1898 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

390 REPORT OF THE BITREATT OF MINES. Off. Doc.siipcriiiteiKlciil, and touial said iiiiiic in a dan^crons coniiil ion, in sofar as a portion of said mine is on tire; and knowing lliat explosivej^ases exist in close j(roxiniity to said tire, to sncli an extent as tojeopardize the lives and health of the ]»eisons eni]»lo\ed therein.Therefore, in accordance with Article XI. Section I of the act ofAssembly relating; to bitununons coal mines. a]>i>roved May 15, ISIKJ,yon are hereby notified to remoxc snch dauy,erons conditions fortliwitli.In the meantime you will allow no j)erson or |teisons to workin said mine, other than those necessary to remove said danj;-erousconditions. In case this request is not complied with as aforesaid,we shall consider it onr duty at once to apply for an injunction inaccordame with the article i-eferred to above.^'ours respectfully.(HAS.COXXOU.Mine lnsi>ec(or Fiflh Hituminous Disti-ict.IIEXKY LOITTTIT,Mine Insjx'ctor First Bituminous District.B. CALLAGHAN,Mine Inspector Ninth Bitunnnous District,rpon the receipt of this notice, operations were at once sns])ended,exce]»t as provided for in the notice. (Sreat care was exercised tol)rotect the persons eni|»loye(l in erect inj; the stoi)pin^s. Daily tesitsof the air behind the stoppings were made on Ihe Slunv j;as testing;;machine (which I loaned to the oHicials for that purpose). The firsttests showed the existence of explosive ^'i*^ mixed with the air. Thesucceeding tests jj;ave evidence of a less explosive nuxture fromday to day. until linally there was no evidence of its presence.Fui'ther tests showed that the air had become heavily charged withblack (lamj); conseipu'utly. the likelihood of an explosion occurringunder lliese circnmslances was icmoie. \N Oik ujxin the stoppingswas i)rosecuted with the utmost dispatch until ihe tests showed thatit was comitaratively safe to employ a larger force of nu'U. At (heend of thirty days (he s!oi)pings wei e all comjileted. Having l)een infoiined of this factby (he mine ollicials and of (heir desir