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

Official Document, No. 10.
SEVENTH ANTHRACITE DISTRICT
(NORTHUMBERLAND, COLUMBIA, SCHUYLKILL AND DAUPHIN
COUNTIES.)
Shamokin, Pa., February 15, 1898.
Hon. James W. Latta, Secretary of Internal Affairs, Harrisburg, Pa.:
Sir: I have the honor to present you herewith my report as Inspector
of Coal Mines for the Seventh Anthracite Mining District for
the year ending December 31, 1897, as required by section ten, article
two, of the act June 2, 1891.
It contains tables and statistics showing location of collieries, total
number of tons mined and shipped, number of days worked, number
of employes, number of persons killed and injured, number of kegs of
powder used and other information relative to anthracite coal mining.
The total production in tons of coal for the year 1897 was 5,108,948
tons, against 5,594,649 tons in 1896, a decrease of 485,701 tons. The
total shipment was 4,-377,761 tons for 1897, against 4,975,827 tons for
1896, a decrease of 598,066 tons.
I am especially pleased to note the decrease in loss of life; the number
of fatal casualties was 46, a decrease of 30 from that of 1896.
The non-fatal casualties were 119, against 106 in 1896, an increase
of 13. This increase was due to the carelessness of the workmen
themselves, as nine are attributable to premature blasts and six to
flying coal from shots, which demonstrates that the necessary precaution
was not exercised.
Examination of Applicants for Mine Foremen Certificates.
The annual examination of applicants for mine foremen certificates
in the Seventh Anthracite District was held at Pottsville, Pa., June
18 and 19, 1897, and was presided over by the following board, viz:
Edward Brennan, Mine Inspector, Shamokin; Andrew Robertson,
coal operator, Shamokin; Robert Muir, miner, Mount Carmel, and
Adam Rachman. miner, Ashland. •
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