- Travis
Glossary of some mining terms.
Air Doors- Wooden partitions in the passageways to direct airflow.
Airshaft- A shaft dug from the surface to the mining level, provided with a large fan to drive ventilation air into the mine. A ladder was mounted in this shaft for maintenance or as an escape route should the main passageway be blocked. If the mine had been shut down for awhile the fireboss had to go to the airshaft, start the fan and climb down the ladder and follow the air through the mine checking airdoors and brattice as he went. Only when ventilation and clean air was assured would the miners be allowed in to work. It must have been a long, lonely walk in the dark.
Airway- Any opening in the mine which was used mainly for the movement of air for ventilation. Airways could become passageways and vice versa depending on the sequence of coal removal.
Brattice- Roof to floor parallel heavy canvas strips acting as air dams in the passages. These were used where cars and men had to pass through on a regular basis.
Lagging- smaller diameter poles or planks mounted along the roof above the timbers as roof support. Depending on conditions the walls could be lagged as well. This would be used mainly in the main passageway.
Passageway- Any opening in the mine which was used for transport or personnel access.
Pillars- The coal left in place between parallel passageways to support the roof while mining was being done. This is the last coal to be removed from a section of the mine. The roof usually falls in a controlled manner when this is done and the resulting fill acts as a partial support for the remainder of the roof until the last coal is removed.
Pit props- 7' long, 6" wide at narrow end, spruce poles mounted vertically each side of the passageway to support the timbers.
Rails- Like standard railway tracks but lighter, laid parallel 30" apart on the ties and spiked into place. Straight and standard curved pieces.
Sprags- Short billets of wood placed between spokes of the railcars to act as brakes.
Stall- Short passageways driven in parallel pairs off the passageway. The pair would be joined by a passageway and the pillar between them removed, working from the back and allowing the roof to fall in behind to act as roof support.
Switches- Devices to change cars from one track to another.
Ties- Three foot long spruce poles, flattened on two opposing sides, used as support for the rail car tracks. They were laid across the floor of the passageways and gravel tamped between them as ballast to hold them in place and provide a path for the horses.
Timbers- 7' long, 6" wide at the narrow end spruce poles mounted horizontally atop two props across the passageway. Where a wider opening was needed, where tracks were doubled such as at the parting, these were thirteen feet long.
Wedges- Wedge shaped wood billets driven between the timbers and lagging to prevent movement.
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