Atchison Coal Mine, 1907
Atchison Coal Mine, Atchison, Kansas (1907) View reverse.
Visible landmarks:
List of landmarks visible at the Atchison History project.
History
The 1907 Engineering index annual lists this colliery as the deepest bituminous coal mine in the US, a three foot vein worked longwall fashion.
A 1907 issue of the Journal of the Iron and Steel institute gives a more detailed summary and hints at the ultimate cause of its failure:
CM Young states that the deep colliery being worked at Atchison Kansas is deeper than any other bituminous coal mine in the United States At a depth of 1126 feet a bed of coal 3 feet in thickness and of excellent quality was found In order to settle the question as to the existence of coal at a greater depth drilling was carried on until the Mississippian limestones had been reached and penetrated to a depth of 38 feet Three beds of coal were penetrated below this 3 foot bed but they are not of sufficient thickness to make working profitable under existing conditions At present the mine is operated through one three compartment shaft Two compartments of the shaft are used for hoisting and downcast and the third constitutes the upcast and pipeway The coal is taken out by the long wall method which is probably the only method adapted to the conditions The mine is very wet about 1200 gallons of water being taken out per hour The present output is about 170 tons per day An analysis of the coal is as follows Fixed carbon 46 53 volatile and combustible matter 43 29 ash 6 04 moisture 3 13 total sulphur 2 27 volatile sulphur 1 17 per cent
The most detailed account of the Atchison mine comes from the July, 1907 Colliery Engineer (p537), which uses this image as a figure.
THE ATCHISON MINE
At Atchison, Kansas—The Deepest Bituminous Coal Mine in the United States—A Three-foot Bed Worked Longwall
Written for "Mines and Minerals," by Prof. C. M. Young
The deep colliery being worked at Atchison, Kan., is of interest because of its depth, which is greater than that of any other bituminous mine in the United States and greater than that of any other mine in the Middle West; and also because of some of the conditions encountered, which add to the difficulty of operation.
The enterprise is one in which a large part of the population of Atchison is interested, the prospect hole having been sunk by a citizens' committee and part of the necessary funds having been secured through action of the city council.
The greater part of the coal mined in Kansas is taken from the southeastern part of the state, but a bed averaging about 2 feet in thickness has been worked for several years at Leavenworth. Prospect holes had been sunk in the neighborhood of Atchison, but churn drills were used, and though the records of these holes showed no encouraging results, there were rumors that the true story of the operations had never been told. It was even more than hinted that coal had really been found and that the records had been suppressed. A case of similar dishonesty in the Joplin district once came to the writer's notice, but in this case the driller, by his false report, secured the mining rights to the land and developed a mine.
Realizing the great benefits to be secured by the development of a coal mine near Atchison, a large number of the citizens of the town organized themselves into a company to sink a prospect hole, and that there might be no possible inaccuracy in the report of the results, the State Geological Survey took charge of the cuttings. The hole was sunk with a diamond drill and the entire core, with the exception of some coal removed for analysis, is preserved at the state university.
It was known that coal, if it existed, would be found above the Mississippian Limestone, which was supposed to lie 1,200 or 1,300 feet below the surface. With the idea of going to a depth of 1,500 feet if necessary, and of permanently deciding the coal question, as far as a drill hole could do so, the drilling was commenced in July, 1900. At the depth of 799 feet a bed of coal, 1 foot 10 inches in thickness was found. As this depth corresponds to that of the Leavenworth coal, and as the two coals are similar in quality, it is supposed that they belong to the same bed. When the core containing this coal was removed, it was found that the contact plane of the coal and the subjacent fireclay made an angle of about 45 degrees with the vertical. This probably indicates the penetration of a horseback. The coal of this bed is dry and except for its thinness could be easily worked, but it is not very good in quality and no attempt has been made to mine it at Atchison.
At the depth of 879 feet a 9-inch bed of coal was penetrated and at or near the bottom of this seam salt water was found. At 1,008 feet water was found under sufficient pressure to flow from the casing.
When the drill had penetrated to a depth of 1,100 feet the work was almost abandoned. The drill experts in charge of the operation declared that money was being wasted. It is a very fortunate thing that hope was not entirely lost, for at the depth of 1,126 feet a bed of coal, 3 feet in thickness and of
[graphic]
Fig. 1. Surface Plant. Atchison Mine
excellent quality was found. In order that there might never be any question of the existence of coal at a greater depth, the drilling was continued until the Mississippian Limestone had been reached and penetrated to a depth of 38 feet. Three beds of coal were penetrated below this 3-foot bed but they are not of sufficient thickness to make working profitable under existing conditions. In all, eighteen beds of coal were penetrated and of this coal about 5 feet is unquestionably workable. The total cost of the drilling was about 84,700, roughlv $3.50 per foot.
At present, the mine is operated through one three-compartment shaft; though under the mining law of Kansas two shafts are required and a second shaft, designed to be the main hoisting shaft, will be sunk in the near future. Two compartments of the present shaft are used for hoisting and downcast and the third compartment constitutes the upcast and pipeway.
The ventilating current is actuated by an exhaust fan. The ventilation is very inefficient but it will probably be greatly improved when the new shaft is completed. The fan is belted to a motor. All other machinery is operated by steam.
The shaft is situated in a little valley in the bluffs bordering the Missouri River. It is about 20 rods from the track of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and about 1 mile from the freight yard at Atchison, so that cars are very easily handled. Water for the boilers and the compressor is pumped from the river, about 25 rods away, to a reservoir on top of one of the bluffs. Compressed air is used to operate pump but for no other purpose. The hoisting engine is two-cylinder, direct-connected.
The drum is 10 feet in diameter and 9 feet long and is lagged with wood. The hoisting ropes are of plow steel, 1J inches in diameter. A rope lasts about 1 year. The maximum hoisting speed is about 30 feet per second.
A feature of interest is the form of guides used in the hoisting shaft. These are 6 in. X 7 in. and are built up of oak plank 1 * in. x 7in.,spiked together, with all joints broken. These guides give much less trouble than solid ones.
The coal is taken out by the longwall method, which is probably the only
method adapted to the conditions. The only powder used is employed in breaking down the roof, which is a finegrained sandstone. The coal itself is very easily removed, as the immense roof pressure breaks it down as soon as it is undercut to a distance of even a few inches. In fact a little very light work with a pick brings it down with practically no undercutting in some places. The coal comes down so easily that no large lumps are produced and the screen makes only two grades, the ordinary market coal and slack. The "working" of the coal can be very easily heard as a constant crackling wherever the face is being attacked. No mules are employed, the cars being pushed by men. No attempt has been made to use coal-cutting machinery and it is doubtful if it would be advisable.
One of the great difficulties encountered is the swelling of the floor and this is so great that in driving galleries into the solid coal, the ground swells about 3 feet within 15 feet of the working face. The quantity of rock that must be removed because of this swelling is very great. The tracks are greatly disturbed and water accumulates next to the working face, aggravating the disagreeable features of mining. Below the coal is found, not the clay that is so common in the eastern mines, but sandstone and below this is shale. Below the shale is about 11 feet of firm standstone. It seems probable that the wet shale yields to the immense pressure and flows inwards and upwards. In fact the lateral movement is very evident in the walls. If this opinion is correct it would seem that the trouble could be largely obviated by taking up the floor instead of brushing the roof, and holding the walls in place with timbers. This plan has not been tried. The 10" X 10" caps of the timber sets have been bent and split by the rock movements and in some cases they are sheared off at the posts.'
The mine is very wet, about 1,200 gallons of water being taken out per hour. Pumps are used only to force the water from the depressions at the working face to a sump at the shaft. All the water is bailed out in buckets attached to the cages as shown in Fig. 2. As each bucket weighs 900 pounds and holds 750 gallons, or 6,260 pounds, it is evident that this weight of 7,160 pounds produces a severe strain on the ropes and engines. The water is very salty and is hard on pumps and pipes.
A little gas is found in the mine, but up to the present time the quantity has been too small to cause any explosions, though a few serious burns have been caused. The whole mine is so wet that no explosions of dust or of dust and gas together can occur.
Another disagreeable feature is the high temperature. A thermometer inserted in water at the end of a passage showed e temperature of 26° C. (78.8° F.), and as the ventilation at this point was very poor, this may probably be taken as the temperature of the rock.
The present output is about 170 tons a day and this will be greatly increased when the second shaft is completed and an adequate working face secured. This quality of the coal is so good that it should find a ready market, even if the product of the other mines of the region were not insufficient to supply the needs of the country Options on a large area of land on both sides of the river are held and in the future the output of the mine will probably be very large An analysis of Atchison coal is as follows Fixed carbon 46.53 volatile and combustible 4.3 29 ash 6.04 moisture 3.13 total sulphur 2.27 volatile sulphur 1.17
Atchison Coal Mine, 1907
Atchison Coal Mine, Atchison, Kansas (1907) View reverse.
Visible landmarks:
List of landmarks visible at the Atchison History project.
History
The 1907 Engineering index annual lists this colliery as the deepest bituminous coal mine in the US, a three foot vein worked longwall fashion.
A 1907 issue of the Journal of the Iron and Steel institute gives a more detailed summary and hints at the ultimate cause of its failure:
CM Young states that the deep colliery being worked at Atchison Kansas is deeper than any other bituminous coal mine in the United States At a depth of 1126 feet a bed of coal 3 feet in thickness and of excellent quality was found In order to settle the question as to the existence of coal at a greater depth drilling was carried on until the Mississippian limestones had been reached and penetrated to a depth of 38 feet Three beds of coal were penetrated below this 3 foot bed but they are not of sufficient thickness to make working profitable under existing conditions At present the mine is operated through one three compartment shaft Two compartments of the shaft are used for hoisting and downcast and the third constitutes the upcast and pipeway The coal is taken out by the long wall method which is probably the only method adapted to the conditions The mine is very wet about 1200 gallons of water being taken out per hour The present output is about 170 tons per day An analysis of the coal is as follows Fixed carbon 46 53 volatile and combustible matter 43 29 ash 6 04 moisture 3 13 total sulphur 2 27 volatile sulphur 1 17 per cent
The most detailed account of the Atchison mine comes from the July, 1907 Colliery Engineer (p537), which uses this image as a figure.
THE ATCHISON MINE
At Atchison, Kansas—The Deepest Bituminous Coal Mine in the United States—A Three-foot Bed Worked Longwall
Written for "Mines and Minerals," by Prof. C. M. Young
The deep colliery being worked at Atchison, Kan., is of interest because of its depth, which is greater than that of any other bituminous mine in the United States and greater than that of any other mine in the Middle West; and also because of some of the conditions encountered, which add to the difficulty of operation.
The enterprise is one in which a large part of the population of Atchison is interested, the prospect hole having been sunk by a citizens' committee and part of the necessary funds having been secured through action of the city council.
The greater part of the coal mined in Kansas is taken from the southeastern part of the state, but a bed averaging about 2 feet in thickness has been worked for several years at Leavenworth. Prospect holes had been sunk in the neighborhood of Atchison, but churn drills were used, and though the records of these holes showed no encouraging results, there were rumors that the true story of the operations had never been told. It was even more than hinted that coal had really been found and that the records had been suppressed. A case of similar dishonesty in the Joplin district once came to the writer's notice, but in this case the driller, by his false report, secured the mining rights to the land and developed a mine.
Realizing the great benefits to be secured by the development of a coal mine near Atchison, a large number of the citizens of the town organized themselves into a company to sink a prospect hole, and that there might be no possible inaccuracy in the report of the results, the State Geological Survey took charge of the cuttings. The hole was sunk with a diamond drill and the entire core, with the exception of some coal removed for analysis, is preserved at the state university.
It was known that coal, if it existed, would be found above the Mississippian Limestone, which was supposed to lie 1,200 or 1,300 feet below the surface. With the idea of going to a depth of 1,500 feet if necessary, and of permanently deciding the coal question, as far as a drill hole could do so, the drilling was commenced in July, 1900. At the depth of 799 feet a bed of coal, 1 foot 10 inches in thickness was found. As this depth corresponds to that of the Leavenworth coal, and as the two coals are similar in quality, it is supposed that they belong to the same bed. When the core containing this coal was removed, it was found that the contact plane of the coal and the subjacent fireclay made an angle of about 45 degrees with the vertical. This probably indicates the penetration of a horseback. The coal of this bed is dry and except for its thinness could be easily worked, but it is not very good in quality and no attempt has been made to mine it at Atchison.
At the depth of 879 feet a 9-inch bed of coal was penetrated and at or near the bottom of this seam salt water was found. At 1,008 feet water was found under sufficient pressure to flow from the casing.
When the drill had penetrated to a depth of 1,100 feet the work was almost abandoned. The drill experts in charge of the operation declared that money was being wasted. It is a very fortunate thing that hope was not entirely lost, for at the depth of 1,126 feet a bed of coal, 3 feet in thickness and of
[graphic]
Fig. 1. Surface Plant. Atchison Mine
excellent quality was found. In order that there might never be any question of the existence of coal at a greater depth, the drilling was continued until the Mississippian Limestone had been reached and penetrated to a depth of 38 feet. Three beds of coal were penetrated below this 3-foot bed but they are not of sufficient thickness to make working profitable under existing conditions. In all, eighteen beds of coal were penetrated and of this coal about 5 feet is unquestionably workable. The total cost of the drilling was about 84,700, roughlv $3.50 per foot.
At present, the mine is operated through one three-compartment shaft; though under the mining law of Kansas two shafts are required and a second shaft, designed to be the main hoisting shaft, will be sunk in the near future. Two compartments of the present shaft are used for hoisting and downcast and the third compartment constitutes the upcast and pipeway.
The ventilating current is actuated by an exhaust fan. The ventilation is very inefficient but it will probably be greatly improved when the new shaft is completed. The fan is belted to a motor. All other machinery is operated by steam.
The shaft is situated in a little valley in the bluffs bordering the Missouri River. It is about 20 rods from the track of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and about 1 mile from the freight yard at Atchison, so that cars are very easily handled. Water for the boilers and the compressor is pumped from the river, about 25 rods away, to a reservoir on top of one of the bluffs. Compressed air is used to operate pump but for no other purpose. The hoisting engine is two-cylinder, direct-connected.
The drum is 10 feet in diameter and 9 feet long and is lagged with wood. The hoisting ropes are of plow steel, 1J inches in diameter. A rope lasts about 1 year. The maximum hoisting speed is about 30 feet per second.
A feature of interest is the form of guides used in the hoisting shaft. These are 6 in. X 7 in. and are built up of oak plank 1 * in. x 7in.,spiked together, with all joints broken. These guides give much less trouble than solid ones.
The coal is taken out by the longwall method, which is probably the only
method adapted to the conditions. The only powder used is employed in breaking down the roof, which is a finegrained sandstone. The coal itself is very easily removed, as the immense roof pressure breaks it down as soon as it is undercut to a distance of even a few inches. In fact a little very light work with a pick brings it down with practically no undercutting in some places. The coal comes down so easily that no large lumps are produced and the screen makes only two grades, the ordinary market coal and slack. The "working" of the coal can be very easily heard as a constant crackling wherever the face is being attacked. No mules are employed, the cars being pushed by men. No attempt has been made to use coal-cutting machinery and it is doubtful if it would be advisable.
One of the great difficulties encountered is the swelling of the floor and this is so great that in driving galleries into the solid coal, the ground swells about 3 feet within 15 feet of the working face. The quantity of rock that must be removed because of this swelling is very great. The tracks are greatly disturbed and water accumulates next to the working face, aggravating the disagreeable features of mining. Below the coal is found, not the clay that is so common in the eastern mines, but sandstone and below this is shale. Below the shale is about 11 feet of firm standstone. It seems probable that the wet shale yields to the immense pressure and flows inwards and upwards. In fact the lateral movement is very evident in the walls. If this opinion is correct it would seem that the trouble could be largely obviated by taking up the floor instead of brushing the roof, and holding the walls in place with timbers. This plan has not been tried. The 10" X 10" caps of the timber sets have been bent and split by the rock movements and in some cases they are sheared off at the posts.'
The mine is very wet, about 1,200 gallons of water being taken out per hour. Pumps are used only to force the water from the depressions at the working face to a sump at the shaft. All the water is bailed out in buckets attached to the cages as shown in Fig. 2. As each bucket weighs 900 pounds and holds 750 gallons, or 6,260 pounds, it is evident that this weight of 7,160 pounds produces a severe strain on the ropes and engines. The water is very salty and is hard on pumps and pipes.
A little gas is found in the mine, but up to the present time the quantity has been too small to cause any explosions, though a few serious burns have been caused. The whole mine is so wet that no explosions of dust or of dust and gas together can occur.
Another disagreeable feature is the high temperature. A thermometer inserted in water at the end of a passage showed e temperature of 26° C. (78.8° F.), and as the ventilation at this point was very poor, this may probably be taken as the temperature of the rock.
The present output is about 170 tons a day and this will be greatly increased when the second shaft is completed and an adequate working face secured. This quality of the coal is so good that it should find a ready market, even if the product of the other mines of the region were not insufficient to supply the needs of the country Options on a large area of land on both sides of the river are held and in the future the output of the mine will probably be very large An analysis of Atchison coal is as follows Fixed carbon 46.53 volatile and combustible 4.3 29 ash 6.04 moisture 3.13 total sulphur 2.27 volatile sulphur 1.17