530 GEOLOGY OF NORTHWESTERN TEXAS. 



The working of the mines is as easily performed as in any thin seam of 

 coal. The roofing is good, and only a few accidents have occurred, and these 

 generally resulted from the negligence of the miners themselves or from the 

 ignorance of some green hand who would not listen to the caution of the more 

 experienced. 



The mine is dry throughout, and no gas has been found, and there is not 

 much probability that any will be encountered. The mine is ventilated by 

 fans run by machinery at the top of the shaft, and the miners say they have 

 good air. The seam of coal has a very uniform thickness. It has been found 

 to pinch out in places and leave the coal resting immediately upon a bed of 

 indurated sand, making the mining somewhat difficult, but this has only been 

 found in a limited area in mine No. 1, and that on the eastern side next to 

 the outcrop. 



The miners take out from two to two and a half tons per day, for which 

 they are paid one dollar and twenty five cents per ton. The method adopted 

 of paying the miners for the coal is to pay once every month the whole 

 amount due them either for driving the entries or other contract work for 

 the amount of coal taken out. 



The mine owners have adopted the plan of advancing on the month's work 

 before pay day by giving to the miners a book of tickets worth five dollars, 

 good at the company's store for anything the miner may need in the way of 

 supplies. The tickets are not good if detached from the book by the miner, 

 and thus preventing him from using the tickets except for the purpose of 

 buying necessary supplies. The miner is not required to purchase from the 

 company his supplies further than to the amount for which he has taken 

 tickets. 



The houses are owned by the company, and are rented to the miners at 

 reasonable figures. 



An attempt was made to get water for the mines by sinking a deep well, 

 but after going to the depth of eleven hundred feet only salt water has been 

 reached, which flows in a nice stream from the top of the well. Water for 

 the use of the mines is brought in on the railroad from near Strawn in water 

 cars, and from thence is delivered to the miners by water wagons. 



It is intended by the proprietors to increase the output of the mine to at 

 least double its present production, which can be very easily done. 



There has been a spur built out to this mine from the main line of the 

 Texas and Pacific Railway, beginning at a point about midway between Gor- 

 don and Strawn, and is about one and a half miles long. 



