The accompanying sections (Plates III and IV) show, among other things, considerable "sagging over" at the top, as is shown by the line of wear falling within the original outline, caused probably by the backing sand making its way into the furnace, and leaving the lining unsupported.

Section No. 7 shows where the lining proper was entirely gone for about 12 feet square, leaving the back wall of 9-inch fire bricks. exposed.

Sections 5, 6, and 7 show the cutting to have been influenced somewhat by the back tuyere, which was situated so as to get rather more than its share of wind. An attempt will be made to correct that tendency by regulating the sizes of the blast nozzles.

Section No. 10 shows the effect of pulling back tuyeres No. 6 and No. 3 nine inches each, which was done about 9 months previous to blowing out, partly to see what the effect would be, in view of a larger hearth in contemplation, and partly to break up a tendency to "tighten up," which had given so much trouble. It was thought that it might possibly break the arch, or prevent its formation, which it did completely, since no trouble of that kind was experienced after the change.

An examination of the sections No. 1 and No. 2 seems to show that no plates are required to prevent abrasion of the lining immediately under the bell, when the latter is, as in this case, 73 feet in diameter, and the lining 13 feet, although it is shown that such a bell puts the stock all within 2 feet of the lining.

Is it not fair to infer that a bell which necessitates the use of iron plates to protect the lining is too large? Certainly it cannot spread the materials any further than the lining; and, in point of fact, the rebound of the stock would leave it rather nearer the centre than if a somewhat smaller bell was used.

That the proper size of hells is an open question, is evident from the fact that the same size, 7 feet, is used with good results in furnaces of 19 feet and 23 feet diameter of bosh, using the same ores.

Section No. 3 is remarkable from the fact of the almost entire absence of cutting at that point, the reason of which is not clear, although it might be caused by a sudden expansion of the materials caused by a rapid increase in temperature.

Drawings of two modern anthracite furnaces at Scranton, recently received, show a remarkable similarity to the "blown-out" sections of Cedar Point furnace, perhaps on account of hints taken from their own worn linings.

MEMORANDA SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF THE DIFFERENT EXPENSE ACCOUNTS IN MINING HEMATITE ORE AT THE MANHATTAN MINE, SHARON STATION, NEW YORK.

BY J. F. LEWIS, SUPERINTENDENT.

(Read at the Philadelphia Meeting, February, 1878.)

BELIEVING that one of the essential points in mining, as in all other business, is to know the expense incurred in each particular department, I have carefully kept an account with each department for the past three years; and, as it may be of interest to some of our members, I herewith present it to the Institute, reduced to percentages of the total yearly expense, showing the cost for materials, repairs, expenses, tools, team accounts, powder, oil, and fuel, also for labor under its several heads:

Average for the three years 1875, '76, and '77.

.050

.046

.057

.179

.162

.054

.548 100.5

.065

The repairs account for 1877 is comparatively large, since during the year our tenement houses and other buildings were thoroughly repaired and given two coats of paint, covering 4424 square yards. Another reason is that the mine was idle from July 1st, 1876, until May 1st, 1877, only our pumping machinery being used; and notwithstanding that as good care had been taken of all other machinery as was possible, yet in starting the mine again considerable repairing was found necessary. The machinery consists of a Woodruff & Beach engine 18" x 36", working a plunger pump 18" barrel, by 6 feet stroke, connected by a rod 8" x 10", 137' long, forcing water through a 16" pipe, a perpendicular height 137'. It makes during four months of the year from 4 to 6 strokes per minute, the balance of the year from 6 to 10, and often as high as 12 strokes during heavy rains. The capacity of the pump, according to its area, is 80 gallons per stroke; we found, however, by actual measurement in a number of tests that we got but from 72 to 74 gallons. It raises, therefore, from 288 to 432 gallons per minute during the dry season, and from 432 to 720 during the spring and fall months.

In 1875, and part of 1876, the pumping was done by a Worthington duplex pump, the steam being carried through a pipe 200 feet long, causing a heavy percentage for fuel in these years.

The machinery for raising and washing the ore consists of two Reynolds's patent 5-foot hoisting drums, and one Bradford, and one Newbould washer. They are driven by a Ryder engine 18" x 36", the steam being generated in four (two in set) 40′ x 36" cylinder boilers.

In moving dirt we labor under the disadvantage of being obliged to move an old dump, 25 feet high, deposited by our predecessors, who, to save expense in hauling, dumped the dirt but a short distance from where it was taken.

We have endeavored not to commit the same error, and now haul it in cars from 1200 to 1500 feet, and dump it in a swamp, hoping that in getting rid of the dirt we shall also lessen the water in our mine. It may, perhaps, be unnecessary for me to add, that we are also trying to reduce the outlay for fuel for steam generation.

NOTES UPON THE DRAINAGE OF A FLOODED ORE-PIT AT PINE GROVE FURNACE, PA.

BY JOHN BIRKINBINE, PHILADELPHIA.

(Read at the Philadelphia Meeting, February, 1878.)

IN a former paper* attention was directed to the various forms of pumping machines employed for permanent work in mining and metallurgical processes. The following is simply a collection of memoranda of work done of a temporary character, and is presented by way of comparison with other work of similar nature.

In close proximity to the charcoal furnace at Pine Grove, Cumberland County, Pa., is a large deposit of superior hematite iron ore, which has been worked for a number of years, and from which many thousand tons of ore have been taken by open pit workings.

In July, 1874, the furnace was blown out and operations at the bank suspended, the machinery for draining being removed except a plunger pump, 18 inches in diameter and 66 inches stroke, operated by a steam-engine by means of rods.

The pit was allowed to fill with water, and no steps towards its reclamation were taken until November, 1877. At that time the pit was a pond of water at the base of the mountain, having an area of about four acres and a depth of seventy feet.

As the pumps, rods, etc., had been submerged for over three years, and partially buried by the mud washed down from the banks, and as it was determined to change the location of the pump for future. operations and drive it by water-power, a temporary pumping apparatus was determined upon for reclaiming the pit and keeping it drained until the permanent arrangements could be completed.

By opening an old adit about 10 feet of the water was removed, and the area decreased to three acres. The inflow of springs was found to be 250 gallons per minute, and the amount of water contained in the pit was computed to be 45,000,000 gallons. As the inflow would undoubtedly increase while the water sank in the pit, provision was made for removing at least 60,000,000 gallons, at the rate of 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 gallons per day.

The company determined to employ a Heald and Cisco centrifugal pump driven by an oscillating engine by means of a belt. Steam was supplied by four plain cylinder boilers, each 36 inches diameter

* Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, vol. v. p. 455.

and 36 feet long, and was conveyed to the engine through 125 to 200 feet of 24-inch tubing, and 50 feet of 23-inch steam hose. The discharged water from the pump was conveyed to the surface of the ground by a 7-inch canvas hose from 90 to 125 feet long, emptying into a pool provided with a weir. An account of coal consumed each 12 hours, speed of pump, height of water on weir, pressure of steam at boilers, and inches of water removed, was carefully kept.

The work of draining the mine was commenced November 28th, 1877, and bottom was reached January 14th, 1878, a period of 46 days. Of this time 5 Sundays should be deducted, as the pump was not running on the Sabbath, until the inflow was so increased as to cause serious detention. There were also 86 hours lost by stoppages to make connections, repair hose, etc.

The actual working time of the pump was 373 days, during which 62,000,000 gallons were discharged.

Sectional view of pump piston or wheel.

Scale. 1' to 1 ft.

The stoppages were caused entirely in adding additional lengths to steam pipe and discharge hose, and by repairs to the latter, which was rapidly destroyed by the grit in the water; 7 per cent. of the running time was lost by these stoppages.

The machinery consisted of an oscillating steam-engine; steamcylinder 10 inches in diameter, stroke 16 inches, driving a bandwheel 6 feet in diameter, and a centrifugal pump having a revolving piston secured upon a horizontal shaft, upon which was placed a 15inch pulley.

The pump piston was 24 inches in diameter, had five hollow arms, each having openings of 8 inches in the central chamber and other