The History & Coal Resources of Newcastle from 1830 - 1889

from a series of articles published in the Newcastle Morning Herald covering the period 26th September, 1889 to 21st November, 1889

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THE NEWCASTLE COLLIERIES
THEIR RISE AND PROGRESS

Wickham and Bullock Island Coal Company
The Hetton Coal Company
[No VI]

(By Atramentous)

Published 28th October, 1889

WICKHAM AND BULLOCK ISLAND COAL COMPANY
The Wickham and Bullock Island Coal Company was formed in Sydney in the year 1879 for the purpose of mining coal from two leaseholds - one being the property of Mr Peter Fleming, and the other belonging to the Government. The well-known Throsby's Creek, which is 230 yards broad and 4 feet deep, divided the two estates. A shaft was put down on the first-named leasehold and the Borehole seam found to be 12ft in thickness. The winning of the coal so close to the wharves of Newcastle created a lot of interest in mining circles at the time. The company, some few years after commencing operations, obtained a large area from the Government, and their estate at the present time has an area of 2150 acres. It extends from the harbour basin on the south, to Goat Island, taking in the whole of Bullock Island, now known as Carrington. The western limit is the far side of Throsby's Creek, while the extensive Bullock Island dyke, at which nearly all the coal mined in the district is shipped, forms the eastern boundary. The capital of the company is £110,000, made up of 70,000 shares fully paid up to £1,20,000 preferential shares paid up to 5s, and a like number of contributing shares paid up to 5s. Share are now at a premium of 10s, and the company have recently declared a dividend of 20 per cent.

For some years the company obtained coal from the old Wickham shaft, now leased by them to the Linwood Colliery, and in 1883 commenced to sink a pit in Cowper-street, Carrington, but the authorities ordered the cessation of the work there, a course which resulted in a serious loss, and great inconvenience. About the end of June, 1884, Mr Hugh Walker, with the assistance or Mr Fairley, commenced to sink the present shaft close to the southern side of the Bullock Island railway, just half a mile from the cranes. As in the case of all delta collieries, the work was difficult and extremely laborious, owing to the soft nature of the surface deposits. Iron cylinders, 10ft in diameter, in six segments 3ft in depth, were manufactured by Messrs Morrison and Bearby, the well-known ironfounders, whose premises are close to the colliery, and sunk by pressure to a depth of 173ft, where they rest on the hard rock. These cylinders were the first put down in the district, and are thoroughly water-tight. The total depth of the shaft is 231ft, and it was finished in the short period of eight months. After the 173ft of sand, gravel, and clay had been passed through the cylinders, the strata between it and the seam was found to be entirely of hard rock. The coal at the bottom of the shaft was 18ft 6in in thickness, but only the bottom portion has since been worked.

The easterly heading of the old Wickham Colliery communicates with this mine, but a barrier was left as a boundary to the old Maryville workings. When the shaft was completed an unique system of "winning off" was adopted - the headings being only 6ft wide, while the bords were 6 yards, leaving pillars 8 yards in thickness. In view of the flooding of the Ferndale Colliery, the workings of which were under Throsby's Creek, the precaution was a wise one, and was commended by the Government officials. As much of the estate lies north of the railway, the primary operations were considerably hampered owing to the necessity of driving headings across the railway-line and leaving portions underlying private property. For some time after the colliery started operations, the major portion of the workings were north of the line, but of late the southerly portion has been worked, and at present the south-east heading is half-a-mile from the bottom of the shaft.

The underground haulage obtaining at this colliery is accomplished by the main rope system, with an engine of 15-horse power placed at the surface of the working shaft. The wire rope goes from the drum of the engine down the shaft, and from thence to the end of the main ways on steel rollers. The full skips are thus brought up to the bottom of the shaft, where they are placed on one of the single-decked cages and taken up to the screening floor. The cages only hold one skip at a time, but, notwithstanding that, the capable output is 700 tons per diem. An engine of 40-horse power does the winding, while the necessary gear is of the most recent and improved type. For the year 1886 the output of this colliery was 55,553 tons, valued at £26,229. In 1887 it was 59,553 tons; and in 1888, 68,240 tons. For the first half of the present year over 55,000 tons were raised, while for the month of August last the returns show 19,100 tons, and for September 15,800 tons. The development of the mine has thus been very rapid during the last twelve months, and the trade prospects are very good. At present some 250 miners and 125 wheelers, drivers and shiftmen are employed by the company.

The ventilation of the workings is obtained by a Walker fan, erected at the mouth of an air shaft which was put down 26 chains to the south of the working pit. During the first years of the company's existence the ventilation was given from the old Wickham shaft, now known as the Linwood Colliery, which was put down on Fleming's property, on the other side of Throsby's Creek, but this was abandoned when the present air-shaft was finished. The fan is capable of throwing 50,000 cubic feet of air per minute, and is ample for present requirements. Water is also drawn from the air-shaft by a powerful Tangye pump, worked by a boiler which also supplies power to work the fan.

As before stated, the seam is 18ft 6in thick, but the bottoms only are being worked, the top coal being left for the purpose of forming a safe and reliable roof. The total thickness worked varied from 8ft to 12ft, but eventually the top coal will also be taken down. As much of the land is under water, the pillars can never be worked, and for some time past the mode of working has been chaged to 6-yard pillars and 6-yard bords. The seam dips slightly to the south-east, and a recent analysis of the coal gives the following results: Moisture 3.2 per cent, volatile hydro-carbons 35.6, fixed carbon 60.1, ash 1.1, and a trace of sulphur.

Being so close to the wharves the cost of haulage is reduced to a minimum, and is done by the Government at a low rate. The company have 138 steel hopper waggons, and are now obtaining a further supply of 100. A branch line goes under the colliery shed, and the coal, after passing over the usual sloping parallel iron bar screens which separate the small, goes on to the waggons beneath.

The trade of the company is chiefly local and inter-colonial, and, although the late strike operated strongly against it, it is now obtaining a good demand in foreign countries.

The head office of the company is in Sydney, where Mr Marshall Bayley, jun., the general manager resides. Mr Jas. Fletcher is the colliery manager, and Mr H.R. Smith is shipping manager. The company until recently formed one of the parties to the Masters' Association, but retired soon after the recent strike.

THE HETTON COAL COMPANY
The Hetton Coal Company, with a capital of £106,000 in 21,200 shares of £5 each, was formed in the year 1885 for the purpose of mining coal at a royalty from under the estuary of the Hunter River, or, more properly, the harbour of Newcastle. The grant was in the first instance held by Messrs Steel and Hutchinson, and is peculiar in having no coal except under tidal waters. The area is of a semi-lunar form, and measures 1600 acres, commencing outside the harbour and extending right up beyond the probable line of outcrop of the coal seam. It includes the oyster bank, which is a peculiarly exposed portion of the coast and joins the ocean lease of the Stockton Coal Company. The depth of water in the horseshoe bend varies from 26ft to 40ft, and this increases to over 80ft at the eastern boundary beyond the oyster bank. It will thus be seen that the colliery is a most remarkable one, and is unique among the coal mines of Australasia.

For the purpose of getting at the coal it was, of course, necessary to secure a dry piece of land, and after much trouble the company succeeded in obtaining an allotment of six acres on the marshes of Bullock Island, about 700 yards to the eastward of the Wickham and Bullock Island Colliery, and known as Pig Island. Shortly after the formation of the company the present working shaft, 16ft in diameter, was commenced at a point only 200 yards north of the dyke engine house, and within a stone's throw of the wharves. Iron cylinders, 1½in in thickness, with webs and flanges of adequate strength, were sunk by pressure through the stratum of sand and mud, 45ft in thickness, until they passed 20ft into a deposit of pliable plastic clay. The method of sinking the cylinders was to force them down in advance of the internal excavation by the weights, of as much as 600lb, piled on the top ring. When they entered the clay the course pursued was to add plates to the cylinder as the stuff was dug out. After passing throught the clay some 160ft of hard grey post rock was passed through and the Borehole seam found at a depth of 215ft. It is 21ft 6in in thickness including the bands, making the total depth of the shaft over 236ft. To obtain access to the coal under the harbour the company obtained leave to drive the winning headings under the wharves and hydraulic cranes, a work which has long since been accomplished.

Last year a second shaft for ventilation and pumping was commenced a few chains to the southward of the winning pit, and this was completed in November, 1889. A Guibal fan, with a 30-in flange, capable of throwing 200,000 cubic feet of air per minute, and also a powerful Tangye pump, to work by compressed air, will be connected with this shaft. At the present time the workings are kept dry by a small Tangye pump, while a supply of air is obtained from the main shaft. The machinery and plant of the colliery are large and extensive, and when the mine is fully opened out will be capable of raising over 1000 tons of coal per day. Two horizontal engines with 26-inch cylinders, having power equal to 160 horses, are being fitted up in an extensive building, while at present the hauling is done by a 36-horse power engine. The main winning heading or engine plane runs east, and is now nearly across the harbour, a crosscut being driven to the south-east; while another heading is under No 7 crane, about 20 chains from the shaft. The first coal was brought out in 1887, in which year 1,100 tons were raised. In 1888 the total output was 22,287 tons, despite the general strike, which closed the mine for three months. Since then vast strides have been made, and at present the daily output is about 300 tons. For the five weeks ending September 28th, 7,740 tons were raised, and 250 men all told now find employment at the mine. The shaft being 16ft in diameter, the cages hold two skips each, and at present there are three sloping parallel iron screens in use, but shortly this number is to be increased to five. The system of underground hauling is to be increased to five. The system of underground hauling is be by the "tail rope", worked by the large engines before reffered to. A large hopper, capable of holding 1,200 tons of small coal, has been completed, and in a few months the output will be greatly increased.

The system of working the coal is much the same as that obtaining in the adjoining Wickham and Bullock Island Colliery, the tops being left, and from 6ft to 8ft of the splendid seam alone being worked in the 6 yard pillars. The seam improves as the headings are driven under the harbour, the coal being cleaner, and containing less water. A recent analysis of several samples from this mine shows it to contain from 1.8 to 2.26 per cent of moisture, 35.89 to 37.6 of volatile hydro-carbons, 54.3 to 61.05 of fixed carbon, and 2.40 to 6.1 of light-red ash, with a trace of sulphur.

Being so close to the wharves the haulage from this mine is done very cheaply, the company having several sidings and a long distance of standing room, so that the Government engines can take the waggons to the cranes in a few moments. At present there are 200 steel hopper waggons in use, but this amount will shortly be increased by another fifty. The trade prospects are good, the most of the product at present being disposed of in the colonies. New markets are, however, being opened up with the seaboard of America, where several shipments of coal have already been sent and spoken highly of.

The head office of the Company, which is party to the Masters' Association, is in Sydney, where Mr James S. Hutchison, the secretary resides. Mr William Thornton is colliery manager, and Mr A Mathieson engineer, and the mine has been opened out under their supervision. Mr. John Waddell is the shipping manager, the local office being in Scott Street.