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

100 Reports of the Inspectors of Mines. [Xo. 10,
was sworn to execute the law, and that I had no discretion in the matter ;
hence, " with malice toward none, and charity for all," I had Hale and
Roach both arrested and hound over to court to answer for violating the
Mine Ventilation act of 1870. The case came up for trial at the Septem-
ber term, and, in a very unexpected manner to me, I was unceremoniously
thrown out of court, and barely escaped being saddled with the costs. I
had no desire to punish either Hale or Roach, but I did have a strong de-
sire to establish what seemed to me to be the true meaning of the law rela-
tive to the duties of mine bosses and miners, and their responsibilities,
respectively, in regard to propping. My failure to do this gave free
course to the recklessness that followed, and accounts, in a great measure,
for the heavy mortality from falls of roof and coal in my present report.
Accident No. 16.—Bartley Dean, a miner, at No. 6 slope, Pittston town-
sliip, was instantly killed, June 7th, by a fall of roof. James Jordan, the
other miner, was also very seriously injured by the same fall. These men,
a few days previous, had been stopped by Alexander Thompson, the mine
boss, because they did not properly prop their chamber. After complying
but they were
determined, apparently, to bring on an accident, for they soon knocked
with his orders, they were allowed to resume their work ;
out some props which had been stood, and neglected to re-stand them.
The roof of their chamber was very bad, and consisted of heavy rock,
cut up by numerous irregular seams, so that great care was necessary in
order to keep the place safe. After knocking out the props, Jordan sug-
gested that they all go back from the face until the roof should have time
to settle ; but Dean objected to that, and ordered the laborers to take
away some coal from the dangerous place, which they very properly refused
to do, because they considered it too dangerous. Dean then went at this
work himself, and Jordan commenced drilling a hole in the face, and
while they were thus employed the roof fell, with the result already stated.
Dean left a widow with seven children.
Accident No. 17.—James McShurle}", a laborer, working for William
J. Morgans, at the Cayuga shaft. Providence, was instantlj^ killed, June
loth, by a fall of roof, while assisting to re-stand a prop which had been
knocked out by a blast. Morgans was severely injured b}^ the same fall.
The roof was bad all through the chamber, but it was well secured with
props. He had used every ordinary precaution to ascertain the condition
of the roof, which so suddenly fell with such sad results. This was an ac-
cident in the true sense of the term, and Morgans has the satisfaction of
knowing that his laborer was not killed through any neglect of his.
Accident No. 18.—Patrick Gavan, a laborer, working for Mark Price,
at the Filer collierj^, Winton, was killed, June 25th, by a fall of roof. This
is another case where the carelessness of a miner resulted in the untimely
death of his laborer. The mine boss, Timothy Parfery, had ordered hira
to stand two rows of props in his chamber, but he neglected doing so ;
knew that the roof was heavy and dangerous, but still did not timber it
he