THE GREY COAL COMPANY.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1835, 23 June 1874, Page 2

THE GREY COAL COMPANY.

[communicated.] The mine of the Grey Coal Company is situated seven miles from Greymouth, and exactly opposite the Brunner seam, of which it is a continuation. The earlier operations of this company were, under the experienced management of Mr Simpson, from Newcastle, wisely confined to proving their extensive lease, which was first done by boring. " The first and only bore rendered necessary by the judicious RP.lpp.tian o£ its oito reaohed a depth of about 220 ft, proving a splendid seam of coal to exist 17ft in thickness. Through this satisfactory result the manager was at once enabled to fix upon the selection of a site for the shaft, which was immediately proceeded with. The shaft, as has been already stated, is opposite the Brunner Mine, and at a distance of about 200 yards from it ; of course, separated, as all other interests are in the Grey Valley, by the river. Situated as it is at a slight elevation above the river, and less than 100 yards from the railway, the position could not be improved upon, since nature herself has placed the coal in the very be3t possible place that it could be obtained with the least expenditure of capital. The shaft itself merits some description, for beside it all shafts on the West Coast dwindle into utter and complete insignificance, being round and 10ft in diameter, it consequently covers a surface of about 80ft ; that will be the sige when properly secured. For the first 20ft it is 12ft in diameter, thus leaving room, besides being well timbered, for a stone wall lft in thickness, which will be built in. 80ft from the surface a magnificent seam of coal, 14ft thick, was met with. It will be seen that the thickness of the seam varies, but the average may be presumed to be 14ft. This is the thickness of the Brunner seam, which it resembles in every respect, both in the quality of the coal and the thickness of the seam. The shareholders of this company are now in a .position to congratulate themselves that they did not listen to the lugubrious prophesies of the Government geologist. It appeai'3 to me these colonial geologists act rather as a hindrance to mining enterprise than assist as they ought to do in its development. The self-confident assertion that no gqld would be found in the neighborhood of coal is not yet forgotten. The shaft is yet to be sunk a further depth of 14ft, which when finished will make it 108 ft. Although considerably below the level of the river, no hindrance has been experienced from the water, nor is it q,t all likely to prove troublesome. One of the most noticeable features in connection with the working of the mine is a contrivance for landing the buckets, quite new to the West Coast, and not in use even in Victoria. Instead of the ordinary method of emptying the bucket at the side of the shaft, rails are laid some distance apart, over the mouth of the shaft, and a truck thereon, run underneath the bucket, when it is pulled up to the surface. The bucket is then lowered on to the truck, which is emptied a short distance from the shaft. Sinking at all times is attended with a certain amount of danger, so that too much precaution cannot be used in ensuring the safety of those engaged in it. A windlass has hitherto been used for winding up the debris from the bottom of the shaft. This method is now becoming too laborious, so in the course of a day or two a small portable engine will be used for this purpose. This will be found to be much cheaper than the erection of a whim and the purchase and maintenance of horses. A further proof of the pluck and energy this company have exhibited is shown by their possession of a powerful 40-horse power*' engine, which is on the ground. The contractors engaged in its erection are sanguine of having it completed and in full working order within six weeks.

The erection of this the first engine on this coal-field will be an epoch in the history of tho Grey, a harbinger, it is to be hoped, of many more. That no time may be lost, on the erection of the engine a tramway will be in readiness to convey the coal to the bank of the river, where it will be emptied into the coal boats in readiness to receive it. The efforts of this company are not to be confined solely to getting^ coal. Coke ovens are to be erected, when the whole of the small coal will be utilised. If carried out extensively this alone would pay a company nu inconsiderable per centage on the outlay ; the well-known superiority of the Grey coke^over Newcastle and imported English coke, causes it to be much sought after in Melbourne, where it meets with a ready sale at an increased price. Your readers may remember tliß favorable comments which came from Langland's foundry concerning it. That it has not become more widely known and more extensively exported, is solely owing to the impecuniousness of the Nelson Government, as well as their successors, in failing to build the necessary coke ovens — only two are in use at the Brunner mine, and they are of the shabbiest description. Another source of profit is the abundant and excellent tire-clay which it possesses. The fire bricks made from this clay have been proved to be much superior to anything yet in the colonial market. Fire-clay and bricks are the least among many usues to which this clay can be put. • I understand from the mauager that in Newcastle ornaments of various sorts, both small and large, cheap and expensive, are made, and sold largely throughout Australia. Of course, skilled workmen will be required for this branch of the fine arts ; not having seen any of these, I cannot say whether they will rival those of the Italian masters or not. There is no doubt whatever, under the present experienced management, much will be made out of the resources of this valuable property ; even the engineer's hammer, the woodman's axe, the fall and crash of trees, and the startling blasts from the mine, make the hills reecho with their mingling sounds ; altogether, such an air of earnestness and determination pervades the locality the onlooker is at once convinced that the most is to be made of their advantages. STEAM COLLIERS. It must be satisfactory to those interested in the coal trade to find the value of th*e Grey coal is how becoming appreciated, and the trade consequently increasing ; not that the coal has not always been equally good, but its appearance, when contrasted with the harder Newcastle coal has, until lately, been detrimental to its extensive sale. Thi* is now in a great measure removed. There will be, practically, no reasonable limit to the quantity of coal that will leave here when the harbor works are completed ; perhaps a few years hence. It will never do to wait for harbor works ; doubtless the mere force of competition will force a trade for the coal, and the most likely outlet this will take will be by building steam colliers. It is to be regretted that the Wellington and Grey Company formed for this purpose fell through. Steam colliers may cost a considerable sum, but a great harvest is to be gleaned. Coal can now x be shipped in. Greymouth at 16s per ton, and in eight months hence, when the railway is oomplotod, al 32», which will bo 2a leas than at Newcastle. Suppose one steam collier were built, capable .of carrying 300 tons, there is no reason why it should not make three trips per month to Nelson and Wellington, or carrying a total for the 12 months of 10,800 tons. Those versed in the value of such vessels, and the cost of working, will know whether it will pay or not ; four of such vessels would meet the requirements of the place until other provision could be made. This is a question which is well worth the attention of investors.