So far as the procedure endangers life, it is of course
objectionable.

12. Better use of fine coal. It has been recommended that infirm and
finely broken coal be washed and compressed, thus avoiding the wasting
of slack coal, which was formerly thrown away or burned. However, in
recent years there has been comparatively little waste of this kind, for
slack coal in general finds nearly as ready a market as lump coal and
the use of slack is increasing. There has been much discussion also of
the possibilities of using the coal waste on the ground to make power
for electric transmission.

13. More careful attention to sorting and sizing of all grades of coal
coming from the mine and to preparation of coals for special uses. On
the other hand, some operators say that the ends of conservation will be
best met by limiting the sorting and sizing now practiced. The large
number of sizes now put on the market greatly increases the cost of
production.

14. Wider use of the lower-grade fuels of the west, particularly with
the aid of briquetting.

=Progress in above methods.= Methods of mining and preparation of coal
have been improved. Campbell and Parker state:[50]

A much greater proportion of the product hoisted is now being
sent to market in merchantable condition. Part of this is due
to better and more systematic methods of handling, and part to
the saving of small sizes which formerly went to the culm
banks. The higher prices of coal and the development of
methods for using these small sizes have also made it
possible, through washing processes, to rework the small coal
formerly thrown on the culm banks, and these are now
furnishing several millions of tons of marketable coal
annually.

In general there is increase in the percentage of recovery of coal.
Whereas in the past the loss in mining was said by Campbell and
Parker[51] to average 50 per cent, now an extraction of 70 to 90 per
cent may be looked for.

Quoting from Smith and Lesher:[52]

Observation of the advances made in mining methods in the last
decade or two affords slight warrant for belief in any charge
of wasteful operation. As consumers of coal we might do well
to imitate the economy now enforced by the producers in their
engineering practice. In the northern anthracite field machine
mining in extracting coal from 22- and 24-inch beds, and
throughout the anthracite