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George Rogers, drift opening, supplying home trade.

Walter James operates a mine near Brown station to supply local demand.

There are other mines operating in the surrounding country in the fall and winter. Thickness of coal and mode of working and price paid for mining are the same at all the mines.

CALDWELL COUNTY.

Production, 22,869 tons.

The coal product of Caldwell county has shown a large decrease during the year ending June 30, 1894, as compared with the previous one. During the past year 22,869 tons of coal were produced, and sold for $41,018, or an average of $1.79 per ton at the mine. And for the same period in the preceding year 29,020 tons were mined, which was sold for $57,749.75, or an average of $1.99 per ton, thus showing a decrease of 6151 in tons, and 20 cents per ton in the amount received for the output. Four mines were operated part of the year, working on two different veins of coal.

The East Hamilton mine is working the lower seam, while the Kingston and Tom Creek mines are working the upper vein; the Cowgill mine has been abandoned.

Following is a description of the mines and the condition in which they were found at dates of inspection :

COWGILL POSTOFFICE.

Cowgill Coal Company.-W. H. Revis, superintendent. Mine is located 2 miles west of Cowgill, connected with the C. M. & St. Paul railroad. Shaft 340 feet deep; steam-power used for hoisting.

The coal runs very irregular and faulty, and varies in thickness. from 5 to 20 inches, which makes the mine an unprofitable one to operate and difficult to compete with the product of other mines.

The ventilation was found deficient; in fact, there is no system of ventilation practiced here, and everything else about the mine was found badly neglected and in poor conditiou. March 31, I received a letter from Mr. Revis, stating that the track had been taken out and mine had been abandoned.

HAMILTON POSTOFFICE.

Caldwell Coal Company, E. B. Hayden, president.-Mine located two miles east of Hamilton, connected with the the Hannibal & St. Joe railroad; shaft 507 feet deep; equipped with very good machinery for hoisting; ventilation is produced by a 10-foot fan, set on top of the

air-shaft. Two inspections were made of this mine during the past fiscal year, December 8 and March 13, and on both of these visits the fan was stopped and the mine supplied by natural ventilation, which was furnishing sufficient amount of air and which was fairly distri buted around the workings. The airways had been widened out and enlarged since my former visit, and a larger volume of air was found travelling. The coal is about 18 inches in thickness, and runs very regular; it is underlaid with fire-clay; the roof varies in the character of its formation with either shale, soapstone or sandstone overlying the coal, which makes a very good roof, and one well adapted for the long-wall method of working which is used; the entries are wide, high and dry, and the mine was found in very good condition on both visits; about 70 men employed; most of the coal is used by the railroad company.

Hamilton Coal Company, J. W. Hines, superintendent. - Mine located about 1 miles south of Hamilton, connected with the Hamilton and Kingston railroad. Shaft 310 feet deep; using steam-power for hoisting; ventilation is furnished by a 10 foot fan.

Inspections were made December 8 and March 13; on first inspection a deficiency was found in the ventilation on the west side, and instructions were given to the superintendent to clean up the airways, so as to admit a sufficient amount of air to ventilate the mine.

On second inspection I found some improvement in the ventilation, but still somewhat deficient. The attention of the superintendent was again called for further improvement. The mine has been in operation for a number of years, and the entries have been driven a long distance from the shaft without a practical method of ventilation. The air at this mine is conducted by a very small air-course through the face of old and abandoned workings, full of bends and angles, over stagnant water, and where the settling of the roof is constantly in action, making the area so small that it is almost impossible for any air to screen through. I cannot too strongly condemn such a system of carrying the air, and I hope that mine bosses and superintendents will learn and praetice the more modern and improved methods for the ventilation of mines. Coal is from 15 to 28 inches in thickness and worked on the long-wall plan. Mine fairly drained, with good, high roadways. About 30 men employed. Product consumed at Kansas City, St. Joe, and at local towns along the line of the Hannibal & St. Joe railroad.

KINGSTON POSTOFFICE.

Mine

Kingston Coal Company.-Thos. Berris, superintendent. located 1 mile north of Kingston. Shaft 247 feet deep, equipped with good machinery for hoisting. Ventilation is produced by a steam jet set at bottom of shaft, exhausting through an air-chamber, partitioned off one end of hoisting shaft. While the much improved methods of modern appliances for the ventilation of mines make the use of the appliance here employed look crude, yet, for the present capacity of the mine, the ventilation is satisfactory. The coal runs very irregular and faulty, and varies in thickness from 8 to 26 inches.

First visit was made to this mine July 11, 1893, and the company was notified to sink an escapement-shaft at once. July 31 this department was informed by this company that they had made arrangements to sink the escape-shaft, and that work would be commenced at once. I visited the mine again on the 8th of December and found the work on the escape-shaft had been stopped; in fact, very little work had been done. The company made me many fair promises on this visit, that the work on the escape-shaft would be resumed at once, and the same be pushed with all possible speed until completed. March 13 I visited the mine again, and found that no additional work had been done on the escape-shaft since my former visit. The prosecuting attorney of this county was instructed to bring suit against the company for violating section 7063, R. S., of the mining law of the State, and the mine was temporarily closed. On the 11th of June I made another visit to this mine and found 14 men at work, but nothing being done in the way of sinking the escapement-shaft. On the advice of the prosecuting attorney, I called on the officers of the company and made an agreement with them, in the presence of the prosecuting attorney, that work had to be resumed on the escape-shaft at once, and be pushed with all possible speed until completed, and October 1, 1894, was fixed upon as the limit of time for its completion.

Early in July I visited the mine to see what progress was being made on the shaft, and found it down about 30 feet and only a single shift working. I notified the company at once that it must put more force on the escape-shaft or I would close the mine, as the shaft was not going down fast enough to suit me; to which the company replied that another shift would be started as soon as water was struck. The following notice was posted in a conspicuous place at the mine:

NOTICE.

To the miners of the Kingston Coal Company: I deem it my duty to inform you that I have condemned the Kingston Coal Company's mine, as operating in direct opposition and in violation of the mining laws of the State of Missouri. The company has failed to comply with section 7063, Revised Statutes, requiring an escapement-shaft to be sunk. All persons hereafter engaging in work in this mine must do so at their own risk and personally assume the responsibility for such acts, as I shall hold myself blameless for any accident that may occur.

CHAS EVANS,

State Mine Inspector.

CALLAWAY COUNTY.

Production, 23,223 tons.

The coal production of Callaway county shows a slight decrease, as compared with the output of the preceding year. Twelve mines were operated during the year, but most of them are small and only operated through the winter season to supply the local demand. These twelve mines produced 23,223 tons of coal, which was sold for $36,636, or an average of $1.58 per ton at the mine. Descriptions of the mines are as follows:

FULTON POSTOFFICE.

Wm. Castle is operating a mine southeast of Fulton. Drift opening and worked on the room and pillar plan. Coal about 28 inches thick, and $1 10 per ton is paid for mining. Coal consumed at Fulton.

Ed. Curd operates a mine south of Fulton to supply the home trade. The mine is entered by drifts and worked on the room and pillar plan. Coal 26 inches, and a dollar a ton is paid for mining. Coal consumed at Fulton and vicinity. Employment is given to 10 or 12

men.

Fulton Fire-brick and Mining Co.-L. V. Nichols, superintendent. Mine located 2 miles south of Fulton and connected with the Jefferson City branch of the C. & A. railroad. Shaft 100 feet deep, and steampower used for hoisting. First inspection was made November 15, and the mine found in very fair condition. One of the hoisting-ropes was found unsafe, condemned, and the company instructed to replace it with a new one at once. A second inspection was made March 29, when again the mine was found in very fair condition, and a new rope put in place of the old one. Mine is ventilated by a furnace, which was giving very good results on both inspections. Coal about 3 feet thick and worked on the long-wall plan; $1 per ton is paid for mining.

The mine is dry and in very fair condition; the roof is a soft soapstone, requiring considerable timber to keep it secure. Thirty feet below the coal a fire-clay seam is worked; both the coal and the clay

are hoisted out through the same shaft. The clay seam is about 8 feet thick, and worked on the room and pillar plan, for which the company pay 26 cents per ton for mining. Most of the coal is used by the company in the manufacture of the clay into brick and other articles, thus giving employment to from 50 to 60 hands around the mine. The company has erected new buildings and put in new machinery for the manufacture of the clay into fire-brick, drain and sewer pipe, particulars of which will be found in table on improvements.

Harris Bros.-Mine located of a mile north of the Fulton Brick Co. and 14 south of Fulton. Shaft 80 feet deep; horse-power. This mine has shipping connection with the south branch of the C. & A. railroad. Ventilation is furnished by a furnace; coal 34 inches thick; worked on the room and pillar plan. The mine has been operated the past year on a small scale, the product being consumed in the surrounding country.

John Harris.— Mine located one mile southeast of Fulton; shaft 45 feet deep; horse-power; ventilation produced by a small furnace. Coal about 33 inches thick, worked on the long-wall plan. One dollar per ton is paid for mining screened coal. Employment is given to six or eight men in fall and winter. Coal hauled in wagons to Fulton, where it is consumed.

Rufus Bishop operates a mine in the vicinity of Fulton. Drift opening; coal 30 inches in thickness and worked on the long-wall plan. The coal is sold in the home market.

John Bishop operates a mine in the same locality, on the same seam, and the output of the mine goes to supply the same market. James Smith.-Drift opening. Mine operated in fall and winter to supply local trade.

Simons & Flowers.- Drift opening. Mine operated in the winter season to supply local trade.

John Marsenkoff, mine located near Fulton. Drift opening; coal about 30 inches thick, and worked on the long-wall plan. A dollar a ton is paid for mining, and the product sold in the home market. There are other parties mining coal at various parts of the county to supply the winter trade.

A pocket of coal has been discovered at Ham's prairie, about 8 feet thick, of the cannel coal nature. It is overlaid by rock roof, and from all indications is an extensive pocket. Mr. I. A. Litel made the find, and is operating the mine.

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