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

No. 10. FOURTH ANTHRACITE DISTRICT. 99
The fir«t mine law was enacted March 3, 1870. The Inspector for
the first ten years was Mr. Thomas M. Williams. For the last seven
teen years the i^resent Inspector, Mr. Gwilwyin M. Williams, has been
in office.
In 1885 the Pittston district was erected out of a portion of
the Wilkes-Barre and Scrantun districts. The collieries of Plains,
Dorrance and Exeter township were then located in the Pittston, now
the Third district.
The Mines and Mine Inspection.
During the year 1897 the mines of this district were inspected several
times and with the exception of the ones damaged by fire, water or
caves, all were found in safe and lawful condition. Only in two instances
was there just cause for complaint as to the ventilation, and
these were soon remedied. Each mine foreman has his characteristics;
one is prone to overlook the ventilation, the other the
timbering, and others the maintenance of roomy gaugw^ays, and the
fact that the Inspector comes around and finds fault does much to
keep things in proper condition.
The power for producing ventilation is ample and only requires care
in keeping it well up to the fflces, and in this the most of the mine
foremen deserve commendation, for tliey do it well. Timber and
material for the safe conducting of mines are lavishly supplied and
there never was a time when the mines were better secured by
good propping and timbering. It is just to state also that there
iiever was a time when so much timber was required, for the top is
bad in nearly all the seams in nearly all the mines. The deeper the
mines get, the poorer the top becomes.
The method of mining is gradually changing, having a marked tendency'
to leave larger pillars. At all the mines the refuse is utili'