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

No. 10. SIXTH ANTHRACITE DISTRICT. 171
Q. Were you ever told to examine the ropes daily?
A. Yes; about ten years ago.
Q. Would that not be sufficient for ten years hence?
A. 1 suppose it would.
Q. Can you tell when you re-socketed the rope?
A. On August 16, 1897, both ropes were re-socketed.
Thonuis Morrison, hoisting engineer, then swore to the fact that
Ihe rope was re-socketed August 16, 1897,
Mr. Whittick, father of one of the victims, asked Mr. Eltringham,
the outside foreman: "Do you consider the foot of that plane a safe
place to work?"
A. Yes; if the rules are obeyed. And you thought so yesterday
when you told me you thought no one was to blame, and you would
be satisfied if the company would pay only the expenses of the
funeral.
John Shellan, a laborer, was then sworn. He could not fix the
blame on any one for the accident, even though a near relative had
been one of the victims.
The mine Inspector then gave several rules in force by a number
of large coal mining companies in relation to the care of ropes and
chains in use at their collieries, and told how but three weeks before
the accident while on a visit to the colliery he cautioned the men
working at the bottom of the plane, not to go on the plane or in the
"Barney" pit while cars were being hoisted, and that he, in company
with Mr. Rees Tasker, division superintendent, and Mr. William
H. Richards, district superintendent, had passed the foot of
the plane about an hour before the accident occurred on their way
to inspect a district of mine workings.
The coroner's jury rendered the following verdict:
"That the said William Steel and Martin Whittick came to their
deaths on the 2d of December, 1897, at North Mahanoy Colliery by
the breaking of a plane rope, which was due to the negligence of
S>vanze Eltringham, outside foreman, in not having the socket
reset."