1898 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

Official Document, No. 11,Fourth Anthracite District.(LUZERNE COUNTY.)Office of Inspector of Mines,Wilkes-Barre, Pa., February 15, 1899.Hon. James W. Lalta, Secretary of Internal Aifairs, Harrisburg, Pa.:Hir: I liaAe the honor of presenting herewith my rei^ort as Inspectorof Mines for the Fourth anthracite district for the year 1898.inItcontains tables prepared as recpiired on the blanks formulatedthe ofiice of the Bureau of Mines, an article describing a mine firein the Alden (Joal Company's No. 2 shaft, and a brief record of lessonsderived from mine lires in this district during the last eighteenyears.The mine fire in tlio Conyngham mine of the Delaware and HudsonCanal Company was isolated by flushing the surrounding workingswith culm. This was completed by September 9, 1898, since whichtime no indication of the existence of fire has been discovered.The effects of flooding the South Wilkes-Barre shafts to extinguisha fire have been repaired and all the explosive gases have been expelledfrom the workings.A brief report of inspections of mines and of the condition of themines when inspected, together with a record of work for every day,also a copy of the report and description of every accident that occurredduring the year was sent to the Chief of the Bureau. My remarkson the condition of the mines and on mine accidents in the reportfor the year 1897 will be as api)ropriate for 1898, and it is notnccssary to repeat them.I deeply regret that the number of accidents has been increased in1898. The fatal casualties were 75 against 60 in the year 1897, andthe serious non-fatal accidents were 278 against 269 in 1897. Thetons of coal produced per life lost was 104,883 against 124,290 in1897. The only explanation for this is that men become less watchfulduring intermittent work than when working continuously, anda much i)oorer class of miners is now employed than ever before.The average number of days worked was 14.3.27 against 133.92days in 1897.The total production was 7,866,277 tons against 7,457,418 in theyear 1897. Yours very respectfully,G. M. WILLIAMS,Inspector of Mines, Fourth Anthracite District.(99)