[Crossbones]

Like I said before--THANKS. It means a lot (to me) that you don't mind me pestering you with questions.

A couple more . .

*How big is a break?
*I understand what you mean about when the brattice would block off the gases and the clean air--
*But--if there were gases in the air, and the space would have been bigger--would it have given them a bigger percentage of breathing quality oxygen? (I know it is nearly impossible to answer this). I could understand that more area means more possible air, but wouldn't it be relational? (I can already see where it wouldn't be--depending on ventalation, etc).
*As far as the brattice goes--does it seal around the mine walls, floor, ceiling? Or is it like the morons on TV say (like a curtain).

On a different note--how do you mine coal in a mine like this? Is it done by hand (sorry if that sounds stupid) or machinery?

Thanks again for answering my questions. I hate to sound cliched--but these as soon as this deal happened--I took it to heart (which is not really like me). It ****es me off that they passed--but I think all of us (especially guys who have to work with the moron "business" types) would love to work next to people that care more about you than their self.

Sorry I didn't answer faster, been out with the family. I don't care in the least to answer ?, so ask away. I'll try to answer the best I can.
1. A break is refered to the block of coal that is left to hold up the top it is usually 60' x 80' and the usual area that is mined is about 20' wide and as long as you can mine it with an opening going into the next entry every 80'with the block of coal left in the middle. I'll try to post a picture later if I can find one of my old maps.
2.well the more area you have blocked off the better chances of more breathable oxegen. Giving each man a larger area of air too themselves. It would put me away from the others and I wouldn't be breathing their air. I hope I'm making sense.
3. Yes, a brattice does seal the top, floor and walls. It is made out of 8" cinder blocks and then plastered with a cement type material on both sides. It will hold and stop an amazing amount of air. Now the curtain type material does stop the air also, but is not permanent. The curtain is more than likely what they used to baracade themselves in, which probably doesn't make sense, but to build a brattice it takes alot of cinder blocks and about 20 min. to build and that takes alot of energy, meaning breathing harder. Now a curtain can be hung in about 2 min. and using no energy at all, and still achieve about the same purpose only temporary.
4. It is mined by equipment, (high tech equipement at that). Years ago it was mined by hand, but now mines use contunious miners, about $1.5 million apiece and they load the coal into a shuttle car, about $.5million apiece. Now adays coalminig is high tech, using fiberoptics, computers, remote control devices, ect. Look up Joy manufacturing on the net and it will give you an idea of the type of machinery we use.