STEMMER. A Copper rod used for stemming (2).

STEMMING 1. Fine shale or dirt put into a shot-hole after the powder, and rammed hard.

2. Ramming or beating the stemming (1) solid. STENTING (N.). See Stenton.

STENTON (N.). A short heading at right angles to a cross cut (2).

STEP BANKS (S. W.). Working places having regular distances along the carvings or cuttings between the ends of the stalls in the long-wall system.

STEPPING (N.). The system of working faces of coal one in advance of the next to it. See Fig. 91 (upper range of workings).

STEPS. See Step Banks.

STERIL COAL. Black shale or clay on top of a coal

seam.

STEWARD (Y.). See Underviewer.

STIFFENER (S. W.). A door for regulating the ventilation.

STILLING (N.). The walling of a shaft within the tubbing above the stone head (2).

STIMPLES (S. W.).

Small timbers. See Lacing.

STINT. 1. (M.) A measure of length by which colliers hole and cut coal, A stall face is usually measured off into a number of stints or holing setts (3), varying between 4 feet and 6 feet, and each collier holes a certain proportion of them for his day's work, according to the length and depth of the stint, and hardness of the seam.

2. (G.) A certain number of trams filled per man per day.

3. (S. S.) A collier's day's work.

4. (B.) To fix upon, or agree to, a certain number of trams being filled per stall per day.

STIRRUPS. A screw joint suspended from the brakestaff or spring-pole, by which the boring rods are adjusted to the depth of the borehole (1).

STOBB. A long steel wedge used in bringing down coal after it has been holed. See Feathers.

STOCK. 1. Coals laid down at surface during slack trade, or in reserve for an extra demand at any time.

2. The average tonnage sent out of a working place in one day.

STOCKING END. 1. (L.) The inner end of a heading at a short distance from which there is a depression or lum in the seam, which has become more or less filled with water, causing the ventilation to be cut off from the back (2).

2. (Lei.) A Geordie.

STOMP. 1. (M.) To set a prop or sprag with one end let into a slight hole cut out of the floor or roof to receive it.

2. A short wooden plug fixed in the roof, to which lines are hung, or to serve as a bench-mark for

surveys.

STONE. 1. A term commonly used for sandstone, post (2), or almost any rock of a stony character.

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2. Ironstone, which see.

STONE COAL. Anthracite, in lumps. Also certain other very hard varieties of coal.

STONEHEAD. 1. A heading driven in stone, bind, measures, &c.

2. (N.) The first hard stratum met with underlying quicksand.

STONEMAN (N.). One who is employed in driving a stonehead, or who rips, timbers, and repairs roads. STONE MINE (S.). An ironstone pit or working. STONE TUBBING. Water-tight stone walling of a shaft, jointed and fastened at the back with cement.

STONE WORK (S.). Driving of drifts or galleries in measures. See Stonehead (1).

STOOK (N.). A pillar of coal about four yards square, being the last portion of a full-sized pillar to be worked away in board and pillar workings.

STOOK AND FEATHER. A wedge for breaking down coal, worked by hydraulic power, the pressure being applied at the extreme inner end of the drilled hole.

STOOL (D.). To sit, which see.

STOOLS (F. D.). Sigillariæ, viz. the fossil form of the stem of a tree, which grew during the Coal period, occasionally met with (probably in situ) in mines.

STOOP. 1. (S.) See Rance.
2. (M.) A prop or puncheon.

STOOP AND ROOM (S.). A system of working coal very similar to pillar and stall (Fig. 122).

Fig. 122.

STOOPING (S.). Working away the stoops (1).

STOOP ROADS (S.). Roads driven in the solid or whole coal on the stoop and room system.

STOPPAGES. Deductions from miners' wages, such as rent, candles, blacksmith's work, field club, &c. STOPPER (S. S.). See Stopping.

STOPPING. A solid stone, brick, or clay wall built right across a thirl or any other description of road or entrance to a worked-out place. They prevent the access of air to goaves, and cause it to circulate through and further into the mine; are often plastered with lime on the intake side and packed at the back with sand, slack, burnt stuff, or rubbish. See Dam, Signs. STOP TRUCKS (S. W.). Scotches.

STOW. To pack away rubbish into goaves, old roads, &c.

STOW-BOARD (N.). A board or heading in which débris is stowed.

STOWSES (N.). A windlass or wallow.

STRAIGHT BIT. A flat or ordinary chisel for boring. STRAIGHT COAL (S. S.). An excavation made in the Thick coal, having the solid coal left on three sides of it.

STRAIGHT ENDS AND WALLS (N. W.). A system of working coal somewhat similar to board and pillar. Straight ends are drifts or headings from 4 feet 6 inches to 6 feet in width. Walls are pillars 30 feet wide.

STRAIGHT WORK or STRAIT WORK. The system of getting coal by headings or narrow work. See Course, Fig. 44.

STRAPS (M.). Old iron way rails put up between the coal face and the front rank of props, in long-wall stalls, for supporting a tender roof.

STRAW.

A fine straw filled with gunpowder, and

used as a fuse.

STREBBAU (Pr.). The long-wall system, which see. STRET. 1. (N. S.) See Straight Work.

2. (M.) Solid, close, compact: e. g. gobbed stret, packed stret, &c.

STRETCHER (Y.). A prop or sprag.

STRIKE. 1. The line at right angles to the dip (3); a level course.

2. To meet with, or hit a fault, hollows, &c.

STRIKE JOINTS (U. S. A.). Joints in strata parallel to the strike (1).

STRIKING DEALS. Planks fixed in a sloping direction just within the mouth of a shaft, to guide the bowk to the surface.

STRIP (M.) To get coal, &c., alongside a fault, barrier, hollows, &c.