We have not chosen, perhaps, the best words, or the most striking examples, to demonstrate the value of our coal deposits; but that is a small matter in comparison with the degree of economy with which we should preserve and utilize the invaluable stores of mineral wealth which those fields contain.
We have noticed that all our old or primitive miners did their work in a primitive manner; that in all new regions where coal is plentiful, the easiest way is always the first way, though it may be the most expensive in the end.
For many years, in the early development of the English mines, the waste or loss of coal in refuse, pillars, and "lost mine," was equal to our present enormous waste,—say 50 per cent. But improvement, care, and economy have reduced the 50 per cent. to from 10 to 15 per cent. in the English mines.
Such a consummation is most desirable here, and, we think, attainable under a proper system of mining,—ultimately attended with far greater economy than our present system, though, perhaps, more expensive to establish.
Our present production of merchantable coal is over 10,000,000 tons, but the present annual drain on our resources is over 15,000,000 tons. Our loss is now 5,000,000 tons annually. But we may not look far in advance to see those figures doubled; and our dead loss will then begin to be noticed and appreciated.
If we estimate the dead loss at 20 per cent. under such a system as might be inaugurated, instead of 50 per cent. as now suffered, the saving to individuals, community, and country would be great.
It would cause a direct gain of 6,000,000 tons per annum on a pro duction of 20,000,000, and might be obtained without one cent of additional cost per ton to the miner or operator, except in rents to the landed proprietors. This, we presume, they would appreciate, if our miners should not ; but they, too, would find this economy profitable. Instead of a "lift" lasting 10 years under a waste of 50 per cent., it would last 13 years under a waste of only 20 per cent., and 1,300,000 tons of coal would be obtained instead of 1,000,000; while the cost of pumping, raising, superintendence, &c. would be about the same.
In that portion of this work devoted to the Economy of Mining, all the information attainable on this subject will be found; and we hope to demonstrate the practicability of saving a larger percentage of our present enormous waste than here intimated.
In describing the respective coal-fields of the anthracite regions, we shall follow the plan adopted in the preceding pages, and commence with Wyoming. Its early history, magnificent extent, fame, and natural beauty, all conspire to give this rich and lovely valley pre-eminence in an historical point of view; while its coal-trade and mineral resources place it first among the anthracite fields.
We must here object to •a misnomer which has lately been growing into use by writers and the public generally. We notice the " Great Northern or Wyoming coal-field" mentioned as the "Lackawanna coal-field" in two late publications ; one being an elaborate paper published in the Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers for 1864, and the other a Hand-Book of the New Jersey Central Railroad, published in a neat and handsome style by the Messrs. Harper. The Lackawanna district or region is simply one end or portion of the field, as a glance at any map of the anthracite coal-fields will show. It is important on account of its greater development and production, but the larger portion of the coal lies in the Wyoming Valley proper.
It is a singular distinction which names the lower end of this great coal field, or valley, Newport, and the upper end Lackawanna, since there is no termination to the great mountain-ranges forming alike the valley and the coal-basin, from the extremity of Newport to the end of the Lacka wanna; and when we speak of the valley, generally, we call it the Wyoming Valley. We therefore object to this misnomer, which rejects a proper name, old and honored, for the name of a simple district which has no application to the coal-field generally.