198 FREDERICK EDWARD SAWARD 



is hauled from the various gathering points by two endless 

 cables aggregating more than 20,000 feet in length, and a 

 gravity plane 10,000 feet in length; 700,000 gallons of water 

 are pumped daily from the mine workings by the largest 

 Yough pump ever made. 



Forty head of horses and mules are kept at all times 

 for use in the workings, and the same are stabled under- 

 ground in stables built of brick and cement. The main head- 

 ings of the mine are lighted by electricity, more than 300 in- 

 candescent lights being in constant use about the plant. The 

 workings are piped with fresh water supplied by pumps lo- 

 cated on the banks of the Youghiogheny river at Connnells- 

 ville, nearly 13 miles distant, and thrown over an elevation 

 of nearly 600 feet. More than 300,000 gallons of fresh moun- 

 tain water are consumed daily upon the premises. 



The output of the mine averages 70,000 tons of coal 

 per month, and the capacity of the coke ovens is 500,000 

 tons per annum. Nearly 500 men are employed in the mine 

 and 350 outside on the coke yards, etc., making a total of 850 

 men, with a monthly pay roll exceeding $40,000. The cost 

 of the plant is considerably more than $1,000,000. 



The Oliver mines have been very difficult to operate, 

 owing to immense volumes of fire damp generated within 

 the workings. Outbursts of fire damp have occurred several 

 times. On one occasion the fire damp reached to the top 

 of the shaft and for twenty-four hours it was impossible to 

 go down the shaft. At another time an outburst filled the 

 mine workings with fire damp for a distance of 500 feet hori- 

 zontally from the face in less than an hour's time. Three 

 times during the life of this mine has it been necessary to tap 

 the mine workings by means of bore holes from the surface; 

 yet there has never been the slightest accident from fire damp. 



Of late years, owing to greater care, better methods, 

 more efficient appliances, and rigid inspection, accidents 

 from fire damp are rare within the confines of the Connells- 

 ville seam. 



Those accidents, while dreadful of themselves, have been 

 productive of much good, and to them may be traced the 

 present mining laws of the bituminous coal districts of the 



