1900 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

520 RI3P< )RT OF THE BUREAU OP MINES. Off. Dec.
Accidents in the District.
The number of fatal accidents during the year was 30, a decrease
in the ratio per ton of coal mined, although 2 more than last year.
In spite of this decrease, however, it is to me a very unsatisfactory
state of affairs, for the reason that from observation, and examination
which I
made of every fatal accident that occurred in the district,
I am compelled to report that fully 50 per cent, were caused
by a
lack of care or experience on the part of the unfortunate victims
themselves. Four of those fatally injured by falls of coal
showed such carelessness that their deaths might almost be termed
suicides, while G of the fatalities resulting from falls of roof would
have never occurred if only ordinary care had been observed. In
the remainder of the cases where death was caused by a fall of roof,
the danger was of such a. nature that it could not be detected, the
accidents resulting from what are termed by miners "horse backs,"
"bells," or "clay pots," various expressions used to describe simply
a faulty piece of roof that usually drops without any warning, and
often in
places that are well timbered.
An unusual number of men were killed during the year by machinery,
which is to be expected, since fully four-fifths of the coal
in the district is mined or hauled by machinery, and until the men
become better acquainted with the dangers thereof and more safeguards
are thrown around them, an increase in this class of accidents
may be looked for. Other dangers, however, are eliminated by the
use of machinery, and on the whole I believe the result will be a
reduction in the number of mining accidents.
General Condition of Mines in
the District.
Operations on the Somerset and Cambria Branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio Kailroad.
There are eleven mine® on this branch, all
but three of which are
ventilated by fans. None of them are very extensive workings as
yet, except the Krebs mine, which is becoming quite large—so much
so that it has grown beyond the capacity of the present fan, and
arrangements are now being made to put in a new and larger one.
That there are fans in such a large number of the mines, although the
operations are not yet of great size, is a very encouraging sign, as
it indicates that the owners have an eye to economy, and a desire
to provide good ventilation for the future, when the collieries become
more extensive.