THE PUMPING ASSOCIATION.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1724, 13 July 1874, Page 2

THE PUMPING ASSOCIATION.

The last portion. of the old drawlifts came to surface on' Friday night j-^fho' very bottom part looks but little;:!the .worse for wear. ;The ] Pumping Association first stopped pumping on-thej; 13th June, and by Saturday morning 2nd^July, the new plunger was at work, and by tho 9th the mine was comparatively free from water," although during the stoppage the water had risen in the .shaft 117 ft." The last record I hare from Todkey's, as'to ;the depth of water in that mine consequent on the Pumping Association's pumps stoppage, is dated the. first of July, when Mr. De.war the Tobfcey manager reported the water to be within 3ft. of the chambertof his 300 ft.:. level. The (Jaledonian was affected to a' degree' proportionate to its, lower levels. The next claim that could be immediately ; influenced would be the Crown Prince, but as the. lowest level in that mine is nearly 200.ft.? labov.e the Pumping Association shaft, the water had hot sufficient time to rise and have any influence in the workings ;..neither did the rising water driv^e up any . extraordinary body of chokedanap, as anticipated it would do; probably this gas is-exhausting itself, as I notice a material difference in the mines lately, they, either not requiring the' incessant use of the fan, or if they do the 1 fan is: driven at a much more moderate rate of speed. This may have been effected by tho Pumping Assbciation's works. The water rising, consequent on frequent stoppages, may have, in a measure, done away with the cause of the bad 7 air. t The Pumping Association''have, called for tenders for sinking 1 their main shaft another 100 feet, the first of the additional 400 feet lately agreed should be sunk. So far as the pump itself • is concerned it is only a question of boiler power, as the engine and pumps are estimated to lift more than they are now doing for 1000 feet, and if, as they have done, they can lift nearly a month's back inflowing water.in a little over seven days with a stroke of about five a minute, they are likely to do all the work that may be required, of them for a very ;.. future. It, may appear out of place to so frequently notice the Pumping Association's works and their progress. If they were of a. less gigantic icharacter, ? an,d (stood* alone • amongst less gigantic works, perhaps they would be worthy of less notice ; but as the Association's works are the largest in this hemisphere their progress is watched with much interest. I was much amused the other day at a, new arrival who was travelling for information. He had just-came from England. He had viewed most of the works on the Thames, and, amongst others, the big pump work. All that the gentleman was heard to remark during his general inspection was, " What a noise those things make," pointing to some stampers in the Association's battery. lam curious to see our visitor's diary.