March 20, 1914.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

641

thimbles with 20 in. openings through which the washed
coal will pass, the flow being controlled by slide gates
consisting of a disc rotating about its axis, and which
serves to distribute the coal on a belt transporter. The
bunkers will be self-emptying, and the corners will be
fully restrained when adjacent cells are filled. The walls
of the bunkers and tanks are to be perpendicular and
rendered watertight. The main reinforcing rods will
be placed horizontally, and f in. to | in. diameter
spaced at 4 in. to 6 in. centres, and these will be bent to
the curve of the bins at the corners. The vertical rods
will be spaced at Sin. centres. The washed coal will be
conveyed to the crushing plant along belt transporters
and ground by means of two disintegrators, each of
30 tons capacity per hour, and then hoisted into the
storage tower which, will have a capacity of 1.500 tons,
and be situated near to the coke ovens. The pure
waste rock will be conveyed to a loading tower
above the railway track. In order to avoid losses
the fine waste will be again washed in a secondary
washing and sifting machine. All used washing water
will flow into the large settling tank, the bottom of
which will be shaped to a number of funnels, and thus
it will be possible to separate that part which is high in
ash from the clearer portion, and to draw off the first.
In the design of the washery there is the provision of a
patented arrangement for separating the finest dust of
from 0 to 0’2 mm. from the coal to be washed, by means
of a ventilator, previous to washing^ The machinery
will be driven by rotary current motors. The coal
washery building will be 184 ft. long, 41ft. wide, and of
an average height of 70 ft. from ground level. The
position of the reinforced columns in the transverse
direction was limited by the water sumps running
longitudinally under the draining bunkers. The
washery building will be carried on a continuous
reinforced concrete raft foundation of 10 in. thickness.
The combined loads of the washing machinery and the
drainage bunkers will impose heavy loads upon the
columns. The filling in between the columns around
the window openings to the superstructure will be in
brickwork, 4| in. to 9 in. thickness, and all of the
windows will be of wrought iron. The plant is now
being erected from the designs of Messrs. Schuechter-
mann and Kremer, of Dortmund, Germany, and the
structural features of the building were designed by the
British Reinforced Concrete Engineering Company
Limited, of Westminster, who also have the contract
for the erection.

Cumberland.

It is stated on good authority that an important
Scotch coalowner has entered into negotiations for the
purchase of the Ellenborough Colliery, near Maryport,
with the object of restarting and working the pit on a
large scale. The Ellenborough Colliery, which has been
carried on for the last 17 years by a private company,
was closed on January 31 of this year, owing to lack of
capital. If the negotiations are successful, it is stated
that the pit will be equipped with more modern and up-
to-date machinery both for dealing with the water, and
for ventilation purposes. The present fan and pumps
are obsolete and out of date. The Ten-quarter, Yard,
Virgin, and Rattler Band seams will still be worked,
and in addition it is stated that an attempt will be made
to reach the Little Main and the Four-feet seam, which
are much deeper than the present workings, and which
are known to contain an enormous spread of coal.
Whether the new company will take over the 1,230 acres
of Dearham royalty is not yet known, but if they do, an
opinion has been expressed that this vast area of coal
could be better worked by sinking a new shaft nearer to
the Dearham side.

Mr. W. H. Johnson, who for the last three years has
been chief surveyor for the Harrington Collieries of
the Workington Iron and Steel Company, has been
appointed to a similar post under the Whitehaven
Colliery Company. Mr. Johnson received his training
in the Whitehaven Colliery office, and afterwards served
the Moresby Coal Company, as surveyor, from which
place he came to the Harrington Collieries.

The first consignment of pitch from Messrs. Brother-
ton’s new chemical works on Workington dock was
despatched by steamer from Workington last week.

It is understood that very shortly boring operations
for iron ore will be undertaken on land between Holborn
Hill and the Hill of Millom. Up till some years back,
a small mine was worked at the Hill of Millom, and
although ore was obtained only in very small quantities
it was very rich.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

New Rescue Station at Burnley—Increased Cost of Power.

Plans have been prepared for the Lancashire and
Cheshire Coalowners’ Association’s new rescue station
for North East Lancashire, which is to be built in
Accrington-road, Burnley. The station will store addi-
tional equipments of rescue apparatus, and will contain
smoke training galleries, so that men can train as near
as possible under actual mining conditions. There will
be a resident instructor on the ground and the station
will be in telephonic communication with every colliery
in the district.

Big coalmining developments are causing a famine in
houses in South Lancashire as well as in South York-
shire. A sub-committee of the Leigh Corporation have
recommended the building of 200 houses forthwith, and
it is expected that this housing scheme will be launched
at an early date. The Westleigh Colliery Company,
Messrs. J. Speakman and Sons, and Messrs. Ackers,
Whitley and Co. have opened out new mines and
increased their surface staffs at pits in the Leigh
district, whilst the Wigan Coal and Iron Company

Limited are now sinking extensive new collieries at
Westleigh.

The substantial increases which are being made in
the prices of coal are causing municipil authorities and
electricity companies to augment their prices for current.
A letter has been forwarded to the Swinton and
Pendlebury District Council by the Lancashire Electric
Power Company stating that, owing to the increase in
the price of coal in the contracts just completed, the
price for electrical energy will be increased by 0 048d.
per unit above the basis price in the agreement in
accordance with the coal clause.

Yorkshire.

Boring near Scarborough—Borough Extension of Don-
caster—More Pits to Come—Miners’ Hospital for
Maltby.

It is reported that boring operations are about to be
resumed in the Scarborough district, with the object of
discovering workable seams of coal. Certain boring
operations took place at Langdale End and Cross Cliff
last year, but they were suspended during the winter.
It is stated that the building of cottages at Langdale
End is contemplated, boring operations having proved
satisfactory, and in the Allerton district there are
rumours of a projected railway extension.

The chief event in the Doncaster district of the past
few days has been the Local Government Board enquiry
held by Mr. H. R. Hooper, M.Inst.O.E., at the Mansion
House, Doncaster, into the application of the Corporation
to extend its borough boundaries. The application has
aroused considerable interest in the South Yorkshire
coalfield, for the simple reason that no secret is made of
the fact that but for the colliery development around
Doncaster, its present boundaries would probably have
sufficed for all time. The Corporation propose to take
in the districts of Wheatley, Balby, Carr House, and
ELmfield, which will bring the population to over 50,000,
and enable Doncaster to apply for county borough powers,
and sever itself from the West Riding County Council.
The Corporation will be increased from 24 to 36 members.
Of course, there were frequent references to the collieries
around Doncaster during the enquiry, more especially
as to. the effect they have had upon the housing question.
The inspector was informed that not a single artizan’s
dwelling is to be found empty in Doncaster, that the
corporation have no land upon which they can erect
such houses in the borough, and that when they had to
arrange a rehousing scheme they had to obtain the
special permission of the Local Government Board to
erect the houses outside the borough, and in the districts
which they now propose to incorporate. The miners
were now entering into serious competition with the
burgesses of Doncaster for housing accommodation, for
the simple reason that they could not get houses in the
pit villages. Mr. Hooper remarked that he had noticed
the shortage of houses was not peculiar to Doncaster,
and enquired the cause. Recent legislation, which has
hit the builders very hardly, was the theory advanced
by way of answer. He was also anxious to know if the
present great influx of population to Doncaster is likely
to be permanent, and was assured that it will be.
Concerning this, however, there was some slight
difference of opinion, one witness advancing the theory
that the miners would quit the town in favour of the
pit village as soon as accommodation was provided for
them there, while another stated he thought the miners
would remain in the town of Doncaster, and would
flock to it in increasing numbers, as they liked the
excitement of town life, and liked to live away from
their work. The borough surveyor of Doncaster “ put
the lid on,” as they say in Yorkshire, when he told the
Local Government Board’s representative that in many
instances the bedrooms in the model mining village at
Woodlands, near Doncaster, were used in shifts of eight
hours each, thus indicating the great need for more
housing accommodation. The West Riding County
Council is strenuously opposing the application, but
the arguments in favour of borough extension are so
manifold and convincing there is felt to be little doubt
but that the Local Government Board will sanction the
prayer of the petition.

Some amusement has been caused in the South Yorks
coalfield by the tremendous fuss which the papers have
been making the last few days over the new Harworth
colliery, and the fact that the freezing and sinking
contract has been let to a German firm. As one mining
expert remarked: “One would think that it is only the
Germans who know how to sink a colliery and lay out a
model village. They may beat us in some things, but it
is absurd to suggest there will be no colliery like
Harworth and no methods like German methods.” At
Firbeck, a couple of miles or so south-west of Harworth,
another new colliery undertaking is materialising, and
before long there will be a large and important colliery
run by a British company with British capital near Sir
Archibald White’s seat at Wallingwells. This is to be
connected with th- Great Central main line by a short
length of railway, probably branching off from the
Shireoaks and Laughton line.

There is now an assurance that the mining district of
Maltby is to have a cottage hospital. It will be remem-
bered Lord Scarborough proposed to build and equip
one some months ago on the understanding that it
should be maintained by the public. The miners of the
Maltby Main Colliery Company offered to contribute
one-third of the total, but the remaining two-thirds did
not appear to be forthcoming. Lord Scarborough has
now intimated that the intentions of the Maltby Main
Colliery Company’s directors had been made known to
him in regard to supporting the hospital. In view of
this a meeting is to be convened of the Parish Council,
Nursing Association, colliery company, miners and
medical men to further the matter. Little doubt is
now felt but that the project will go through.

Notts and Derbyshire.

Rufford Colliery—Accident and Cancer.

We are informed that Bennett’s patent safety
appliance is shortly to be fitted at Ruff ord Colliery,
near Mansfield. This gear is chiefly for retaining the
cage in the headstocks in the event of an overwind, thus
rendering it impossible for the cage to fall down the pit
shaft. When an overwind occurs, and before the winding
rope is released, the cage is automatically held in perfect
security and safety by the retaining gear. When the
overwind occurs the cage is retained at the highest point
to which it has travelled, and absolutely no rebound or
downdrop of the cage can take place. There is conse-
quently no “ snatch ” or “ jerk ” on the bull chains.

The question as to how far the development of cancer
was attributable to injury received in the Williamthorpe
“ black shale ” pit, Holm wood, in July last, could not be
settled at an inquest at Chesterfield Hospital on Joseph
Goodlad (61), stallman. His son. who worked in the
same stall, stated that on July 3 deceased told him he
had slipped off a ringer and had hurt his back against
a prop. Deceased was admitted to the hospital on
January 24, and Dr. H. G. Dodd said it was surmised
that he had a malignant disease in some part of the body.
He died on February 22, and a post-mortem examination
showed a cancerous growth, the chief cause of death, on
the left side of the pelvis. It was within the bounds of
possibility that a fall against a prop might start the
disease.—Mr. Elliot-Smith (for the Coalowners’ Indem-
nity Association): In using those words you are covering
up all the ignorance which at present exists in the
medical profession as to the origin of the disease.—
Witness: If you like to put it that way.—The jury
found that deceased died from the disease, and that it
was possibly originated by the accident.

Members and friends of the Nottingham Society of
Engineers gathered in goodly numbers at the Welbeck
Hotel on Wednesday evening, when an instructive paper
on “ The Utilisation of Exhaust Steam and the Cost of
Producing Electrical Energy therefrom ” was read by
Mr. W. C. Mountain. Mr. J. Crawford, general manager
of Best wood Colliery (president), was in the chair, and
those present included Major W. E. Walker, general
manager of the Clifton Colliery, Nottingham, and
Mr. L. G. F. Routledge (president ot' the Notts and
Derbyshire Branch of the Association of Mining
Electrical Engineers), Eastwood. The lecture was
illustrated by lantern slides of typical colliery installa-
tions, where exhaust steam is utilised and of the
different types of turbines in use.

The Midlands.

The Shelton Company.

Mr. Chas. W. Parish, presiding at the annual meeting
of the Shelton Iron, Steel and Coal Company, stated
that legislative provisions had added at least Is. per ton
to the cost of producing coal and slack of all qualities
and descriptions. Last year’s wages bill came to over
£400,000, and sales to customers were more than
£1,100,000. At the collieries were employed some 3,300
men and boys, and at the iron and steel works 2,170,
giving a total of 5,470. At the last general meeting
attention was called to the Deep pits and the Racecourse
pits, which are in very good order and are working well.
The coal obtained is of good quality, some of the seams
being especially valuable. The Holly-lane seam (which
is a house coal) is probably one of the finest in England,
and the Cockshead is also of excellent quality and suit-
able for coking. The blastfurnaces have been greatly
improved of late years, and now give a very fine output.
The steelworks have been kept very busy, and the mixer
(which was finished a year ago) has been of great
assistance. Electric power comes more and more into
use, and the company are adopting it largely and
successfully. They have during the last few years
electrified the greater part of their small machinery, and
have a large generating plant, consisting of turbo-
generators, the electricity being produced at a very
moderate cost from the waste heat of the rolling-mill
engines. Speaking of the outlook, Mr. Parish said they
had in view a further installation for the collieries,
which would utilise the waste steam from the large
winding engines. The old Shelton mills were somewhat
out of date, and they were now turning their attention
to improving them. Trade had now contracted, and
prices had seriously fallen, while the market was
further disturbed by large consignments of steel from
abroad.

There was striking testimony to the esteem and
regard which the men and officials of the Ibstock
Collieries have for their manager, Mr. J. McBride, by a
presentation made to him at the Donington Arms Inn,
Donington-le-Heath, on Saturday night. Mr. McBride
has been at Ibstock for 3J years, and is shortly returning
to Scotland, having been appointed agent and manager
by the Wishaw Coal Company, Motherwell. Mr. J. W.
Stapleton, who has been appointed assistant-manager at
Ibstock, presided, and stated that when he came there
it was about 900 tons a day, and now they aimed at
1,600 tons. The gift consisted of a handsome gold
watch, with his monogram on the front and the following
inscription inside: “ Presented to J. McBride, Esq., by
the officials and workmen of the Ibstock Collieries
Limited, March 1914,” a purse of gold, and a gold
pendant and chain for Mrs. McBride.

Progress with the work of sinking two shafts at the
Keresley Colliery of the Warwickshire Coal Company has
been arrested by the huge volumes of water encountered
in the red sandstone. Powerful machinery has been
introduced, and this is engaged in raising 2,200 gallons
of water per minute. Three months ago the inflow was
400 gallons per minute less than it is to-day.