PUY-DE-DÔME. MINES. "Houillères de CELLE et COMBELLE. Commun - Lot 595

PUY-DE-DÔME. MINES. "Houillères de CELLE et COMBELLE. Commune d'AUZAT-sur-Allier". (letterhead) Letter from LA COMBELLE, August 19, 1849, to Mr. Meynier Administrator of BRASSAC Mines in Paris. 1 page in-4°: "I didn't expect to be such a good prophet when I told you that the poor condition of our cables meant we would soon be arrested. We are discovering new deficiencies every minute, and this morning we had to forbid any descent via the beine (Benne). The cable in the worst condition is the one laid in January, so we've only had three months' service. I had already noticed the poor quality of the hemp, and that there were no cores in the strands, as our Conventions used to say. I made my observations to the manufacturer, who was adamant that his rope was made to last.... No cable has ever lasted us more than six months, and at this rate we're spending 9,000 francs a year. It's disastrous. Wouldn't you be in favor of converting our reels to drums and using round wire cables (the hot air coming out of the (mine) shaft should considerably alter the hemp.) which, if they don't last longer, will at least cost less... we'd lay out the work in such a way as to withstand a few weeks' unemployment.... We have loaded another 8 boats since my last (letter)."