Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the anthracite coal regions of ...

90 Reports of the Inspectors op Mines. [No. 10,
Accidents from Falls of Roof niid Coal.
The niimljer of accidents, resulting in deaths, from " falls of roof " and
"falls of coal," in this district, for last year, is fearful to contemplate.
Thirty-one lives were lost in this manner, out of a total of forty fatal ac-
cidents, making over seventy-five per cent, of the whole number. And the
number of persons injured during the year, from the same causes, is sixt}^-
four. We are accustomed to call these " falls of roof" and " falls of coal
"accidents; " but I am firmly convinced that the term, in at least nineteen
cases out of twenty of the so-calletl accidents in the mines, is entirely in-
applicable. An "accident" is something imavoidable, unforeseen, and beyond
human control ; but our so-called mine accidents are very seldom of this
nature. They are, almost in every case, foreseen, and with reasonable
care, might be easily avoided. There is not a miner in the coal region,
who does not know that nearly all the accidents, from the falling of roof
and coal, are the result of inexcusable carelessness and neglect. Procras-
tination is the criminal fault. Though the danger is well known, still the
miner will persist in putting off doing the one thing needed, until it is too
late, and he pays the fearful penalty of his neglect, with his life ;
or he be-
comes morally a murderer of his laborer, perhaps, who is hurled into
eternity through his reckless carelessness. There is not one instance of
an accident, from these causes, occurring during last year, where the miner
was not aware of the danger ; and in many instances, the mine boss knew
also of the danger, and knew of the miners' neglect to make their places
secure, ^nd still allowed them to go on with their reckless and criminal
carelessness until they, or their laborers, or both, or some one else, Avere
either killed or maimed for life. There is not near enough timber used for
propping in our mines, and I am entirely at a loss to know what to do to
remedy the evil. The inspector can do but little to reduce these accidents,
unless the miners and the mine bosses will do their part. And I have but
very little hope of a reform on the part of mine bosses and miners, until
our courts will sustain the inspectors, by enforcing the penalties of the
Mine Ventilation act upon them for their neglect.
The eighth section of the mine ventilation act sets forth the duties of
" He
the " mining boss " in relation to this matter in the following words :
shall keep a careful watch over the ventilating apparatus, over the air-
ways, the traveling-ways, the pumps and sumps, the timbering ; to see, as
the miners advance in their excavations, that all loose coal, slate, or rock
overhead is carefully secured against falling 5 * * * * *
and over all things connected with and appertaining to the safety of the
men at work in the mines, &c."
Now, how is a mine boss to perform these duties ? Can he do it with-
out examining every working place under his charge at least once per
day? Can he do it by simply walking into a working place, passing
through it, without examining the overhanging coal, slate, and rock by
sounding it and feeling it ? Can he do it by only visiting the working