COAL - Clpdigital.org
COAL - Clpdigital.org
COAL - Clpdigital.org
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14 THE <strong>COAL</strong> TRADE BULLETIN.<br />
INTERESTING PLANT FOR DEMONSTRATING<br />
MINING METHODS AT BIRMINGHAM<br />
UNIVERSITY.<br />
'I he scientific department of the new and im-<br />
porta'nt Birmingham University has in its power<br />
station and in its machinery and metallurgical<br />
buildings and plants its illustrations of mining-<br />
methods in the form of shafts, tunneling and<br />
mining ventilation systems, an equipment which<br />
is perhaps as complete as that of the technical<br />
department of any university in the world, writes<br />
Consul Halstead of Birmingham, Eng. Certainly<br />
those who were responsible for its installation had<br />
seen and studied the outfits of the scientific departments<br />
of the greatest universities of America<br />
and the continent of Europe and had reasonably<br />
ample means to carry out any plans they thought<br />
necessary. My attention was called to the fact<br />
that a plant of this kind has an availability for<br />
service useful to a community in a way additional<br />
to the primary purposes of affording facilities for<br />
students, bv the offer which the professor of engineering<br />
at Ihe university. Mr. F. W. Burstall,<br />
was able to make to his colleagues at a meeting<br />
of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, upon<br />
which occasion he made the speech of the evening.<br />
The professor was able to offer his fellow-engineers<br />
tne plant of the university power station<br />
ior certain experimental testing work. At the<br />
meeting there had been a discussion on the advantages<br />
and disadvantages of steam jackets, and regarding<br />
the question of valve leakage in steam<br />
engines, and the professor having dealt with these<br />
two subjects from his standpoint, and having<br />
recognized in fitting terms the merit and laborious<br />
character of the work that had been done b.v the<br />
research committee of the institute, expressed the<br />
opinion that further engine-valve experiments<br />
should be carried out to ascertain particularly the<br />
qualities for such service of the various metals.<br />
rie said there was ample opportunity for complete<br />
experiments with steam engines at ihe Birmingham<br />
University power station, and then told his<br />
colleagues he would be pleased to place the plant<br />
at the disposal of the research committee. If his<br />
offer were accepted it would not only be using the<br />
Iilant for useful scientific purposes, but as the<br />
tests would probably not be hedged with any precautions<br />
for secrecy, tlie most interested and energetic<br />
of the students would nol only have the<br />
opportunity of witnessing some of them, but would<br />
also be able to get in touch with leading engineers<br />
and cull an inspiration for good work.<br />
Some manufacturers of machinery, engines, etc.,<br />
took advantage of the advertising value of having<br />
their articles used by coming engineers and in a<br />
position where they could be seen by prospective<br />
buyers, and presented the university with good<br />
examples of their best work.<br />
j*t PERTINENT PARAGRAPHS. ?•<br />
The final steps in the acquisition of Coxe Bros.<br />
& Co. by the Lehigh Valley railroad were accom<br />
plished November 1. A new board of directors,<br />
composed of K. B. Thomas, T. T. Stotesbury, J. A.<br />
Middleton, J. M. Schapperkotter and William H.<br />
Sayre, was elected for the-Coxe corporation, and<br />
the board immediately elected E. B. Thomas, president<br />
of the Lehigh, to be president of the coal<br />
company. New directors were also elected for<br />
the Delaware, Susquehanna & Schuylkill railroad,<br />
which tne Coxe company controlled, as follows:<br />
E. B. Thomas, E. T. Stotesbury. J. A. Middleton,<br />
J. M. Schapperkotter, William H. Sayre, W. G.<br />
Alderson and E. A. Albright.<br />
Consul-General Guenther, of Frankfort, Germany,<br />
reports that the Russian minister of public communications<br />
has issued an order permitting the<br />
state railroads to import foreign coal. The Moscow-Kasan<br />
railroad has already ordered about 130,-<br />
000 tons of English coal. This new demand may<br />
cause an advance in the price of English coal,<br />
which supplies the coal stations at the ports of<br />
South America, Australia. Asia, Africa and the<br />
Mediterranean. Already Great Britain has put<br />
an export duty on coal shipped from her home<br />
ports to protect her industries, for which reason<br />
it will have to be increased before many years have<br />
passed.<br />
The New Pittsburgh Coal Co.. Columbus, O., on<br />
November 10 announced the following prices to<br />
the trade, effective at once, for genuine thick-vein<br />
Hocking coal. f. o. 1). mines per ton of 2,000<br />
pounds: Domestic lump, $1.75; three-quarter-inch<br />
screened lump, $1.65; run-of-mine. $1.50; domestic<br />
nut. $1.25: pea, $1.00; nut, pea and slack, $1.00;<br />
coarse slack, 75c. Coal in box cars, 10 cents per<br />
ton additional.<br />
Herman Justi, commissioner of the Illinois Coal<br />
Operators' Association, has written Ohio operators,<br />
asking them to be present at the conference<br />
to be held in Chicago on November 22, and assures<br />
them that there is no intention of changing the<br />
status of the competitive district and that there<br />
will be no discussion of the wage question. A<br />
large proportion of Ohio interests will not be represented.<br />
Winter Tourist Tickets to Colorado, California,<br />
Mexico and Florida.<br />
and points West and South now sold at special<br />
low fares via Pennsylvania Lines. Information<br />
about routes, stop-overs and travel conveniences<br />
freely given upon request addressed to nearest<br />
Pennsylvania Lines ticket agent, or J. K. Dillon,<br />
District Passenger Agent, 515 Park building, Pittsburgh,<br />
Pa.