PELAW MAIN COLLIERY. 345 



Pelaw Main. 



This is one of the collieries belonging to Messrs. Jas. and 

 Alex. Brown. It is on a leasehold, and adjoins their freehold 

 property of Richmond Vale. Peluw Main is about ten years 

 old, and employs some 800 hands. It is under the management 

 of Mr. R. Arbuckle. 



Pelaw Main is at present worked from tunnels, but there 

 are also two shafts, one of which is used for conducting air 

 pipes from the air compressors to the machinery below ; also a 

 steam pipe for a Blake pump at the bottom, and a main and 

 tail rope for hauling purposes. The other shaft will eventually 

 be used for ventilation purposes. 



The seam is a very fine one to work, being 17 to 20ft. 

 thick, and remarkably free from shale bands. The roof is con- 

 glomerate. The coal is taken out in two workings. AY ere the 

 seams thicker, it would not be so easy to win. The mine is 

 worked on the triple entry system. The main intake heading 

 is in the centre,, and 011 either side are the bord headings. The 

 bords break away from the latter, not at right angles, 

 as then 011 account of the facings it would be impossible to 

 keep the top coal up, but at a slight angle to the facings, 

 which also gives the bord a grade of about 1 in 12. At the 

 upper part of the mine the bords and pillars are both 8 yards 

 wide, but as the cover gets thicker the bords are made 6 yards, 

 and the pillars 10 yards. In the first working the bords are 

 made 7ft. 6in. to 10ft. high, and in the second working the 

 coal is dropped from the roof. No attempt has been made to 

 win the pillars yet. Slants, at a greater angle to the facing 

 than the bords, are driven every 60 yards apart, which gives 

 the track a grade of from 1 in 15 to 1 in 18, which is con- 

 venient for wheeling. These slants, which cut up the bords 

 into lengths of 60 yards, lessen the distance for conveying coal 

 from the faces to the main heading. Where a dyke or fault 

 occurs this is used as a natural barrier, but otherwise a coal 

 barrier one chain thick is left every 300 yards. At the fourth 

 bord length, the far end of the bord is narrowed down, and a 

 brick stopping put in ; bricks and mortar are kept in readiness 

 near the intake and return to each district, so that should a 

 fire take place, that portion of the mine can be quickly sealed 

 off. 



The coal, which is hard to work with a hand pick, is 

 undercut by Ingersoll punches worked by compressed air. 

 There are 35 of these machines in use. worked by machine 

 men and their helpers, the latter shovelling the cuttings away 

 and helping to move the machine. 



