Transactions . wide. This system has one advantage, that of givinga large output in a short time ; but there are so many and obviousdisadvantages (the greatest being the waste of coal) that nothing can besaid in favour of the system. The workings formerly passed from thecrop towards the dip, a shaft being sunk just in time to witness theexhaustion of the rise coal, and to see the difficulties of dip drainagefrom every face or gallery below the level of the pump. A great improve-ment has taken place of late, thanks to machinery and management, andthe result is highly satisfactory. The small pil
Transactions . wide. This system has one advantage, that of givinga large output in a short time ; but there are so many and obviousdisadvantages (the greatest being the waste of coal) that nothing can besaid in favour of the system. The workings formerly passed from thecrop towards the dip, a shaft being sunk just in time to witness theexhaustion of the rise coal, and to see the difficulties of dip drainagefrom every face or gallery below the level of the pump. A great improve-ment has taken place of late, thanks to machinery and management, andthe result is highly satisfactory. The small pillars have been successfully extracted in the hill chocks used are old railway sleepers, as wood is extremely scarce anddear. Much of the timber is lost, and occasionally some coal; butaccidents to the men are rare. A face of four or five pillars is taken outat a time, chocks being put between those pillars that have to come out,and a row of chocks between those pillars and the next row of Goaf. The sketch above represents the method. The chocks are 4 feetsquare. The pillars are worked off from the galleries towards the goaf,props being put up under bad stones. A special set of men, calledpropping coolies, with a sirdar, or foreman, examine the roof, and lookafter the men. The chocks are taken out, and the roof allowed to the roof hangs after several rows of pillars are gone, the work is sus-pended, and the place vigilantly watched, no man being allowed toapproach the open. The cracking of the roof is the sign for cessation of WITH SOME REMARKS ON INDIAN COALS. 21 work : and the men withdraw until it is safely down. The men, who atfirst were difficult to get into pillar workings, take to it kindly, as theycan cut much more coal than in the solid, and get the same hewing pillar working is in a seam from 6 to 8 feet thick; and it is thisthickness that makes it possible. The covering is from 20 to 50 feet ofrock. The tools used by the men
Size: 2456px × 1017px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectmechan, booksubjectmineralindustries
