NEW BULLER COAL FIELD.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2159, 27 May 1914, Page 17

NEW BULLER COAL FIELD.

THE WESTPOTOOaiTON I'OLUERItS AN UP-TO-D'ITE PLANT. BIC BUQG{< OF r,O/>L COUNTRY OPLKE3 OP.

Tho most importaiit developiiient on tho Duller coaliield of fecent years Ims been tho op&'uiiig of tii« l/ig ruiiies .and works of the W'estportSti'ckton Coal Company. The company was formed in IUOS, and like many other West Coast collieries it had p'eat obstacles to face in its parly years. Us operations extend over a lai-ge frlock of country reaching baefe from tho Kgaknwisu station on tho Westport-Jkhinmui lino, J. 9 miles from, tho {(art, said iuiinediatcly adjoining the Gl'anity Creek loa.se, on n'hich aro siSttijted tie Uillerton luiiwe of tho Wustport- Oeal Goisipany. The country is geolagjeally a eontrouatisu of tho famous Jjieiuuston coaJ-bcarißg area., and tho StoektOE Icase-of 2000 acroe is estimated to contain about 15,000,000 tons of bituminous coal, generally of tlio excellent quality, characteristic of Wostport coal.

The bulk of tho «airtpauy'§ capital of £150,000 was subserited in Canterbury, and operations «'cr© beguu Uiider .t board of well-known residents of the province. Tlio work <rf spoiling up tlio iMiio was directed by Mr. U. H. Breoiiie, a Canadian mining enginoer, and wire- is now iii charge o£ the" Viotoriaii Stflto coal mines. '4'iir. nines are several tnilcs back from tfe- railway line, and at an clovation of about 2WJO foot. To rewch thorn an cxtoisrve lay-out <A liauiago traok_was necessarj', twd an np-t<>dat<j electric plant was designed by' Sir. 0. P. Williams, of {ftristeimrcfr. Neiv DBMQpijient'Wwk.

_ During tlio first tliroo years of its. existence tlio company opened tip a- narrow strip of •country along tlra" vestwn boundary of its lease. Tlio eoal there was of good fjtialtiy, tint not quite hardenough to ©and roaigli treatment ill transit without bacoiuiiip: broken ami reduced in size-, /Latterly tho -company has been opening «p the eaatern portkm of the liiiuo, an 3 here it has <tevcloped a compact bki?.!? of coal 60U acres in extent. The' stutf-raesrt-s erf tho tfovernmont oflieials almost invariably err well on the side o£ eaiitian, and it is inUreeting to note what Mr. J'rank Heed, M.1.M.M., said of this. jMu-tieulaj" portion of tlie sooipauy's preiMirty in Ids last annual rejiort. "i'lie bettmti or workable seam in tlio itctvly-fuwod area," said Mr. Metsl, "is isolated from tliat worked in tha original mma by 40 chaise of sansietene country, in which coal of workable'thickness dsses not occur. A mniibei , «f boreltoks have been drilled, piwiug a scam, which 1 am nifonncd Ijy tho iiwno manager varies in thickness brtwoea Oft. a«4 19ft. Tho general dip of tlio Jicwly-provod area is 1 ia SO, Imarmg n'wtli-osst, a»d although there may be local variations of dip owing to tniuor fauitjsg, tlrero is no ovi-lcncD .of severe ot tho roclts within tho proved grouuej, . . . Tho -lirorelioles Jsaving been located ByetematicallVj ri- reasonable cstlrnato basod upon i}» jmiraat submittod may bo inado of tlio quantity crt .sv-ork-ablo coal. Asstiitiifta ttat tk; coJtl'SSafij' has an' average workaMe ihicktiess o : f 12ft. over 486 acres, tlieii there <c : sfst 9,000,000 tons pi coal ia siim, of wliicli at least. 3,00f1,.f5Ui) toiis s-hmikLto extracted and ms.rKafetMe'.' , . ' ■■

Nestling under the Ml oh tlie Safe'at the raoutli of the'Ngftkawau Itivor'- a littlo township tes. spreiig iffta cs&tenco sineo the company Ivogan its operations. Beside it, .Gmvn the steep slopes of tlie ranges rtins the ijiclilied. ttaattvay from tho itiiues. . The iucli.se, itowever. ia hidden, by. the foothills, tend ail that.is visible hem ilse /Jata is tho cavernous moutfe cf tho ttmiiel loading to it. • From ttos- eawrguv the- tmdfi with their loßtjs «f 6«ai' ? disapjwwiijg into a huge buiMiiVg which-on© visftiir described as looking lite »i drill lisll on stilts. Hero arc tho screens and coaibins. below wliio'" rows oi railway wagons are being eaiselantly run to bear off the output of the ffliise to the waitinp; colliers at Across the railway siding rises tlio tall, iron sMokestack of the posver-lionso, a fine buiMins; of ferro-concrete, and jiear it are tho oftices of tho eaiupauy. Flom tlao top of the incliiso tii« rkctrio locomotives haul the coal tubs sohia miles back to the mines thcfiiKsivcs.

A visit to Njjakawaw is interesting for several reasons. First of all, there is a thoroughly up-to-date mining plniit to bo soon hero, 'i'hen a walk of a niilo and a half \ip the sawiiiill tramway track along tho Ng.t\kawan Biver brings one into the midst of a beautiful river gorge. On leaving the twn* ship and passing along tire- rails towards the river, one notices clouds of smoke rising over the first sjnsr of: the mountain. Its origm sooa bcporWß apparent. It- is from the abandoned workings of owe of. the ptoneei' <ou! mines of Bullcr—Marshall's old Xgafcawau mine, opened tip thirty years back. Over two years flga a iiro oil i!)o hillside cot into tlio ooai remaining in this inino. Steps wore at (met? taken to put it out, and wore apparently successful, hut a month later, the fire sprang iffifc again, and tho mine lias Ireon steadily burning over s-irs-cs. It would bft next door to impossible ts ptft ont the firo now, and tho.only iiiiconvenifiuoo caused l>v it is that in foggy wittier the smoko sometimes drifts afcrnss tho hill) and fills tho township of Ngakawmi,

ThD Povs/Si"Mousa Pferf. Turning from the olil to tlio new, the iirst point of iuterest is ihc powerstation which supplies the energy i'af tliu wholo of Stoeki.oll nsimiig piiiwt, ex--cept tlio hydraulic brakes usud to check tho speed of tlio loaded trucks down tho inclines. The powef-liouso is a large and handsome building, 17;lft. by SOit. in width, aud 25ft. high. It is thoroughly riroproof. and is divided into, an engine-room, coudensor-rooin, and boUer-f.ousv;. In each ease asiplo room is available for the extension of tho plant, if need be, to double its present capacity. The mnin generating engines are by Boiliss and Mercora, Bir» mingbam, and are of tl;e ihree-eranli, triple expansion, thrao-eylinder vortical (inclosed double-Acting typo, with forced lubrication. 'fivey are (lircst-coisp-led to alternating carreirt dynamos of standard BritisH Tliouisoti-Houston make, generating a threc-phaso current nt GGOO volts. Two of titpso gptwrstinjr sets are installed, and those are anticipated to meet requirements for an output of 800 tons per day. 'J'how .is, however, room in the wigimc-roow for two more sots, and tho installation of theso would euiibfe , the raiuo te copo with an output of no less than 1000 tons a day.

There are also to be found in tho onjjino-room two little exeitar sets for the excitation nf the Rolds of the main generators. Tt!c> tipple, workshops macliincry, and electric righting aro operated by a 100 lu'-o-wati moter-gen-orator sot. A feature of the room is the large and handsome switchboard of blue iM-nrbJe, One notices, also, that elaborate precautions liavo been taken to jirevent- 'dnmngo to the plant by lightning.

The plant is fed by four Babeouk and Willcox boilers, situate, , ! (it the opposite ond of tlio building, in a !as»o Ijoilorlionse, capahlp of tfihinfj four nmro boilers. Adjnjiiinj; it is the coiulonser* room, where otfn finds % lf»rgft sarfaro". condeiiEcr of AVorthiiafiioa omfce, fitted

with an fcdwards vertical triplex »ir]»i»ip, pJhI an oiglii-jiioli ■ i;imi)aiifi!4 pnini> with high sppwl-ouKißc. Fimiily, nicHtimi should hu wad* ol tlio \mweafinusn sniolso-staoU, which is a .prominent Ifijuimarlc; \i ; s fi s tfi?l snneture, built by tlio locni yomuiry of Messrs.

3;: / wtiw'Q (tie coal is Stared. 'file next objeot of interest on the flat is the. big building in which aro tho tippie niui bins. Tins structure is 100 feet in length, oO fopt in height, and U wido piiowgli to eovfir iin> railway tracks, I'Jiere aro its the building tliroo great, bins, two holding "000 tons each, of unscrreiipti eoal, and a thint with Hnwu.for ]ijOO tons of mite. A 100 liorsa power bossfc hauls the miiw inks through the tunnel to tlio weighbridge at tlio tipple viadtirt, amt tiiem-a they are ran on_ to tho tipplers, whioh sfo big machines of tho revolving typo esiA tabins three 30c»vt. tubs; Own which is to bo i soiwiwd goes from the tipples to Uu> distributing jigger, and ilieix'j o-c+ a _ sltakiiiii sc-reou aiid a. conveyer belt Mich deposits it on tho wagon Iwfow vfitli a Biiitimflm of hreakaifo. Tlio oilier two tipplers send tilt? coal dexvn on to_ eonveycrs tvhidi carry it away, after it lias been pielcod ov&r jukl any stone removed, to.the tuiscvcf-noet eoal whs, _wlwro it is hold until The tipplers are all self-acting and. one inau at a tippler ea» easily jiaiidJo }fIOO tons of eeal a day. Tlio unscreened, or steam, coal as' fended Into tructes M opening doors at tho bottom of tho bins worked fey hvcfraiilie A -,i 0 htffso power plant is used for handling die cjiipty railvs-ay .ivtigons a»<] drawing thorn iip to bins as requirct?. Ibo wiiole tipplisg, screening, aivi canWjf plant was made by Mr. Georfo Gntti*s of tho JacaJ IJinrf.field foundry, .the compnny throughout, it may lie roentmned.. fens made it its policy to have all work possible done locally.

An taterestlttg Hairta*e Plant. Tire first lowgth oi tho tramline up to .tlie mino is through a t«nn<sl about n third of s inilo kyig with a grade «r 1 hi GJ. A single trnpfc line- nffis ilireugn this, and a winding engine imols the info through in races of twenty-five, feiidinjr if netxi bo 230 tons per lioMi' at the bins. The low©? inelnw begins nt t!ie head of the tuiind and is 3,3 chains in length with a maximum grade ojj 1 in a; It mis sheer «p Urn hill nnd tlisappeavs oTcr the skyline where tiic first frrako drum is situated., tint inojine is on tho dou-Me-irai* piuciplo, leaded tubs in tteir descent harilmg up the empties. xbo upper incline is longer but flot- quite so steep ns the lower section, the av*ti>Bo. gradient over its long till of 39 chains being 1 in 6.7, with a maximum Oi I m 5. At the lower end the procossion of- tr«ete gees through a short, tmitwl, and much heavy cviitme- .-jijd failing an>, to bo eowi on Jwtk inclinesirie summit, where is found the- fop Braso, as ahcrnt 1000 feet above m level, and there still remains ranch c iMiOTft to li« -fjrtue heforo the level ol the woridng fti fc e is roaohed. The vest ol tlie journey is matfe Iwiiiitd elcrfjic JacflmcrtiVfis \wlting eH ih o arerhcad I trolly system. [ 'Hie toopm-otivcis arc «f the. low sftttnt I tj-pe »iado by the Geoeral EleeWo Company iftr inming work, and tel their ioads o« twtMjty or so SOcivt. tubs oloiv I over stcWtlmg .gfafe at aa average i M ee ; <jt eiant er jiuio miles an ho'itf.' 'i ! k-%-stand cmiy SO inelws above tho rails JJio p^ ? 01l ail - halli tio eleetrte tx-ammz potfeuof the tas a centre jsA i ? B >st aHed for tß<» 1« brafcre wludi a*o, Iwfevcr, eekbn, it'qttireef, tJits OT d'ins«- wiieel bakes prortag suflieioMt to Wd tlw foads! 't'lie tonnatjoii isr .the tmnnfay was' tnn-lo stjlliooutty ,wi* t<, par-nut, of tko kyiiig viti feecew! tj-ack as sooij as VMin. (hlivo two trades tsv ojiKrWitin ,, 'it wtmfel. Iμ EOssiWtito.attaiji the -roaxi2090 tens is day h* wtoeli- tiro- prciseiit jilont is hllis'ubtoJy flfisigflcd. TJms Oifco ■fecomotivos on titb' main, bite are 20 .teas in weight, add liuro a- ckaw-bar jmfl of TGfiflib. . Along tho. ElcciffD . . Tl» electric tj-ajsnva.y oxtenw some tlij-fio aad a half mflos "IroSi tho Tqjj JjralM, and passing tiimg it 6«o imiieee tfei-ca «ib-sJia:ttoiKi cMJ&ected witli' the <MSoQ>.wwit threc-pjja.se ttans.mi/Ssiou -iiiie . frtiiu NgsJ,kawaii.' Firtt tb ; «ie3 ike, Ivtt.. 1 anb-sktiotej' itttd ; fto toeanrtitivß : sheds and Tiwkalwps. Furthw on is Tin' Town, where' most of tko uiincrs hftvo' 'thai? homes. After passing a waterfall, No. '9 jsob-station is reAelied, and a iittlo further on a tauiiid is readied, at ■ the fov end of iWiieii is .the. mii» office' oti the liaijjt iiolmv tli© liw. Threugh onotlier. series of toiwls, lies t.Jie jiifi. 3 sfik-statiou, where the main v&ntjiating plant, consisting of two big 10ft; fans, i.3 eiltiated. In tile mino two swalier electric loc-o-eotives arc used feeding a»d shunting, and tiroso j) ; r6 fed by a. trail<a- wire yrheii going worfciugs, wl«r© Uiere is no ovsriscad line. J?oi- etttting Ww eaal, electrieaihdw'ven maehines of tho SuHiysu tj-jjo are employed, 'i'iie natural conditions exist' jug in Uie iaiiißj the csceflosit roof (which i-ti t]vo drives requires n« timbejj and the easy gradients are stated to reiwor tlie ompto.VHiof.it of tbeso rn:iehiijes eroinfcntVy jwactieabte and satisfactory.

Tiifi jilant ,s«ii£'.reJly is one-of thb west up to date in tho. Australasian ootoaies, At flic present timo e-mpjoyinent i;; faußil for soma 230 intijt. ■A Substantial Output. Lrtst year about 125/000 tons of 000.l was jn-«ki:oe4 aatfe the qimntity would have ■'boen much gfeatel , had it not been for the strike. Tho output during the «rst three mmitis «l tbs eiirre»t year was 40,000 tons. The, eofti is bituminous and «f gopd quality, .and adaptabfo to any »se, cither hoiKehold, gas, or st*aiaing. Tho t»)tol aiitjnifc to date- is about 500,000 tons, luttl it wilt bo seen that dven on this lowest crfjmate tie company has jnaiiv years' wsvk ahead of it, U shohld elso- bo borne in inind that immediately behind -tbo Stockton leasoa is tii'o ctial-bci-ring Blackburn country, Hro smbjeefc. of a mimhcr of fnvonrablq j-eperta. Tke MiK , access to this «ir«a is Owougti tho company's property. The ■headquarters dc tiso WcstpottStockton Coftipnnv ftre iii ch. Tlio nwinagiiig <firMtor is 5Jr. William Roots, ami the- otjier. ra era bora of tho ]>nartl ;tro Messrs. jaincs Jamieson, William Jcjut, Duncan HntherFflrd, and J. l>. Newman, and Dr. Lovinge, all «b!1knewu Canterbury rosi'ie.vrts. The ma.naaer is Mr, W.. Crowe, who resides ,at Npliatvau. and Mr. H. M'Avoy is tlto mint! maiißficr.- .