Wm. M. McGinnis, near Cretcher, Peter Durnil and Samuel White, at Elmwood, Barney Hunter and Isaac Briggs, near Slater, Frank Alexander, near Arrow Rock, and others, are among the small operators which have contributed to the output of the county during the past year.

SULLIVAN COUNTY.

Production, 8800 tons.

Milan Land and Coal Mining company-E. Ritz, superintendent. Mine located at Milan, and connected with the C. B. & K. C. railroad by a switch. Shaft 190 feet deep, equipped with good hoisting machinery.

We visited the mine March 5, but could make no inspection of the inside on account of cage being broken, caused by over-winding. But we returned to the mine and made a thorough inspection of the underground workings on the 9th inst., and found it in fair condition. The coal is from 38 to 42 inches in thickness, overlaid with a very poor roof, which slacks readily on being exposed to the air. In fact, the roof · seems to fall more along the entries and in narrow work than in rooms. The coal was being worked on the pillar-and-room plan at the time of our visit, but we are informed that the plan has been changed to the long-wall.

Pay for mining, 65 cents in summer and 80 cents in winter.

ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Production, 5405 tons.

Mining is being done in the vicinity of Osceola, Vista, Lowry City, Taberville and south of Appleton City, but only in a small way to supply local trade, except at Vista, where the coal is mined more extensively, the product being shipped by rail to market.

W. A. Seymour-Mine located about 3 miles northwest of Osceola and known as the Hoover bank. At date of inspection they were sinking a slope to the coal, which is 28 to 30 inches thick. The product is hauled to Osceola in wagons.

ceola.

William Watkins-Mine located about 3 miles northwest of Os

At date of inspection, the mine was idle. Slope. Coal reported 28 to 32 inches thick. It is worked on the pillar-and-room plan.

D. L. Douthat-Mine located at Vista. The shaft was sunk in 1890, striking the coal at a depth of 20 feet. At date of our visit the mine

was partly filled with water, caused by the heavy rains which had recently fallen; hence no inspection of the inside workings could be made. The coal is reported as being three feet thick and overlaid with limestone.

G. A. Vannice-Mine lotated at Vista and connected with the K. C., Ft. S. & M. railroad by a switch. The mine was formerly operated by the Owen coal company, but was closed down last fall and remained idle until January, at which time Mr. Vannice took charge and commenced operations. Coal is from two to three feet thick, and is brought to the surface through a slope. Only a small force of men was em

ployed at date of our inspection.

J. W. Whiteaker-Is operating a mine located a few miles north of Osceola for local trade. Shaft 24 feet deep; horse-power. Coal two feet thick; worked pillar-and-room plan.

VERNON COUNTY.

Production, 119,036 tons.

Nearly the whole of Vernon county is underlaid with the coalmeasure formation and mining is or has been prosecuted in nearly every township within her borders.

Mining was being carried on very extensively in the vicinity of Carbon Centre a few years ago, but the principal producing mines in this vicinity were abandoned about four or five years ago, which resulted in a large decrease in the county's output. But a brighter future is in store for the mining industry of the county, as several large coal companies are turning their attention to its coal fields, which will doubtless attract the attention of other capitalists. The indications are now that the county will in a few years rank as one of the State's largest producers; in fact, her output is increasing very rapidly. During the past year the output was 119,036 tons, against 64,303 for the preceding year, an increase of 54,733 tons. In producing this amount. of coal an average of 252 men and boys were employed in and about the mines.

The seams now being worked vary from 18 inches to 5 and 6 feet in thickness. The one attaining the greatest thickness is found in the vicinity of Carbon Centre and near Bedford. Several small mines and strip-pits are in operatio n in the vicinity of Walker, Moundville, Bellamy, Bronaugh, Schell City, Sheldon, Milo, Nevada and Ketterman.

The Missouri Pacific R'y passes through the county from north to south, the M. K. & T. railroad from northeast to southwest, and a

branch of the K. C. Ft. S. & M. railway extends to Carbon Centre, one of the principal shipping points in the county, thus affording good shipping facilities for the product.

Following is a partial description of each mine, together with a statement as to the condition they were found in on date of inspection:

CARBON CENTRE POSTOFFICE.

R. E. Allen-Mine located near Carbon Centre, but postoffice address Rich Hill, Bates county. Mine was not in operation at date of our visit, but had been operated during last fall by J. Street. Mr. Allen reports several thousand tons of coal as having been stripped and sent to market from this land during the past year.

Salsman & Scott-Have a lease on a portion of the R. A. Boughan tract, upon which this mine is located.

The coal is obtained by stripping the dirt and clay from over it and quarrying it out. We are informed, however, that they have recently commenced opening up a slope.

Wm. O'Bryan & Co-Mine located near Carbon Centre. This company did a large business last fall and part of the winter, closing down about the 1st of January. Coal was also mined by stripping, and shipped to Kansas City and west, over the K. C. Ft. S. & G. R. R.

Mr. O'Bryan informed us that the company would discontinue business and remove their stock of goods to some other point.

J. N. Smith-Strip-pit was not being operated at date of inspection. But is worked during fall and winter, while the demand is good.

MOUNDVILLE POSTOFFICE.

Shaft 32 feet deep;

W. D. Robinson-Mine located at Moundville. horse-power. The mine is being operated at this date by W. H. Cooper. Coal about 30 inches thick and worked on the pillar-and-room plan.. Mine operated to supply local demand.

Warner Powell-Mine was idle at date of our visit and had been for several months, hence no inspection was made.

Philip Jones-Mine located near Moundville, and was being operated at date of inspection by John Stout. The shaft is about 30 feet deep; horse-power. Coal 30 inches thick and worked on the pillar. and-room plan. The product is used for home consumption.

Wm Hill-Mine idle and had been for several months, therefore no inspection was made.

SCHELL CITY POSTOFFICE.

H. G. Mosher-Mine located about two miles south of Schell City. It was opened last March by D. E. McCarty, who reports the coal as being 26 inches thick. The mine will be worked on the pillar-and-room plan, and the output used to supply local trade.

Mr. McCarty also reports several other small mines in the vicinity of Harwood that are operated in fall and winter.

RICH HILL POSTOFFICE
(Bates County).

Keith & Perry Coal company-John Perry general manager, David Mackie general superintendent, and George D. Manville agent. This is one of the large coal companies of the State, with general office at Kansas City, Mo.

Mine No. 7-Is practically a new mine, having been opened a little over one year ago, therefore the underground workings are not very extensive. The shaft is located about 3 miles south of Rich Hill, just within the border of Vernon county, and connected with the Missouri Pacific R. R. by a switch.

Several inspections were made of this mine during the past year, some of which were brought about by accidents at the mine, requiring our attention.

(A report on these accidents will be found elsewhere under the head of explosions.)

An escapement road was completed to the escapement shaft in November, and a good stairway erected in the shaft, and in January the company erected a 14-foot fan at the air-shaft, to take the place of the 10-foot fan, which was situated at the hoisting shaft.

Air measurements which we made on the 6th of February showed 20,380 cubic feet per minute to be passing, with the fan making about 54 revolutions per minute. But when it was increased to the speed usually run while shots are being fired, the amount of air was increased to 33,430 cubic feet in the same time.

The coal averages about 4 feet in thickness and is worked on the pillar-and-room plan.

Shot-firers are employed to fire all shots after the miners and other workmen have retired from the mine; and no miner is allowed to take more than 121⁄2 pounds of powder into the mine at any one time, and that in a closed vessel. These are good rules and are heartily indorsed by us.

The mine is practically dry, but little water being found in it, except at the shaft-bottom, and head of main north entry. At these places small quantities of water collect, a large percent of which is used to sprinkle roadways, etc.

Mr. Williams is mining boss, having succeeded Pat Harding.

The company has recently sunk a new mine known as No. 8, a short distance south of Bedford, and a switch is being laid connecting the mine with the Missouri Pacific railway also. The plant will be equipped with good machinery, as the company has quite a large territory to work out.

The output from mine No. 7 alone during the past year is more than the total production of Vernon county for the year ending June 30, 1891. This fact goes to show that the county is rapidly coming to the front as one of the large coal producers.

Chaney & Burch-Are operating the strip-pit near Bedford, for. merly operated by Mr. Harris, and also stripping coal on G. A. Dolser's. land located about 1 mile west of Carbon Centre. Two beds of coal are found at the latter place, one 16 and the other from 36 to 38 inches thick, separated by from 3 to 5 feet of fire-clay and shale. The small seam overlies the larger one,

The product is hauled to the railroad in wagons and shipped. Frank Williams & Co-Capt. Wm. Hudson, manager, and Frank Williams, mine sup❜t.

This is a new mine, having been put into operation during the past year. It is located about 1 mile northeast of Arthur and about 1 mile east of the Mo. P. railway. A tram-road connecting the mine with the switch from the railroad has been built. The coal was struck near the surface, hence worked to considerable extent by strip-pit, but at date of inspection (Feb. 12), a drift was being driven in to the coal under the hill. The vein is from 4 to 5 feet in thickness, overlaid with a good shale roof.

Pay for mining, 50 to 60 cents per ton. Product is consumed in Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.