Report – George Crawhall to Martin Morrison – 30 Jun 1813

Coalcleugh Mines June 30 1813



Coalcleugh High Vein & Flatts produce nearly the whole of the Ore that is raised at this time, but are in a bad state for working or raising Ore to an advantage in the present situation not entirely for want of Ore, as the Ore Workings appear to be tolerably fair at present had there been proper communications for the circulation of Air, more convenient Waygates for Banking the Work, which is done at great expence; all the Old Waygates that was necessary to be kept open kept in good repair & new ones made at proper places as the Workings advanced, by forwarding the dead Levels, Air shafts etc would have been a means of raising considerably more Ore, & at a less price per Bing than at present given. These and other inconveniences such as admitting Men to <Coat> Deads improperly & neglecting keeping the by-roads in proper repair have rendered the whole field in a bad state, & particularly bad for want of a sufficient supply of Air; which will be attended with great expence & not a few Years distance before she can be put on a regular plan for working to the best advantage. Many of the Leading Workings at the East End have lately been raising Ore by means of Air Machines etc but now the workings being advanced out of the power of such Machinery at act upon, are standing & cannot be wrought for want of a sufficient supply of atmospherical Air, which cannot be procured by any other means than by driving the dead Levels forward which are great distance behind the leading Workings, & opening the Air Drifts, Water Levels etc (which I shall explain afterwards) that have been admitted to be wrecked by neglect of repairing, & allowing Men to fill them partially with deads, prevents the circulation of Air into many of the workings. Many other workings that are now raising Ore, are wrought to a great disadvantage; the Men not being able to work more than half their time in some situations for want of Air. The old Workings that are now raising Ore in general are poor & much filled with deads, waygates in bad repair etc, the great expence of drawing Deads from such a deep field prevents many Men from attempting to make a search to raise Ore in places that I am of opinion would produce Ore, had they been in a good situation.



The Top Level or Firestone Level. The forehead now in the Great Slate Sill at the east end of Coalcleugh is driving with 8 Men at £8 per fa[tho]m & is 120 fa[thoms] behind the Galloway Level forehead, which ought to have been the foremost Level in the field; being the only daylevel at the place to admit a sufficient supply of Atmospheric Air into the whole workings below. The next is the Middle Drift 22 fa[thoms] below the Firestone Level, which is driven 120 fa[thoms] east of the last communication from the Firestone Level to the Galloway Level, for purpose of conveying Air into the workings betwixt these Levels, 60 fa[thoms] of which being run together is now opening out with 4 Men, all the West part of this Drift from the last Sump to the Engine is entirely run close & filled with Deads so as to be quite useless. The Third Level in depth is the Galloway Level 11 fa[thoms] below the middle Drift & upon the Top of the Great Limestone, this being the random that produces the principle part of the Ore; the Level is in good repair and driven 180 fa[thoms] east from the last holing from the Firestone Level, which is further than Air can be found to enable Men to Work; the different Workings are standing about the forehead that would raise Ore at reasonable prices, but cannot be got until the other Levels be driven up & proper communications made from one to another. 



The Low Level or Water Level from the Engine foot is 17 fa[thoms] deeper than the Galloway Level, the forehead now in the Great Lime & driving with 8 Men at 10£ per fathom is 100 fa[thoms] behind the Galloway Level forehead, this level is in a very bad state, being entirely wrecked & filled with Deads both East & West from the Engine, except a few fathoms at the East End, & by information from the Workmen not a person has been through her for 10 or 12 Years past, the Water finds its way through the Deads, this in addition to almost all the old Sumps being filled with Deads from the Galloway Level to the Water Level, must be a great obstruction to the circulation of Air into the eastward Workings. 6 Men are now opening out this Level eastward.



Whitewood Vein. the East end of this Vein has not been wrought for several Years past & from information was left of[f] poor & much broke into strings, there being a fine stretch of Ground in this Vein to the East, without any obstruction of Cross Veins etc, I would recommend opening her out & pushing the forehead awhile, if she obtain her former strength I have no doubt but she’ll produce Ore.



Low Coalcleugh Vein. I cannot give any information respecting this Vein as nothing has been done in her for five years past, the Engine is standing & all the Levels Waygates etc are nearly run close[;] if any thing is determined to be done, it must be an entire new winning from the surface.

The Low Level at Barney Craig is going forward with 8 Men. I calculate 8 or 10 years before the East End of Coalcleugh be effectually won by it.

Hartley Cleugh is much poorer than she has been & extremely bad for Air & much filled with Deads. I purpose setting in a shaft at the forehead which I expect will in a few Months effectually Air her.

Welhope is very poor & nearly abandoned being only 3 small partnerships working; there is a probability of the East End of Wellhopehead Vein mending if she was driven a few fathoms further & other proper trials made.

With this you have a list of the Bargains let at the different places which you’ll refer to for the price per Bing & fa[tho]m etc.

George Crawhall. 

Coalcl[eugh] 6 Men at 26s, 4 at 28s, 16 at 35s, 4 at 36s, 20 at 40s, & 75 at 42s per Bing. 42 driving Levels etc.

Hartley Cleugh. 18 at 25s & 28 at 42s per B[in]g. 12 Men driving Levels

Welhope. 7 Men at 42s per Bing