C. S. VAN PELT STRIP BANK. This is surface mining, situated on the N. W, qr. Sec. 28, T. 32, R. 33; operated by R. T. Day; opened March, 1884. This bank has produced 28,000 bushels under Mr. Day's supervision. This bank was previously operated by G. McDermott & Bro. Owing, however, to the absence of any records I cannot tell how much coal they took out, but 25,000 bushels would probably be a safe estimate. A drift has been started here. The entry is twenty-five feet back from opening. H. C. P. Flack owns a strip pit in the N. W. qr. Sec. 29, T. 32, R. 33 ; opened in 1882 by Bovard & Dickson, of Kansas City. The amount of coal taken from this bank cannot be ascertained by itself but will be given in the full report of the amount of coal mined by Bovard & Dickson. MOREROD STRIP. This was opened in 1881 by Bovard & Dickson; owned by Dr. Morerod of Schell City, Mo.; situated in the W. hf. of Sec. 19, T. 32, R. 33. This bank has been worked quite extensively, but owing to lack of information I cannot give the amount of coal taken from it alone. The amount will be in B. & D's full report. MOREROD DRIFT. Opened in August, 1882, operated by Bovard & Dickson; owned by G. H. Walser, Liberal, Mo.; situated in the S. W. qr. Sec. 18, T. 32, R. 33. At the time of inspection this drift was not in operation. The roof is composed of ten feet of slate and blue shale, capped by sand rock. The roof near the opening is bad. This drift has been closed down for the purpose of obtaining better drainage and air. When started again it will be in good shape and will be under the supervision of M. B. McHugh, a practical miner. The thickness of vein is thirtyfour inches. The amount of coal taken out could not be ascertained. MORGAN STRIP BANK. Opened in August, 1882; operated by Keith & Perry, Kansas City, Mo.; J. H. Hunter, Superintendent; situated in the N. W. qr. Sec. 18, T. 32, R. 33; owned by the Hon. C. H. Morgan, of Lamar, Mɔ. These works are closed for an indefinite time. The amount of coal mined will be given in Keith & Perry's full report. Vein from thirty-four to forty-two inches thick. LAST CHANCE STRIP BANK. Opened in 1881; situated in section 19, township 33, range 33; operated by Keith & Perry and Bovard & Dickson; thickness of vein, 28 inches. Several other parties have shipped from this point, but from want of records, cannot ascertain the amount of coal taken from this bank. BARTON CITY DRIFT. Owned and operated by J. Foote; was opened December, 1884; situated in the southwest quarter, section 29, township 33, range 32; thickness of vein, from twenty-four to twenty-eight inches. Roof is blue shale from six to ten feet thick; one air shaft, sixty feet from the opening; main entry, 160 feet, with a butt entry, 120 feet. There are five miners employed. The output of this mine is 35,000 bushels. GILKEY STRIP BANK. Opened in 1877; owned and operated by E. Gilkey; located on northwest quarter, section 3, township 32, range 33. The vein is twenty-eight inches thick, and is from four to ten feet below the surface of the ground. The production of this bank has been about 50,000 bushels. life. One accident-August 13, 1885,-by which A. Epperson lost his He was robbing bank from strip pit at the time, and the bank fell in on him. LIBERAL DRIFT. Opened March, 1885; owned and operated by G. H. Walser; situated in the southeast quarter, section 2, township 32, range 33; thickness of strata, twenty six inches; roof is composed of blue shale, fourteen feet thick, capped by twelve feet of sandstone. The air is good, the miners stating at the time of inspection that they were satisfied as to the quantity and quality of air. At present there are seventy-one men employed. There has been one accident in the drift, whereby John Tathem had his hand b dly crippled by a large piece of coal falling on it. The output of coal, as far as I could learn, has been 102,408 bushels. On section 2, township 32, range 33, there are two other strip banks that have been operated by R. B. Adams and J. Curliss. These two banks have produced, as near as could be ascertained, 80,000 bushels. In the early part of November, 1885, a new shaft was sunk by Elliot & Co. on land owned by G. W. Walser, on east part of the same section. The coal is twenty-five inches thick; shaft sixteen feet deep, and has produced 17,000 bushels of coal. The roof is composed of blue shale from six to eight feet thick, capped by sandstone. There have been from two to four miners employed in this work. The shaft has closed down for an indefinite period owing to the dullness of the coal trade. MACON COUNTY REPORT. MACON, Mo., December 28, 1885. To the Commissioner Bureau Labor Statistics, Jefferson City, Mo: DEAR SIR: The undersigned inspector of mines within and for Macon county, respectfully submits the following report: There are in this county approximately 306 square miles or 195,840 acres of workable coal lands. Estimating 1,000,000 tons to the square mile for each foot thickness will give the enormous yield in round number of 1,370,880,000,000 tons workable coal, allowing 30 per cent. for waste in mining. This coal is divided into five distinct beds or veins extending from the surface to a depth of 250 feet, only two of which are now worked; however, one vein two feet thick is worked by stripping, and the four feet six inch vein is worked by shaft and slopes. Two accidents occurred during the year in which two men lost their lives from fall of rock. The accidents were unavoidable. The roofs of mines are soap stone and slate and stand well, with the excep tion of bell rock, which are in some parts of pits and are liable to fall any time without warning to the miner. There has been but slight complaint made to me for want of air. The pits are fully up to the standard required by law, measured at the foot of downcast, but is not so well distributed in two of the pits as it should be. Mines are ventilated on the double entry system with furnace shafts for upcast. One pit is mined on the long wall plan, ventilated by large fan, which gives good air and plenty of it. The mines have not been operated more than six months this year, as may be seen from output of coal, the trouble being caused in adjusting the price for mining to the satisfaction of the miner and operators. At Bevier there has been a long disastrous strike, resulting in a heavy loss to all interested and to the county. Mr. Wardell succeeded in organizing a co-operative company, the stock ($10,000) mostly being taken by experienced miners. The pit is in active operation and is successful beyond expectation, promising to adjust the trouble and differences that have so long affected the mining interest at Bevier. W. S. Watson, one pit, employes 60 to 100 men. Loomis and Snively, two pits, employs 200 to 300 men. These five pits are at Bevier. The coal is hoisted by steam on cages; depth of coal below surface, from 35 to 140 feet. Loomis and Snively's No. 4 pit employs negro miners principally. No. 3 pit was burned down last summer, claimed to be the work of an incendiary. Little Pittsburg Coal Company operates one pit at Lingo; employs from 40 to 70 men; hoists coal by steam and is ventilated by fan on long wall work; pit is in fair condition, and output of coal is good. W. H. Jones and Co's. co-operative company at Emerson employes from 40 to 70 men; coal mined from slope and hauled to railroad in boxes holding from 1,500 to 2,000 pounds. The slope is about threefourths of a mile from railroad station. These include all the first class mines in this county. There are 15 other mines operated for the local trade, running the year, employing from one to nine men, which do not come under the law; also, a large number (I have not attempted to list them) mined by farmers for their own use. The mining law is as good as can be applied at this time, as the coal industry is in its infancy, and if the salary would justify the inspector to expend the time that is necessary, can be made eflectual and of vast interest to the miner and of benefit to the operators. All of which is respectfully submitted. JOHN W. RILEY, Mine Inspector of Macon county. RAY COUNTY MINE INSPECTOR'S REPORT. To the HON. O. KOCHTITZKY, Commissioner of Labor Statistics of the State of Missouri: The undersigned mine inspector for Ray county, Mo., submits his annual report of the condition and progress of the mines in Ray county, in compliance with the mining laws of the State. There are twenty-four mines in operation in Ray county, ten of which are designated as first class, and come fully under the mining law. Fourteen are second class mines, and do not come fully under the mining law of the State. The following is a synopsis of the first class mines and their capacity: Mine No. 6, located in Camden and operated by J. C. McGrew, is a shaft fifty-three feet eight inches deep, with escape shaft; works eighty-five men; hoists with steam power; product of coal for the year, $500,000 bushels. Mine No. 5, located one-half mile east of Camden, operated by James McEnkoe, is a shaft twenty-two feet in depth; works thirty men; hoists with horse power; product of coal for the year, 125,000 bushels. Mines No. 3 and No. 4, situated one and one half miles south of Richmond, Mo., and No. 8, situated two miles west of Camden, Mo. These mines are all shafts, and are operated by Scullin & Co. All these mines produced during the year, from December 1, 1884, to December 1, 1885, 567,600 bushels of coal, and worked 125 men. No. 4 hoists with horse power; No. 3 and No. 8 hoist with steam power. Mines No. 5, No. 6 and No. 9, operated by Hughes & Co., produced during the year, 487,500 bushels of coal, and worked 140 men. These mines are provided with escape shafts, and hoist with horse power. |
