Timbering a Mine Airway.

One of the best criticisms of modern text-books is that while they describe how a thing ought to be done, they do not tell how to do it. This criticism was brought out a few days since in conversation with a practical miner who has a laudable desire to understand the best methods in mining practice. This man in the opinion of the average miner would be considered as possessing a very fair idea of mining work in general, and of timbering in particular. Most men would be satisfied with this, but to use his own words, while he understood the methods of timbering as explained in books, “The proposition in a mine airway is a different one from that on paper. Why do you not tell us,” said he, “how the sticks are put up?”

Much importance attaches to the wedging of a timber set. The wedges should be of oak and cut from 6 to 10 inches in width, and from 2 to 4 inches in thickness, and 12 to 18 inches long, according to size of the timbers and the height of the airway, nature of the roof, etc. The wedge should have a taper of about 1 inch to the foot. When there is much clearance space between the top of the collar and the roof, two wedges are often driven against each other, one above the other. In driving a wedge the timber should be placed a little out of position toward the side upon which the wedge is driven, since the action of driving will naturally carry the timber forward. If desired, two wedges may be driven side by side at each end of the collar, but from opposite sides. A wedge should never be driven at the center of the cross-beam, except it may be in special cases, and then only after the timbers have taken the weight. The position of the wedges above the collar should be slightly inside of or toward the center of the entry from the top of the leg, so that the line of pressure will act to arch the weight over the airway. Two average timbermen can frame and place in position from 12 to 20 sets of timber in a 6-foot airway in an 8-hour shift, but the work will depend very much upon the amount of cutting and trimming required in the floor, ribs and root of the airway, and the character of the roof in particular.—“Practical Mining Studies,” in Mines and Minerals for July. 1901.

Miss Sophia DeVylder, of this place, and Mr. James David, of Providence, eloped to Evansville Sunday and were married.

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