our
coal-cutting machines. The working places to be
cut should be grouped. The more compact they
are the better results will be obtained. And if
the rules in force in nearly all machine mining
districts in the great coal regions of this country
were adopted in this field a great saving would
result therefrom. Said rules compel machines to
work double shift. Four men constitute a crew;
all being partners. Two men work the machines
in the day turn and two at night. That all machine-cut
places be worked by two loaders, said
loaders having two rooms side by side. That one
of the places must be cleaned up and put in condition
for the machine before they are allowed to
begin loading out of the other. Such rules would
reduce the number of machines now required
under the single-shift plan. Would also reduce
the number of working places in a mine, with a
greater production of coal, as under such rules
no men or places would be idle on account of not
having places cut. The capacity of the machines
would be increased by a grouping of the places to
be cut in any district. Better power would be
given with the same generating plants as are now
used. Less capital would be needed under this
system than is required under the present one.
Blocks of rooms would be worked out quicker,
which would save the cost of retracking. timbering,
draining, etc.
Under the third heading or division of the working
force, we come to one of the most, if not the
most important force in mine operation, that of
hauling, whether by electric or air motors, ropes.
horses or mules. It is generally understood that
the cost of cutting and loading, coal are fixtures.
but the cost of hauling depends largely on management,
and raises or lowers with good or bad management.
Therefore, the subject of haulage
should receive great thought and attention from
those in charge of this division of mine operation.
First—Great care should be given in the selection
of horses, mules and drivers intended to work to
gether on a heading or district, for the following
reasons: If more than one head is used on a heading
or district the capacity of each of the others
is governed by that of the lowest. Example, if
there are four horses or mules working, gather­
ing coal on a heading or district, and one of these
is slow, they are all slow. Again, one good and
one bad make two bad. Again, three fast and one
slow make four slow. Therefore, stock intended
to work together in any district should be graded,
the good or fast put together in a district, and
slow or poor in another. In this way a large
factor causing delays is eliminated.
Another bad practice used at some of our mines
where there is more than one head of stock work­
ing in a heading or district is that of having a
coal hauling horse to move the mining machine,
waterbox, or anything other than coal cars, for
the following reason: If four mules are used on
a heading or district hauling coal and one is
taken to move the machine every time it is to be
moved, all four are delayed, which is the same
as using four mules and four men to make said
move. This practice should therefore be discontinued
at once. Only under the most pressing
circumstances should the coal hauling stock be
used in making such transfers.
Another important point in hauling, whether by
motor, rope or horses, is the location of the assembling
stations to which the gathering is done.
These should be advanced from time to time up
to and as near the working faces as possible. In
doing this you will often be able to work stock
that under the condition of long hauls you would
be unable to work without adding greatly to the
cost, they being unfit to work up to and with the
same dispatch as the other stock engaged in said
heading or district. With points of assemblage
located near the working face, slow and partly
crippled stock can often be used to good advantage.
Nothing kills off mine stock as quickly as long
runs. Very often the emntv or light loads are
hauled up heavy grades. This is verv trying on
good stock, but not as trving as the long runs
thev are compelled to make coming out with the
loads. For under the grade conditions thev are
compelled to travel fast to keen from being caught
and crippled bv the loads. Therefore, long horse
hauls should be avoided, as thev nlav havoc with
stock, the heavv stock in particular. Mine stock
=hould be carefn'lv fed. stabled, harnessed, cleaned
•>nd shod. Shoes should be made to fit their feet
instead of their feet made to fit the shoes. I am
sure it will nav to eive the mine stock, unon
which so much depends, the very best of care and
treatment.
And now we come to the last or fourth of the
interior forces that of general laborers, consisting
of trackmen, timber or slatemen. ditcher=. nnmners.
etc. This force is an important one in mine
oneration and should be carefully selected, not on
account of their cheapness, but their usefiUneos.
Men who have a clear understanding of the service
required of them: men who can he trusted to