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

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I<br />

Official Document. No. 10.<br />

FOURTH BITUMINOUS DISTRICT.<br />

(TIOGA, POTTER, BRADFORD, LYCOMING, CLINTON, CAMERON, Mc-<br />

KEAN AND ELK COUNTIES, AND ALL THOSE MINES IN CLEARFIELD<br />

COUNTY ADJACENT TO THE LOW GRADE DIVISION OF THE ALLE-<br />

GHENY VALLEY RAILROAD; ALSO THE MINES ADJACENT TO THE<br />

CLEARFIELD AND SUSQUEHANNA BRANCH OF THE PENNSYLVANIA<br />

RAILROAD; ALSO THE MINES ADJACENT TO THE BUFFALO, ROCHES-<br />

TER AND PITTSBURGH RAILROAD IN JEFFERSON AND CLEARFIELD<br />

COUNTIES.)<br />

Blossburg, Pa., February 10, 1898.<br />

Hon. James W. Latta, Secretary <strong>of</strong> <strong>Internal</strong> <strong>Affairs</strong>:<br />

Sir: I herewith submit my annual report as Inspector <strong>of</strong> mines for<br />

<strong>the</strong> Fourth bituminous coal district <strong>of</strong> Pennsylvania for <strong>the</strong> year<br />

ending December 31, 1897, toge<strong>the</strong>r with statistical tables compiled<br />

from <strong>the</strong> operators' reports returned to my <strong>of</strong>fice. The returns show<br />

an aggregate increase <strong>of</strong> 779,178 tons over that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> preceding year,<br />

which is due largely to an increased number <strong>of</strong> mining machines being<br />

used, and to steadier employment generally throughout <strong>the</strong> district.<br />

The total number <strong>of</strong> fatal accidents has been very much decreased.<br />

The ventilation and drainage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mines is fairly good, and continues<br />

to improve throughout <strong>the</strong> district.<br />

One case <strong>of</strong> violation <strong>of</strong> section 1, article XXI, <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bituminous<br />

Mining Law came to my notice during <strong>the</strong> year at <strong>the</strong> Berwind White<br />

shaft mine, in Clearfield county. The <strong>of</strong>fense was <strong>of</strong> such a serious<br />

character and <strong>the</strong> evidence as to guilt being so clear that I had <strong>the</strong><br />

miner arrested and bound over for court. When <strong>the</strong> case came before<br />

<strong>the</strong> court for trial he pleaded guilty, whereupon <strong>the</strong> court reprimanded<br />

him and sentenced him to pay <strong>the</strong> costs. The circumstances and<br />

facts <strong>of</strong> this case are more fully given in <strong>the</strong> body <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> report.<br />

Respectfully submitted,<br />

JAMES N. PATTERSON,<br />

Inspector.<br />

Mining Statistics.<br />

Number <strong>of</strong> mines in district 66<br />

Total production in tons <strong>of</strong> coal, 6,541,94.3<br />

Total production in tons <strong>of</strong> coke, 441,946<br />

Quantity <strong>of</strong> coal, in tons, used for steam and heat, 104,778<br />

(327)

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