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 exception 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. Mine No. 7, operated by Shotwell & Co., located in Richmond, Mo. This mine produced, during the year, 150,000 bushels of coal, and is a shaft 110 feet deep; hoists with horse power, and works thirty-five men. Mine No. 8, operated by William Wilson, produced during the year, 150,000 bushels of coal; works thirty men, and hoists with horse power. Mines No. 7 and No. 8 are used together for escape shafts, as provided by law. Mine No. 10, operated by Hayson & Co., located at Swanswick, is a shaft ninety-five feet in depth, with escape shaft lately made; works thirty men, and produced during the year, 90,000 bushels, and hoists with horse power. The second class mines of the county are drifts, with four exceptions. The following is a summary: No. 1, north of Hardin, about four miles, operated by Grant & Reid. No. 2 and No. 3, operated by Joseph Martin. No. 4, operated by Buford & Dail., No. 5, operated by Joseph Huston. No. 6, operated by Wm. Phillips. No. 7, operated by Wm. Bryant. No. 8, operated by Gilman Edgar. These mines produced, by estimate, 100,000 bushels of coal during the year, which coal is an excellent quality, and work forty-four men, Mine No. 1, located six miles north of Milville, is operated by Henry Sater, and produced, by estimate, 30,000 bushels of coal, and works seven men. This is a shaft 160 feet deep, and hoists with horse power. Mine No.-, operated by John Mellin, in city of Richmond, is a shaft sixty-five feet; produced during the year, by estimate, 15,000 bushels of coal, and works four men. Mine No.-, operated by Rothrock & Milligan, is a shaft, and produced, by estimate, 15,000 bushels; works five men, and hoists by horse power. Mine No., operated by J. T. Ford, situated one mile east of Richmond; produced during the year, by estimate, 15,000 bushels, and works five men, and hoists by horse power. There are several other small mines that are not a subject of this report, having just begun operations. The following is a summary of the foregoing report: Total number of men employed in producing coal in Ray county from Dec. 1, 1884, to Dec. 1, 1885... Total number of bushels of coal produced. Total amount paid for royalty, mining, etc... Total amount of capital invested. Total amount paid for transportation... Total number of acres of coal (estimated)... Total number of bushels produced by one acre.. 541 2,245,100 $134,706 $100,000 not known 275,000 72,000 The mines of Ray county produce an excellent quality of coal and are free from explosive gases. The coal is covered by a coal rock twelve feet thick, and makes the mines, with ordinary care, perfectly safe. The health of miners is preserved by good ventilation, which is easily obtained without great expense. The thickness of vein is twenty-four inches of merchantable coal. JOHN T. BANISTER, Mine Inspector of Ray County, Mo. N. B.-The mines have been free from accident during the year, and are in good condition. BATES COUNTY REPORT. To the Hon. Commissioner of Labor Statistics of Missouri: The undersigned mine inspector of Bates county has the honor of submitting the following mining report as required by law: COAL. Coal is one of the most important of all minerals. Several theories as to the mode of its origin have been put forth. The one generally believed in is that the rank vegetation during the carboniferous age, grew and decayed upon land but slightly raised above the sea, and that by slow subsidence this thick layer of vegetable matter sank below the water and become gradually covered with sand, mud and other mineral sediments, forming those vast coal beds on which the industrial pur |
