Search Results

'Safety first is stressed in every possible way in White Oak mines. Note the posts set to protect this man at his labor. He is waiting for another mine car so he can clean up his work place and make it ready for the mining machine crew who will cut it during the night ready for him to work tomorrow.'

1. Miner Waiting for Mine Car

'All White Oak mines are electrically equipped and of course this mining machine is operated by electricity. The machine is mounted and transported on a specially designed truck and moves under its own power from one working place to another. It is taken from the truck by the machine operator and his helper and moved to the place of the coal and placed in cutting position as you see in this picture. The machine consists of an endless chain with bits inserted, which act as cutters. The machine cuts a kerf or hole along the bottom of the coal about 4 feet and extending back six feet under the coal. The fine coal made by this machine is what is commonly known as bug dust. Cutting machines are operated at night and each machine is capable of cutting twenty places on each shift. These machines are operated on tonnage basis and these operators earn high wages.'

2. Miner Operating a Cutting Machine

'This miner has just completed loading a mine oar of coal weighing net about two and one-half tons, and is waiting for a locomotive to come along and take it out and give him another empty oar.  An industrious miner will load about six and sometimes eight of these oars in one day.  This is a wooden mine car that is now being rapidly replaced by steel mine car equipment.  The number of posts shown in this picture indi- again [sic] the immense amount of timber required to conduct operations in a safe manner.'

3. Miner and Loaded Mine Car

4. Miner Riding on Filled Coal Car

Conveyor outside of preparation plant unloading coal. Miner helps fill up the mine car.

5. Conveyor Unloading Coal

Two miners next to an electric locomotive.

6. Miner on Electric Locomotive