These mines were formerly known as the Nichols banks; coal from 5 to 6 feet in thickness. As they have no shipping facilities, the output is necessarily confiued to local demand; other coal beds are known to exist in this vicinity, some of which have been worked in past years, but as the limited demand would not justify a continuance, they were abandoned.

It seems to us that this is a good coal field for large coal operators or capitalists to investigate.

WORLAND POSTOFFICE.

Kincaid & Co. This company does a large coal business in the vicinity of Worland.

The coal is about 3 feet in thickness, and is obtained by stripping off the overlying clay and shale, after which it is quarried out and hauled to railroad and shipped to market. A great number of other strip pits are in operation in this vicinity, all operating the same seam of coal.

Chas. Russell Slope; located near Ward's switch, on Kincaid's land. The mine was formerly operated by F. A. Ramey; coal 3 feet thick, and worked on the pillar and-room plan.

N. R. Vaughn-Slope; located on Kincaid's land. The coal is. about 3 feet in thickness, and worked on the long wall plan. This mine is generally idle during the summer months, the price of coal in market not justifying operation.

Western Coal and Mining company-Major. R. M. McDowell, general manager, and W. R. Williams, superintendent.

Mines located near Worland and Foster, but general office of company in St. Louis.

Mine No. 1-Located at Ward's switch; was closed down about the 1st of September, 1891, and has not been in operation since; and mine No. 2 has been idle the whole of the past year.

Mine No. 3-Located about of a mile west of Worland, and is connected with the St. L. Emp. Div. of Mo. P. railway by a switch.

The plant is located in a ravine, and the coal brought to the surface through two slopes-one entering the hill to the west of enginehouse and the other to the east; ventilation produced by two small furnaces-one located in each mine. While they seemed large enough to do the work required of them, yet in some parts of the mine a deficiency of air was found, caused by poorly constructed stoppings and canvas doors. The attention of the mining boss, John Joplin, was called to the matter, and he was instructed to replace the canvas doors

with wooden ones, and make such other improvements as were necessary to better ventilation.

The coal is about 3 feet thick, and overlaid with a gray shale, which is not good, hence requires a great deal of timbering to keep it secure. The coal is interrupted by faults, and rolls in the roof, which is also a great source of annoyance to both operator and miner.

Pay for mining 814 cents per ton.

We are informed by the company that the above mine was abandoned about August 1, 1892.

BOONE COUNTY.

Production, 21,058 tons.

Mining is being prosecuted in the vicinity of Brown's Station, Centralia, Columbia, Harrisburg, Perche and other places throughout the county, but only in a limited way to supply local trade-the Columbia Coal Mining Company being the only mine having railroad facilities. Following is a partial description of each mine.

CENTRALIA POSTOFFICE.

Centralia Coal company-W. H. Carpenter manager. Mine located about 1 miles east of Centralia. Shaft 30 feet deep; horse power; coal about 24 inches thick and worked on the long-wall plan, the roof overlying it being well adapted for the same.

Mining is done in the fire-clay which underlies the coal. The mine was inspected May 14 and found to be in fair condition. However, it makes considerable water but is reasonably well drained.

The product is used to supply local trade.

G. M. Wiley-Mine located about 3 miles north of Centralia. Horse power; shaft about 30 feet deep. Coal 26 inches thick and worked on the long-wall plan. The mine is operated to supply local trade.

COLUMBIA POSTOFFICE.

B. 8. Benefiel-Mine located 3 miles northeast of Columbia. Slope; coal about 3 feet thick, and worked pillar-and-room plan.

The mine is operated in fall and winter to supply local trade.

Columbia Coal Mining company-A. Rees, superintendent. The plant is located at Switzler postoffice, about 5 miles north of Columbia, and connected with the Columbia branch of the Wabash railway by a switch.

This is the most productive mine in the county, and is the only one having railroad connection. The shaft is 112 feet deep; horse-power; ventilation produced by an iron basket, used as a furnace in the airshaft. Owing to a fall of slate in the air-course, the ventilating apparatus was not giving good results at date of inspection (May 13). However, a force of men was employed cleaning up the fall.

The coal is about 36 to 38 inches thick, overlaid with a soft shale roof, which requires very careful timbering. The method of mining has been changed from the pillar-and-room to the long-wall plan, which is giving better satisfaction.

Pay for mining, 80 cents per ton. Most of the output is consumed by the railroad company.

W. A. Goodding-Mine located 4 miles north of Columbia. Horse power; shaft 50 feet deep. The coal is 3 to 3 feet in thickness and overlaid with a good shale roof. Pillar-and-room plan is followed. The product is consumed in Columbia and vicinity.

STURGEON POSTOFFICE.

Wald, Andrews & company-Mine located about 2 miles south of Sturgeon.

This mine was operated last year by D. A. Mayer & Bro., the present operators taking charge about the first of May, and are now sinking a new shaft on the same tract of land. The coal is about 30 to 36 inches thick, overlaid with a very soft shale roof.

The output is used to supply local market.

CALDWELL COUNTY.

Production, 38,333 tons.

Caldwell county is the tenth county in production of coal, and is now noted as having the deepest shaft in the State. It is located at Hamilton and is 500 feet in depth.

During the past year 38,333 tons of coal were produced and sold for $56,214.96, or an average of $1.58 per ton, and for the same period in 1890 and 1891, 22,661 tons were produced, which was sold for $40,874, or an average of $1.80 per ton, thus showing an increase of 15,671 in tons, but a decrease of 22 cents per ton in the amount received for the output.

COWGILL POST OFFICE.

Cowgill Mining company-James Blair, superintendent; mine located about 1 mile west of Cowgill; connected with C., M. & St. P. R. R. by a switch; shaft 340 feet deep; equipped with steam plant. The shaft was sunk about three years ago, but the tip-house was burned down shortly after the mine was put into operation, and was not rebuilt until August, 1891, since which time it has been in operation, furnishing employment to 8 or 10 men. The coal varies in thickness from 6 to 18 inches, and has the general appearance of that worked at Kingston and Hamilton.

HAMILTON POSTOFFICE.

Caldwell Coal company-Mine located about 1 mile east of Hamilton, and connected with the Hannibal & St. Joseph R. R. Mine was inspected on the 17th day of December, also March 11. On first inspection, they were opening up the lower seam of coal, which is about 147 feet below the seam formerly worked, and about 507 feet below the surface. The coal is 18 to 20 inches thick, overlaid with a hard shale roof, and underlying the seam is a fire clay, which renders it suitable to the long-wall plan, which is adopted.

Mr. Wm. Hall, the superintendent, had just erected a 10-foot ventilating fan to take the place of the steam jet, which was in use a few weeks before our visit. This had made a great improvement in the air current. After making this inspection, I notified the officials of the company that it was necessary that an escapement shaft be sunk as required by law, and in due time they informed me that they had commenced work on the shaft in question. The second inspection was made to ascertain how the work was progressing, and we found the shaft down about 65 feet, and being pushed to completion; since this visit, I have been notified that the shaft is down to a depth of 150 feet. The mine furnished employment to about 80 men and boys; coal consumed in Missouri and Nebraska.

Hamilton Coal company-Joseph McCourt, mine superintendent, and Ralph Booth, secretary. Mine located about 1 mile southeast of Hamilton; connected with the Hannibal & St. Joseph R. R. by a switch.

Ventilation is produced by a 10-foot fan, which was on date of inspection (December 18) giving fair results.

Machinery, safety catches, cages, gates and bonnets in good con

dition.

The coal varies from 1 to 2 feet in thickness and is overlaid with a splendid roof. Considerable water was lying along the west coal face which had to be pumped out, while the roadways along the entries were dry and in good condition. An overcast had been put across the main west entry, through which the air-current is now being conducted, which has made an improvement in the ventilation. From 30 to 60 men are employed; coal consumed in Kansas and Nebraska.

KINGSTON POSTOFFICE.

Kingston Coal Company-E. H. Johnson president, and T. W. Hines sup't. Mine located about one mile north of Kingston, connected with Hamilton and Kingston R. R. by a switch. Shaft is 240 feet deep; equipped with a pair of engines 10x12 inches in cylinder; engine shaft geared to a 5-foot drum 3 to 1; steam is generated by a two-flue boiler. The tip-house and other equipments are fairly well arranged for a plant of this character.

Ventilation is produced by a steam jet, located in the ventilating chamber, which is separated from the main hoisting shaft by wooden brattice-work. On date of inspection (December 18), mine was found. in good condition and the mining law being observed, with the single exception of gates around shaft-top; after calling the superintendent's attention to the matter he assured me that it would receive his prompt attention, which it did, according to a letter received from him a few days later.

The coal varies in thickness from 10 to 24 inches and has the appearance of being the same seam worked by the Hamilton Coal Company at Hamilton, and Cowgill Mining Company at Cowgill; pay for mining $1.25 per ton.

Coal is consumed in Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska. About 30 to 35 men are employed.

CALLAWAY COUNTY.

Production, 16,551 tons.

The principal mines in Callaway county are located in the vicinity of Fulton, and are operated to supply local demand. The Fulton FireBrick and Mining Company has recently sunk a shaft near Fulton, and equipped it with good machinery, and are doing a fair business. A. Harris & Bro.'s mine is also connected with the railroad, and has a limited amount of commercial trade. A description of the mines is as follows: