1900 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

2 REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF MINES. Off. Doc.
Where
The general conditions in and about the mines are good.
the ventilation is somewhat deficient, it is the fault of those directly
in charge, and not, as a rule, the fault of the general management,
for at all mines there are ample means- for producing ventilation,
but, quite frequently, from a lack of tact on the part of the mine
foreman, the air courses and cross-cuts are neglected from day
to day until they discover that the "air at the faces" is poor, and
when they endeavor to improve it, they find that the task is more
than they expected, then a little improvement is made from time
to time, so as not to increase the cost per ton too suddenly.
In the meantime, in such cases, which, however, are few, the
miners and laborers suffer considerably for a time, and all, simply,
because of a false sense of economy, or a want of proper business
ability on the part of the mine foreman to economically manage the
mine and at the same time keep all sections of it in a satisfactorily
safe, healthful and neat condition.
Several new fans were installed during the year, in a few cases to
replace old ones, and others at new openings, and in no case is means
of producing a strong current of air at any time deficient, and the
ventilation at the faces of all workings ought to be good at all times,
and, in most cases, from personal observation, I am able to say it is;
the only places where I find it poor are where the mine foremen are
lax in their methods, and this exists in a few mines where there
is no explosive gas evolved, and at no other ones.
The absence of gas removes the possibility of an explosion, and
this tends to make some of mine foremen indifferent to the chief
object of ventilation, namely, that of keeping the mine healthful
at all points for persons to work in.
This indifference leads to neglect, as already stated, the most essential
thing for the benefit of all concerned, the miner first, and the
operator from a point of economic mining, and it would be well for
the superintendents to periodically insist upon a strict compliance,
on the part of the mine foremen, with all the requirements of the
mine law pertaining to ventilation.
The superintendents, in addition to providing means of producing
an ample air current, should also see that a proper distribution of it
is made to the workmen at the faces of all working places, as this
keeps them in
coal better.
good spirits and enables them to mine and clean the
was shown that
In last year's report, in regard with accidents, it
most of them occurred at or close to the faces of working places, and
a suggestion as to the means of partially reducing their number was
made.
Of the forty fatalities last year, twenty-five, or 65 per cent, happened
near or at the face of gangways or chambers.