Report of the Bureau of Mines of the Department of Internal Affairs of ...

Official Document, Ko. 10.
Fourth Anthracite District.
(LUZERNE COUNTY.)
Ollice of Inspector of Mines, Wilkes-Barro, Pa., Feb. 21, 1898.
Hon. James ^V. Latta, Secretary of Internal Affairs, Harrisburg, Pa.:
Sir: I have the honor of presenting herewith my report as Inspector
of Mines for the Fourth anthracite district for the year 1897.
Beside the usual tables and statistical matter relating to the
mines and mine accidents, it has several brief articles bearing upon
the condition of the mines.
The total quantity of coal mined was 7,457,418 tons. The number
oi' fatal accidents was GO, making the quantity of coal produced
per life lost 124,290 tons, being a greater quantity than was ever
before produced per life lost in this district. Before the law was
jiut in force the quantity of coal produced per life lost was from
50,000 to 00,000 tons, and one person was fatally injured to from 180
to 190 persons employed, though at that time the dangers of coal
raining were not to be compared with the dangx?rs at the present
time.
Perusal of tables B, C, and I) shows that in the year 1871 the first
year of the anthracite mine law there was one life lost for 186
employes, and a production of 56,000 tons per life lost. The number
of persons employed was 9,870. In the first decade under the mine
law, one life was lost for 263 employes, and 87,409 tons of coal were
pioduced per life lost. In the second decade, one life was lost for
249 persons employed, and 91,507 tons of coal were produced per
life lost. In the last seven years one life was lost to 297 persons
employed, and 98,646 tons were produced per life lost. The total
number of emplojes for last year was 25,650, against 9,870 in the
jear when the mine inspection began. The quantity of coal produced
in 1897 was 7,457,418 tons in an average of 134 days, against
3,00(3,000 tons in the first year of mine inspection in perhaps double
the time, or 268 days. It is not fair to compare the accidents in
riiines with the number of persons employed. In the latter part of
the second decade in this district, an unusual number of men were
employed opening new mines and driving tunnels who were not
producing coal, and it is not just that the accidents should be attiibuted
to coal mining. The purpose of coal mining is to produce
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