A TRIP TO SPRINGFIELD MINES.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2520, 6 May 1882, Page 3

A TRIP TO SPRINGFIELD MINES.

[PEOH THE “ PRESS.”J

On Tuesday the railway authorities furnished a popular excursion at million prices from Christchurch to the Malvern district, special interest attaching to the opportunity afforded of visiting the coal and fire-clay mines of the Springfield Coal and Pottery Works Company, Limited. The train, comprising eighteen carriages and two vacs, drawn by two engines, conveyed about six hundred passengers, of whom nearly all west from Christchurch; a few being taken on at Sheffield and at Rolleston. At the starting hour, ten minutes to nine, the sky was overcast and the weather balmy, no rain falling. The heavy mist of early morning had well nigh lifted off the Port hills, whose bases were bathed in genial sunshine. The special travelled at an average of twenty miles an hour, and soon a glimpse was caught of Mt. Torlesse capped with snow. At Hornby a short delay occurred, pending the arrival of the Ashburton train, on which, by the way, was to be seen a cargo of Springfield coal bound for Christchurch. At Darfi-dd junction the iron horsee had a drink, and, as the journey was resumed, at a quarter to eleven, Father Sol had triumphed over the bugbear clouds, the irregular line of hills on the left standing out in bold relief. The Waiera Valley was distinctly discerned, and Mt. Misery in the distance. Presently part of the late Premier’s station of 30,000 acres was seen eight miles from the line, and the white houses of Coalgate township shone conspicuously, but the atmosphere was too clouded to allow of a vie v of the Hakaia Gorge, On the right Burnt Hill was prominent, and country folk cast envious glances at Mr John Dean’s Homebush station, well laid out in trees and shrubs under the management o£ Mr J, Mcllraith, J.P, The first station passed close to the railway was that of Mr D. McMillan, M.H R. At eleven o’clock the terrace of second formation was in view, said by the wiseacres in the train to have been clearly caused by volcanic upheaval. Next succeeded Messrs Austin and Kirk’s coal mines, the white bridge intervening, which spans the Kowai, Sheffield was the next stopping place, lying west of Little Racecourse Hill. To the right was a capital sight of Nature’s effort in the dense bush, mainly black birch, with a sprinkling of black pine and rimu, which clothes the slopes that go to form the Waimakiriri Gorge. To the left in fitful volumes rose the smoke from the chimney of the Springfield works, forming a miniature township. Halfpast eleven, and Springfield station is reached, a West Coast coach bowling past, crammed inside with passengers, and outside with luggage. Some half-a-dozen coaches now ply weekly to Hokitika in view of the Woodstock rush; but, if an arrival of Tuesday is to be credited, the prospect is nothing startling. He advises that the ruth is a veritable poor man’s diggings, affording “ tucker.” Those already earning wages he recommends to stop away. Despite this, however, the pen-sick clerk, the new chum, and the swarthy swagger continue to stream coastwards. At the Springfield station nine members of the Colliery Brass Band welcomed the tourists by playing ‘‘Dainty Darling,” under the conductorahip of Hr B. Sooblo. After a brief delay, away again; the groaning train, one engine in front and one behind, curving for a mile and a quarter to the mines. Seven coal-filled trucks are passed en route, and the excursionists arrive at the shaft, the pit-frame surmounted with a crimson and white flag, and the band playing aloft.

Springfield station, embracing 28S0 acres, stands lorty-fivo miles from Christchurch, at an elevation of 1200 ft. above the metropolitan level. Mr Upton has the company’s sheeprun with the exception of ISO acres reaarved for the coal and pottery works. The honor of the discovery of the coal appertains to Captain O, G. Parker. Mr R. W. Moody is manager, and Mr B. W. Vale underground manager. The trip to Hades was under the supervision of Mr W. M. Moore, overman, who was accompanied by Mr S. B, Booth, travelling ealesman for the company, which now employs a hundred hands. By no meai.a “ easy is the descent ” to coal. A cage, built to contain four persons, stands anything but temptingly, poised in mid air, and the novice stands hesitating on the brink, yet wistful to fathom the mysteries below. Meanwhile, veteran hands, whose muscle seems to thrive on coal-dust as on mothers’ milk, stand around with a sturdy smile lurking about their begrimed features. A quartette crouch down iu the cage. *• Grip the bar overhead and hold tight. All right ! ” is the order. It may be so, but there is little time to doubt, for in twenty five seconds a depth of 298 ft is reached through darkness that may be felt. The natural temperature at bottom is 52iogs (Fahr.). Miners’ lamps and candles are then lit, and the crawling gait begins, now and then varied by ducking under canvas curtains set to regulate the current of air. Throush the south drive one scrambles. It is sft 6in high x Bft broad, with a length of one hundred yards to the face. This is fire-clay, of which specimens lie in profusion in flakes on the floor. Overhead is a roof of black slag a foot thick, and above that are 9ft of genuine coal, while 6ft below the bottom working seam to the weit is a bastard seam neglected. Eagerly a party of sixteen seekers after knowledge drink in statistics from the guide, and bravely crawl ahead for a couple of chains from the main shaft, an unmistakable coal ceiling warning strangers’ heads to keep their distance. Now another incline is traversed, famished with tram jig and wheel, full trucks going one way, and empty ones another, the brake put on in a moment if the empties came up too fast. No rest for the learner. Up he goes two and a-half chains along the big jig in the bottom seam, stopping to inspect a “fault,” where the coal is nipped off by geological formation, and is succeeded by sand 3ft thick. More canvashangings, and more good coal. Then acrosscut to the left, going into a sft upthrow. Yet another incline, and back and_ thighs begin to weary of perpetual s’ooping, of crawling up a gradient of Sin to the yard through three and a half chains of solid coal, without a single break except the one of the lift dipper. Four chains up, and another drive on the right, across-cut diverg ing to the north of the shaft, and termed a branch air-way. Here are walls of pure coal, and a roof of slag. Four more feet of coal, then slag ; then9in of coal again. A minute’s breathing space, and once more upwards, limbs rather jaded, forehead bumping at intervals against the roof. A cross-cut on the left, the floor at the junction-corner fur nished, as usual, with an iron plate to let the coal tubs get round readily. Once more Ex celsior ! for three quarters of a chain, and s halt is made at a 40-ft fault (a downer this time). Here lies plenty of slack, despised by some, but good in its place, and the fuel used for the company’s engines. A fresh weary climb of five chains, and the amateurs try their hand at getting coal with Aaron Dixon’s pick, the sweat streaming down their faces in

farkiih bath fashion. The deep working* were n(;open for inipection on Tuesday, u the met. were busy timbering. Three quarter* of an hour hsd now elapsed underground, and. another rest was taken, when farther information was gleaned—that the top and bottom seams, takiag all the workings throughout, comprise four-and-a-Katf” miles of tunnelling. At gthis juncture a hideous one-eyed being, Cyclops like, forges in view, and strikes the beholder with dismay. Like a demon-cort-serow he winds along, his sole optic gloaming horribly. He is but an honest miner, wearing a lamp in his cap, and chatting approvingly to some courageous ladies who have dared to enter the southern dip drive, sft x 6. Her* is a chain for winding up the dip, and some of the best and thickest coal is to hand. A tramway runs along, 19j1n. gauge. The roof is proppedwith black birch, the best timber locally available. At the end is water, constantly kept under by an inch and a quarter manual pump (double acting ram). A hundred yards one can creep here, at a gradient of Sin. to the yard. Now a well earned rest is taken, and tobacco pipes are lit, the explorers squatting on the air boxes in a cross-measure drat, 130 yards long, and 6ft. by 7ft. broad outside the timber, the props and bars of timber lying D-in. apart. Plenty of work is in hand, and the cry is for trucks. The output now averages, it is said, 50 tons a day, while in winter.at times,nearly 1000 tons a week have been needed. Now the merry strains of the band are heard, and near the base of the shaft an illumination has be in organised. A brisk return is made to the surface after an_ hour and twenty minutes’ immersion in partial darkness.

Dr. Hector’s analysis of Springfield oaal gave the following results :—Pitch coal— Fixed carbon, 47 9 ; hydro-carbon, 41.8 ; water, 63 ; ash, 4.0; total, 100. Evaporative power, 6.1. It may be added as items of miscellaneous information that there are fifty-eight men at work in the coal mines alone. The number of visitors who ventured down on Tuesday was 454 A block of Springfield coal, weighing over 300 wt., was shown at the last Agricultural Show in Christchurch. Tne top seam, is claimed to contain bituminous coal of excellent quality. The remainder is described as an exceedingly good lignite. The machinery first noticed consisted of two boilers (one of Scott Bros., and the other Mr J. Anderson’s) of 30 hp. each, with pressure allowed of 601bs to the inch. A Gin Xangye pump draws water from th» mine at a depth of 170 f t, the water flowing over a high heap of refuse, which, by the way, caught fire some time back, and gives rise to obnoxious sulphurous fumes. There are a couple of drums, one a 10ft. for the bottom seam, and the other a 6ft. for the top seam, to wind up the cages and coal, and worked by a 14 h.p. engine geared up at sto 1. Signal bells are used to acquaint the engine-driver and the banker-off (who attends to the cages) whether it is necessary to raise or lower. The blacksmith's shop, which has two hearths, is 25ft x 15ft. with a lean-to 18ft by 9ft. for bellows, steel bars, &c. The fitting shop measures 35ft x 16ft. Here repairs to the machinery are executed, and all the company’s own shafting is turned. A weighing machine is being put together having a capacity of twenty tons. This was imported in the Lurline by her last trip. Twenty-five chains from the coal mines; and close to the month of the old coal mine drive, are the pottery works, for which, nature has supplied two beds of fireclay, one 7it. thick, and the other 4 ft. Under the supervision of the foreman of the brickworks, Mr Alfred Condlifife, a great variety of goods is turned out. The shed, built of brick, is 70ft. x 60ft, Al 9 horse power engine is on the ground, and a mill with which to grind clay. The hydraulic machine, for pipe making, makes pipes up to ISIrT. diameter by 3ft. long, useful for main drains. Large plaster of Paris moulds are available for pedestals, vases, tree pots, and Anted pillars. Yesterday a workman took a platemould and a little Springfield clay, and, after a little manipulation, lo ! an embossed plat* with a lady’s head in the centra. Windguard chimneys abound ; ornamental firebricks, of good color and hard, adapted to building purposes and to furnaces ; and fancy Parian flowers for decoration in terracotta. To maintain an equable temperature in summer and winter, steam pipes are used to dry the shed. Pipes of various sizes are made, from the large size needing 20-ton hydraulic pressure to those measuring Sin. in diameter. Near the shed is a circular pipe-kiln, 18ft in diameter within, but 50ffc from outside wall to wall. The fire is arranged to mount the inner wall, and play vertically on the goods placed in the centre, Both the stoneware and the brown pipes are said to bo equal to those imported, and it may be mentioned that the company's goods sent to the Exhibition are made purely from local clay, with the exception of a couple of porcelain tablets. Professor Bickertou’a analysis of the Springfield fireclay resulted as follows:—" Adherent moisture, 1,10; loss ou ignition, 6.05 ; silica, 72.05 ; alumina, 16.84; iron peroxide, 2.32; lime, 0 50; magnesia, 0.38 ; potash, 1.30 ; soda, 0.43 ; total, 100.9(7. The clay represented by this analysis forms when burnt the whitest sample yet received from the Malvern district, suitable for pipes and varieties of white ware, and being plastic moulds well.”

A word of praise is due to the traffic manager, Mr Back, for his supervision of the railway arrangements, which went without a hitoh ; and to the manager at the mines for taking euch precautions, that so large an accession of visitors to the grounds passed off U ithout an accident. The strain on the accommodation in Cassidy'a Springfield Hotel was very severe, but even up to the very last moment guests were able to obtain an excellent luncheon. The return train reached Christchurch at five minutes after six.