1900 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

No. 11. FIFTH ANTHRACITE DISTRICT. 183
veniber 28th, by being squeezed between a locomotive and a railroad
gondola, and died ar Bazleton hospital next day. The locomotive
was on the main track, pushing the gondola off the switch with a
pole or piece of T rail. They moved the car a short distance, when
the rail was too long. He then undertook to reach the car by
using the coupling rod attached to the engine. He placed the end
of this against the drawhead of the car and told the engineer to come
back. He then placed his back againsl the car and walked backwards,
with the moving car, when suddenly the coupling bar slipped,
and the cars came together. The victim, instead of stepping out of
the way, evidently became confused, made a misstep and w as squeezed
r
between the engine and the car bumpers. This was an accident that
could have been averted by ordinary precaution .
No. 37. Michael Stelmak, a laborer employed on the culm bank at
Jeddo No. 4 colliery, was fatally injured by cars on December 8th,
and died before leaving the colliery. He had been working on the
culm bank until he received an order from Edward Kennedy to go
to the lower bank in the swamp for the purpose of assisting to dump
rock into the "mine caves." He started to walk down the locomotive
track, which was unnecessary, there being plenty of room to walk
on either side. The engineer saw a man walking down the track
and signalled him to get off. He certainly knew the locomotive
would follow him down; still he. remained on the track until he was
knocked down by the cars with above result.
No. 38. John Haggerty, a miner, employed at Hazleton colliery No.
1, was instantly killed on December 8th by a premature blast. He
was engaged in breast No. 40, East Buck Mountain, fifth lift gangway.
He was notified by Assistant Foreman Gonaghan in the morning
before going to his place of work that there was a bench of rock
in bell shape, which he should blast down, before doing any more
work at the face of the breast. Deceased replied that he would
do so. On reaching the breast, he and hi."* partner started
at once to remove props, drilled a hole in the hanging bench and
(barged it with powder, and placed the squib and was ready to
fire. His partner suggested that he would light the squib, but
deceased replied that he could fire it. He called fire and lighted
the squib, but before he reached the heading the shot exploded and
he was caught beneath t he falling top. This accident was due entirely
to a defective or improperly lighted ^quib, as the hole being in the
top, if required the greatest care for fear of short lighting. This
was the first shot the victim had fired since working in the breast,
his partner, Joseph Nesmitt, having done all the firing before, and it
is possible that there was a mistake in
lighting the match too short.
Xo. 39. James McAndrews, a laborer, employed at the Evans col
liery, was- fatally injured December L8th by having been crushed