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By A. J. Lyon, J. B. Johnson, Samuel Daniels

The wrought alloys of aluminum with small amounts of copper and of magnesium have, with the development of the automotive and aircraft industries, sprung into prominence through the medium of duralumin; but the cast alloys remained in the background because their possibilities in the heat-treated condition were either not recognized or not fully investigated. In 1919, the Bureau of Standards published a preliminary survey1 of this field, which pointed out that, in general, the ultimate strength and the percentage of elongation of the alloys of aluminum with and without magnesium could be improved by so simple a treatment as heating at 932' F. (500" C.) for 2 hr., cooling in air, and aging at room temperature for several days. British investigators, too, working with chill-cast material, found that" considerable improvement in the mechanical properties of copper-aluminum alloys may be obtained from suitable heat treatment applied to castings."' Jeffries and Gibson8 made the first contribution to the literature dealing exclusively with the heat treatment of sand-cast aluminum-base alloys, describing the effect of small additions or of combinations of copper, magnesium, and iron on the response to a short heat treatment comprising heating at 932" F. in a nitrate bath for 1 hr., quenching in fish oil, and reheating at 300' F. for for 1 hr. Their results disclosed the facts that the ultimate strength and the percentage of elongation of sound alloys were usually, and quite uniformly, improved by heat treatment; that with the iron content ranging between 0.36 and 0.88 per cent. and the silicon content between 0.24 and 0.60 per cent. the effect of increasing the copper content (Tables 10

Jan 1, 1925

By E. P. Polushkin

This work has for its purpose the establishment of a new method for determining the structural composition of alloys. The area occupied by a constituent on a few representative photomicrographs of the alloy is measured, by a planimeter, especially designed for metallographic work, and the volume and proportional weight of the constituent calculated. Experiments have shown that the results are accurate enough to justify the application of the method to many problems in metallographic research instead of chemical analysis. The advantage of the method is the possibility of determining the amount of the constituents without separating them from the alloy; their composition may also be determined if the ultimate chemical analysis of the alloy is known. Suppose Fig. 1 represents a part of a photomicrograph on which the total area of the black figures is to be found. By a system of parallel lines drawn short equal distances apart all figures may be divided into trapezoids. As the area of a trapezoid is equal to its median multiplied by its altitude, the relation between the total areas of the black and the white figures comprised within each strip is equal to the relation between the sums of medians for these figures respectively. This is also true for the whole area of the photomicrograph. Therefore, to determine the total areas of the black and white figures we must first find the proportion between the sums of the medians and then divide the area of the whole photomicrograph in the same proportion.

Jan 1, 1925

By Edward O’Toole

THe Pocahontas district occupies the extreme southern end of West Virginia, principally McDowell, Mercer and Wyoming counties, and a part of Tazewell county, in southwestern Virginia. The first record of the coal field is a report by Prof. J. P. Lesley, of Pennsylvania, about 1880, in which he mentions a coal opening at the upper end of Abbs Valley, Tazewell county, Va. C. R. Boyd, a mining engineer of Wytheville, Va., published a series of articles in 1881, mentioning coal on Indian Creek, Tazewell county, and on Horse Pen creek, which coals, he stated, extended toward the Ohio River. He also mentions the Abbs Valley coal reported by Lesley. In 1881, F. J. Kimball (who became president of the Norfolk & Western R. R. in 1883)) after examining the Scott mine in Abbs Valley, went northward across Abbs Valley Mountain to the place now known as Pocahontas, where he located what has since been called No. 3 vein of Pocahontas coal. In November, 1882, Jed Hotchkiss and others prepared a cross-section of the Flat Top Mountain coal measures, some notes on which were published by Mr. Hotchkiss, between 1880 and 1892, under the title of " The Virginias.' In May, 1881, the Norfolk & Western R. R. was organized through the purchase of the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio R. R., an old line running from Norfolk, Va., to Bristol, Tenn., with branches from Petersburg to City Point and from Glade Springs to Saltville. At that time, charters had been granted for three railroads tributary to the New River Valley, but their proposed routes would indicate that the promoters were concerned with minerals, timber, and a connection with the Chesapeake & Ohio R. R., rather than the development of any coal in the Pocahontas district. One of them was projected to extend up Bluestone River a short distance, but not far enough to reach the coal in the Bluestone Valley, and a little grading was done for a narrow-gage road between New River Station and a point in Giles county, Virginia, near the West Virginia line. All charters and railroads in this district were acquired by the Norfolk & Western R.R.

Jan 1, 1925

By S. W. Parr, F. B. Hobart

Studies relating to the behavior of coal toward oxygen may have for their purpose the determination of the fundamental factors that underlie spontaneous combustion, weathering and deterioration, and the general topic of storage, as well as those properties that have to do with the underlying principles of carbonization. There is also involved the possibility of developing information relating to the constitution of coal, or at least the chemical properties inherent in the type substances of which the coal is composed. It is the purpose here to record certain results bearing on this latter idea of the chemical properties that characterize the main constituents of bituminous coal. The avidity of freshly mined coal for oxygen has long been known. What happens to the coal or to the oxygen is not so clear. Is the oxygen absorbed or chemically combined, and what are the conditions as to time, temperature, texture, or components that are most involved in the phenomenon? If we subject a weighed quantity of coal maintained at a constant temperature to a current of oxygen, we may obtain three factors of interest—the weight increase of the coal, the weight of the water, and the weight of the carbon dioxide formed in the reactions involved at that

Jan 1, 1925

By Harry M. Roeser

As a result of the publication, several years ago, of some articles on determining the constants of empirical formulas, the determining the constants of types of curves used for estimating the production decline of oil wells was brought to the writer for study. Methods requiring the minimum of time and labor and the maximum of rigor were sought, as it appeared that the nature of the data from which such curves are computed and the relative uncertainty of occurrence of the events predicted from them did not justify close adherence to the theory on which the solution of such problems is ordinarily based. The technical deficiencies of the solutions presented in this paper, from the standpoint of the method of least squares, are readily apparent to those familiar with that method, but their presentation in detail here is irrelevant to the subject matter. However, it is the author's conviction, after a rather exhaustive study of the problem, that the value of the solutions lose little by the approximate application of the conventional theory. It must be understood by those who use these formulas that the solutions herein given, and the formulas based on them, are merely facilities to aid the valuation engineer in forecasting future events. It is assumed, also, that before application is made of them, prescient judgment based on the circumstances in each case, shows that the forecast has some probability of realization. On this basis only will these formulas be found useful.

Jan 1, 1925

Briefly, an open stope is one in which the ore is taken out and no filling is put in; the only support for the walls may be posts or pillars of ore. Such a method is limited to orebodies with strong walls and ore strong enough to stand unsupported over the back of the stope. Details vary and depend on the dip of the vein, mode of breaking ground, method of handling broken ore, and so forth. The examples given are the Beat-son, Birmingham district, Mineville district, and Cornucopia.

Jan 1, 1925

By C. C. Griggs

From its inception, a limestone quarry or mine should be under the direction of a capable engineer. Before it becomes a reality, he should outlinc the future results, plan the most economical methods for moving the materials and the most efficient equipment, and pilot the undertaking along the narrow pathway of success, avoiding the pitfalls of uneconomical production and the precipitous walls of scanty profits. Inspection of successful limestone properties shows that all have had difficult engineering problems, the solution of which have required keen engineering ability. In approaching a subject of this nature, it is logical to follow the progress of the limestone operation from its inception to the end, as reflecting the engineering required. There are four major divisions: Investigation, equipment, development, and operation. Investigation On the reliability of the engineer's estimates and the soundness of his judgment depend the success or failure of the enterprise. When one visits a prosperous concern, realizes that the limestone is of a constant chemical composition, sees the mechanical devices installed, and watches the output leave the plant in trains of railroad cars or fleets of vessels, he may overlook the fact that in the remote past this great creation was born in some man's brain and evolved through competent engineering. Many factors must be considered before a promoter could procure the money necessary to launch such an enterprise, for a conservative banker will only recommend a successful producer while the promoter must provide funds on his own and his engineer's judgment. An engineering investigation must be made preliminary to expenditure for actual operation, which, for a limestone deposit, would' naturally embrace such subjects as : ' Readily available. 1. Tonnage available........ Possibly available. Chemical analysis.

Jan 1, 1925

By R. W. Bowers

In order to hoist the ore according to grades, stope samples are taken. Three equidistant grooves are picked across the breast at right angles to the dip of the ore, the part removed being caught in the hand and then put into a small bag. When there is broken ore in the breast, the lines are continued down the pile and a small amount taken at intervals of the length of the sampler's pick handle. The quantity of sample from each breast will be between 2 and 3 Ib. If there are two grades of ore, bessemer and non-bessemer, there are two sets of brass checks for each chute, each check stamped with the number of the chute; one set of checks has the word "bessemer" and the other "non-bessemer." Before any ore is removed from the chutes, it is the duty of one man to see that the proper set of checks is at each chute in the mine. As each motor car is loaded, a check is attached to it. When the train reaches the shaft, the sample man removes the check on the first car, notes the grade, and directs the motorman to spot it over the proper pocket. The check is then hung on a hook with the number corresponding to the chute from which the ore came. The sample man throws a short rope with a knot in the end over the car and at the point where the knot falls a standard scoopful is taken. This is placed in a large bag that hangs directly under the hook containing the checks for that particular chute. These chute samples represent a check on the grading of the various contracts and by counting the tags a check is obtained on the miner's tally of the ore going into each chute; the total of the checks represents the hoist. During the stocking season, a standard scoopful is taken from each top tram car. This sample is taken in the same way as the chute samples at the plats underground. Top-of-car Samples These samples are taken by using a rope, preferably a clothesline, knotted each 18 in. of its length, and a hammer and a scoop. The standard scoop measures 31/2 by 21/4 by 11/4 in. and holds about 1/2 Ib. of ore. The rope, as applied to the usual railroad cars at the mine, is knotted into fifteen sections. It is placed diagonally over the car from

Jan 1, 1925

[ASSETS Equity in Engineering Societies Building $491,642.36 Books in Library 40,000.00 Investments: Life Membership Fund $ 16,381.18 James Douglas Library Fund 99,999.36 Robert W. Hunt Fund 7,497.33 J. E. Johnson, Jr. Fund 3,000.00 James Douglas Medal Fund 3,250.00 General Reserve Fund 13,896.75 144,024.62 Cash 47,467.02 Paper on hand 5,253.83 Accounts Receivable 1,124.49 Supplies on hand 163.84 $729,676.16] [ ]

Jan 1, 1925

"The largest variety of asphalt and related bitumen deposits in this country is found in Utah. Utah is one of the few places in the world where the hydrocarbon minerals, gilsonite or uintaite, wurtzilite (trade name elaterite) and ozokerite are produced. These bitumens occur in an area embracing nearly 10,000 square miles in eastern Utah near the Colorado line. This area is largely in the western part of the Uintah basin. The bitumens are in the Tertiary horizon in the various divisions of the Eocene series.Gilsonite is an asphaltite derived from petroleum, wurtzilite is an asphaltic pyrobitu¬men derived from petroleum, and ozokerite is a native mineral wax resulting from the met-amorphosis of paraffinaceous petroleum.Gilsonite is produced by the Gilson Asphaltum Company, a subsidiary of the Bar¬ber Asphalt Company, at Watson, Utah. A narrow guage railroad, seventy miles in length and with a 7 1/2 percent grade over the Book Cliffs on Baxter Pass, was constructed by the company from the Denver & Rio Grande Western railroad main line in order to open up the gilsonite deposits. The veins range from narrow upward to 18 feet in width. The Rainbow vein at the present wokings is eight feet wide, vertical, and has sandstone walls. This vein has been opened up for a distance of about three miles and in some places four hundred feet deep. Forty men usually are employed with a production of eighty tons per day."

Jan 1, 1925

"For many years it has been known that large bodies of iron ore existed in Iron and Washington counties in Utah. The ore is chiefly hematite—both hard and soft—though some magnetite is found. No definite and complete estimate of the iron ore reserves of the state have been made. The U. S. Geological Survey estimated that 40,000,000 tons of ore were disclosed by development work averaging only 35 feet below the surface of the ore. The ore is found along an area about one and a half miles wide by twenty miles long, and for the most part on the eastern and southern slopes or foothills of Three Peaks, Granite Mountain and Iron Mountain. Later estimates by others have gone as high as ore in sight 164,000,000 tons, probable ore 300,000,000 tons and possible ore 1,000,000,000 tons. Whether this last estimate is too great or not there is sufficient iron ore in Utah to justify the starting of an iron industry.Two companies are now mining iron ore in Utah, the Columbia Steel Corporation and the Utah Iron Corporation. The mine of the Columbia Steel Corporation is at Iron Springs a few miles west of Cedar City. About 650 tons, of ore a day is being shipped to the blast furnace at Ironton. The ore is mined by the glory hole method. After being drilled it is blasted to the bottom of the several glory holes and is dropped through chutes into cars on the ore haulage level below. It is then hauled by electric locomotives to the crushing plant, where it is crushed to blast furnace size before going to storage bins. Some of the softer ore is brought to the chutes by Fresno scrapers."

Jan 1, 1925

[YEAR OF ELECTION 1913. FRANK DAWSON ADAMS Montreal, Canada. 1921. WILLIAM CUTHBERT BLACKETT Sacriston, Durham, England. 1923. GELASIO CAETANI Washington, D. C. 1920. HENRY STURGIS DRINKER Merion Station, Pa. 1921. .FERDINAND FOCH Paris, France. 1922. FEDERICO GIOLITTI Torino, Italy. 1888. HATON DE LA GOUPILLIERE Paris, France. 1906. SIR ROBERT A. HADFIELD London, England. 1921. FRANK WILLIAM HARBORD London, England. 1921. HEINRICH O. HOFMAN Cambridge, Mass. 1917. HERBERT HOOVER Washington, D. C. 1915. JAMES FURMAN KEMP New York, N. Y. 1905. HENRI LECHATELIER Paris, France. 1921. C. MCDERMID London, England. 1913. EZEQUIEL ORDONEZ Mexico City, Mexico. 1909. ALEXANDRE POURCEL Paris, France. 1911. ROBERT H. RICHARDS Cambridge, Mass. 1907. CHARLES D. WALCOTT Washington, D. C.] [ ]

Jan 1, 1925

By Charles H. Foreman, James F. McCarthy

The orebodies of the Hecla mine are from 3 to 40 ft. wide, dip not less than 70°, and in most cases are nearly vertical. The Hecla and Intermediate orebodies are generally associated with a lamprophyric dike, usually about 2 ft. wide, but which attains a maximum width of 7 ft. The ore appears on either or both sides of the dike. The country rock is Burke quartzite with no definite walls and a tendency for nearly horizontal, but irregular, quartz stringers to run from the lode into the walls. This latter condition prevails almost entirely in the hanging wall, causing a natural tendency for portions of the wall to "offset" and resulting in an extremely heavy side pressure. The fact that there are no definite walls causes a great variation in the width of the stopes, as stringers will run into the walls for irregular distances. The ore occurs as galena in varying widths and grades. It is often necessary to mine a face having a " horse"' of waste between two stringers of ore. This block of waste might be 6 or 7 ft. wide but with the Hecla method it is necessary to mine the entire face. In this case an effort is made only to shatter the waste, allowing for easy sorting underground. The Hecla mine requires a flexible system allowing for the extraction of ore from varying widths, with the necessity of close filling to give the needed protection from side weight. About 15' per cent. of the material broken in the face is sorted as waste, either at the face of stope, or in the sorting plant. Shafts, Drifts and Crosscuts The outside dimensions of the shaft are 19 ft. 4 in. by 7 ft. 2 in. The shaft consists of three working compartments, two for the hoisting of ore and one for auxiliary work. The working compartments are 5 ft. 2 in. by 4 ft. 4 in. inside measurement. The rest of the shaft is used for pump column, electric cables, and ladderway. (See Fig. 6 for framing of timbers.) The shaft is about 700 It. from the orebody for topographical reasons. Solid formation was not reached in shaft for 80 ft. Timbers in this section became alternately wet and dry on account of seasonal changes

Jan 1, 1925

[†ADAIR, ARTHUR C., Corp 4th Co., 1st. Training Bat., 154th Depot Brigade. ADAMS, HENRY, Major Chemical Warfare Service. ARLUCK, A. A Headquarters, 1St Corps of Artillery. ASKIN, THOMAS B. H Ensign.] [ ]

Jan 1, 1925

By Edward C. Jeffrey

The use of coke in metallurgy, to any important degree, dates from the middle of the 18th century. Its utilization came most opportunely for European civilization. The forests of Europe, except in the most remote and inaccessible regions, had been largely fed, in the form of charcoal, into the smelting furnaces. For a hundred years—the middle of the 17th to the middle of the 18th century—there .was a stationary condition of population corresponding to the exhaustion of European forests. This situation, which was particularly evident in Great Britain, was due to the fact that the forests had been depleted and the practical utilization of coke had not begun. The coking industry is essential for our metallurgical industries, which in turn are basal to healthy economic progress. But coke is of great importance, not only on its own account, but for its byproducts, which enter fundamentally into all the arts of peace and war. The dyestuff industry and the manufacture of explosives are intimately connected with one another, as was shown by the recent war. The subject of coking coal, therefore, is well worthy the serious attention both of practical industry and the scientific investigator. The most valuable coking coals, from the metallurgical standpoint, are derived from the coals of highest ranks. Coals, for example, that have a carbon ratio of from 70 to 80 per cent. yield the most valuable coke for the blast furnace. The difficulty of investigating these coals, however, is great, for they are rather friable and delicate and possess a high carbon content, which makes them difficult to manipulate. They present, on account of their high carbon content, a considerable degree of opacity when examined, in thin sections, under the microscope. The tenderness of structure and blackness of such high-grade coking coals as those of Connellsville and the Pocahontas region make them extremely difficult to investigate. Two of my colleagues, who are taking part in this discussion, will describe the valuable results that have been reached by studying coal by the methods of the mineralogist. Doctor White and Doctor Thiessen have studied the structure of coal as determined from thin sections that

Jan 1, 1925

By Heihachi Kamura

In this research, the proper temperature for the reduction of iron ores by carbon monoxide was determined. Also, the difference of the rate of reduction on the sizes of ore under four mesh per linear inch was estimated, but no evidence could be found. Rates of reduction on the seven kinds of ore were compared with the results of the experiment, showing a close relation between reducibility and density of ore. Finally, the maximum size of ore that can be reduced in applicable length of time was determined. The author thinks that the process of production of steel may be replaced by low-temperature reduction of iron ores some time in the future. THE reduction of iron oxide, such as Fe203, to iron in the blast furnace is performed principally by carbon monoxide, but partly by solid carbon by the two following reactions: Fe203 + 3CO = 2Fe + 3CO2 2Fe203 + 3C = 4Fe + 3CO2 It is known that reduction by carbon monoxide takes place at a much lower temperature than reduction by carbon and that the reducing action of carbon monoxide progresses to the inside of the ore in lump form by gaseous diffusion. In the reduction by carbon, however, the reducing action takes place only at the contact surface of the ore and carbon, so that the more complete the reduction by carbon monoxide, the more efficient is the operation. However, the reduction does not progress as shown in the foregoing formula, because carbon dioxide acts oxidizingly on the metallic iron to such a degree that when the gaseous composition reaches a certain proportion of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, the reduction practically stops, even though the gases are moving slowly through the heated ore. The proportions of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in the gas depend on the kind of iron oxide and the temperature of reduction, also the duration of time in the reaction. The longer the time of the reaction, the higher the proportion of carbon dioxide obtained in the gas, but finally it will attain to a condition of equilibrium.

Jan 1, 1925

By Robert Ammon

The milling practice at Mascot, at present, consists of dry crushing to % in., jigging, fine grinding, and flotation. The ore arrives at the mill from two mines, No. 1 mine shaft being located in the mill proper, and No. 2 mine shaft being situated about 2000 ft. east of the mill. No. 2 mine is served by a coarse-crushing plant and aerial tramway to the mill bins. In jigging the No. 2 mine ore, 50 per cent. of the mill feed is rejected by the jigs as a jig tailing ranging from 5/8 in. to 10 mesh; the balance of this ore, after removing a jig concentrate, is ground to flotation feed. In jigging No. 1 mine ore, approximately 80 per cent. of the mill feed is rejected as a coarse jig tailing, and the balance is ground to flotation feed without the removal of a jig concentrate. The difference in the treatment is due to the fact that No. 2 mine ore carries a higher content of zinc than that from No. 1 mine. Of the total concentrates produced, 30 per cent. is made on jigs and 70 per cent. by flotation. At present, 1350 tons of No. 2 ore and 800 tons of No. 1 ore are treated each 24 hours. The recoveries for a typical week are as follows: Heads.......................... 3.55 Jig concentrates................ 61.30 Jig tails......................... 0.80 Flotation concentrates........... 60.60 Flotation tails................... 0.09 Extraction..................... 86.50 The associated minerals are a straw-colored sphalerite, dolomite, calcite, pyrite, quartz, and a small amount of greenockite, which occurs as a stain and sometimes small crystals along with sphalerite, but is comparatively rare. Pyrite is present in small quantities, usually less than 0.5 per cent.; quartz occurs in bands a few inches thick. A complete analysis of the ore is as follows: PEr Cent. Per Cent. Calcium carbonate.............. 48.11 Zinc sulfide.................... 5.43 Magnesium carbonate........... 35.36 Cadmium sulfide............... Nil Silica.......................... 8.73 Lead sulfide................... Nil Alumina....................... 1.04 Iron oxide...................... 1.33 Total....................... 100.00

Jan 1, 1925

By Wilbur A. Nelson

In 1839, Gerard Troost,1 the first State Geologist of Tennessee, reported the occurrence of zinc ores in east Tennessee, in connection with the iron ores at Embreeville; in 1844,2 he refers to the zinc deposits of east Tennessee, especially the apparently rich deposits occurring in Jefferson and Claiborne Counties, while his ninth annual report 3 s a description of the zinc deposits of Jefferson County and a description of the most improved processes by which zinc is extracted from its ores. Yet, only during the last few years have these ores been successfully worked. As far as can be learned, prior to the systematic development of the Mascot district in 1911, no large-scale or successful operation of any of the zinc deposits was carried on. But in that year, after several companies had made considerable progress in developing the Mascot area and had proved a relatively extensive body of low-grade sulfide ore, the American Zinc Co. entered the field. It introduced modern methods of prospecting and mining and from the first was successful. Too great credit cannot be given this company for its pioneer work in a previously unimportant field. Throughout the history of its operations, the American Zinc Co. has confined its efforts to underground mining of the sulfide ore, sphalerite. This company has found that successful results in zinc mining in east Tennessee can be achieved only by expending large sums in prospecting and blocking out bodies of pay ore in sufficient magnitude for large-scale operations. At Mascot are located the mines of the American Zinc Co. of Tennessee, the mines being situated along the Southern Railway in the Ilolston River Valley, Knox County, about 13 miles northeast of Knox-ville. At first only open pits, which were worked for oxidized ores, were operated and the production was small. In 1900, the Roseberry Zinc Co. was organized and sank to a depth of 187 ft. what is now known as No. 3 shaft of the American Zinc Co. The upper 30 ft. was in residual clay,

Jan 1, 1925

By Clarence A. Seyler

The technical difficulties of cutting thin sections of coal for examination by transmitted light have hitherto restricted the investigation of the important subject of the microstructure of coal to the few possessed of the requisite skill and time. Apart from this, the method fails with anthracites and other coals rich in carbon, owing to the opacity of the material. Occasional use of the method of polishing a surface, with or without etching, has been made, but it was not until Winter' published an account of his results that attention was seriously directed to the method. In May, 1923, a specimen of dull anthracite came into my hands; I tried Winter's method on it and the presence of megaspores and other vegetable structures became clearly visible. A preliminary notice was published by me;2 but I soon abandoned the use of Schulze's solution, having found that a mixture of chromic and sulfuric acids gave far better results. In the meantime Turner and Randall, in America, had independently developed the method of flame etching, as applied to anthracite, with great success. I have spent a year studying the method of chromic etching, which gives excellent results with bituminous coals and camels, as well as with anthracite. For anthracites, I have used the chromic method and Turner's method of flame etching, whichever was the more convenient or as a check one on the other. The polishing is done, according to metallurgical practice, by the use of a polishing machine and successively finer emery paper, followed by polishing on cloth moistened with a suspension of levigated green oxide of chromium, and a final rubbing on "selvyt" (a cotton velvet polishing cloth) moistened with alcohol. The polished sample is examined by reflected light with a 2/3 and 1/6 in. objective. Bituminous coals usually show considerable structure, and even anthracites show it faintly in places. The sample is then etched by immersion in a boiling solution made by adding 10 c.c. of concentrated sulfuric acid to 30 C.C. of a saturated solution of chromic acid; enough water is then added to dissolve

Jan 1, 1925

By Milton H. Fies

Although pig iron from iron ore and red cedar charcoal preceded the mining of coal by many years, for tradition says that Alabama iron was used to shoe the horses of Andrew Jackson's soldiers, coal was not produced until 1830. In that year, coal was mined in Tuscaloosa County, in the vicinity of what is now the University of Alabama, and shipped on flat boats (obviously during the wet season, for there were many shoals) down the Warrior River to Mobile. About that time, the first railroad, the Decatur & Tecumseh, was being constructed in northern Alabama to overcome the obstructions to freight traffic caused by the now well-known Muscle Shoals in the Tennessee River. This railroad was patterned after a railroad at Mauch Chunk, Pa., which was used for hauling anthracite from the Panther Creek valley. The Alabama railroad, which required about four years to complete, was 46 miles long and was used solely for the transportation of cotton. Although it was a failure, it demonstrated the practicability of the undertaking, and the succeeding railroads, which were begun in 1834, 1848, 1852, and 1853, added immeasurably to the development of the coal resources of the state. Between the years 1830 and 1860, practically all the coal mined in the state was dug from the outcrop near the river or from the river beds, and shipped by boat to Mobile. Transporting coal down the Warrior River was an undertaking of great risk, required much skill, and frequently had heavy losses. It is recorded that this coal was sold to the gas company in Mobile in 1844; it was most likely mined from the Black Creek Seam. In 1914, on the completion of Lock 17, the Warrior River became a navigable stream from 9 miles above Cordova, Ala., to Mobile and offers a great opportunity for the future development of the coal resources of the state. Coke for foundry use was first made in Alabama in 1855. It was 21 years later, however, in 1876, that pig iron was made from Alabama ore with Alabama coal.

Jan 1, 1925