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

Ex. Doc] Reports or the Inspectors of Mines. 107
—he might after a while ; it "would show it was thin b}' rapping it ; two
props, I believe, were discharged b}^ the weight of the roof; the chamber
down the road, I think, is sufficiently propped ; do not think a few more
props would make me feel anymore secure walking through it ; I suppose
it was my duty to be at the mines that day ; I don't go to every working
place each day as a rule ; do not think it is necessary for the mine boss to
visit the chambers every day to live up to the eighth section of the mine
ventilation law ; a miner will advance from two to four yards a week in a
chamber ; it depends on the thickness of the coal ; I went into the chamber
on the day of the accident at a quarter to one o'clock ; the men who
were killed did not complain about the roof; it is the business of the mine
boss to see to it.
Thomas D. Davies, sworn : I reside in H^nle Park ; my
David W. Mosier.
occupation is
general assistant mine superintendent; I went into the mines where the
accident occurred on Saturday afternoon, November 17, 1877 ; heard of
the accident about half past twelve on that day, and being anxious to learn
all the particulars, I went to the Diamond mines and there I met mine in-
spector Jones, and as he wanted to go into the mines to see the place, I vol-
unteered to go in with him ; I went to the place and examined it, and I
think that the cause of the fall was from the blowing out of the prop^
but I do not think that all the props that were discharged were blasted out
I believe that if two of the props were knocked out on the left hand side
of the road, from under the heaviest part of the roof that the props on the
right hand side of the road would be discharged by the foiling of the roof;
the inside prop on the left hand side might have been knocked out by a
blast, or it might have been knocked out by the fall of the rock, and by
the appearance of it, the probabilit}^ is that the falling of the roof discharged
it ; I presume that, had the roof been carefull}- examined, it would
have been found thin, but it sometimes deceives ;
I suppose under the mine
ventilation act, that the mine boss ought to carefully examine the roof as
the miners advance in their chamber; I did not examine the roof of the
chamber all the way down the road ; found some of it a little heavy ; do
not consider it dangerous, but a few more props would not hurt it, it
would be safer with more props; but I do not think that I would advise
putting in moi'e props ; I cannot tell how many props were discharged by
the roof, but I judge from the marks, there must have been three or four;
the prop I saw under the rock I consider too small ; did not notice the prop
nearest the face ; saw some props that, according to mj^ judgment, were
stood after the roof fell ; think there were three ; do not recollect seeing
any prop between the two on the left ; do not know the distance between
the props, but they were thick ; made the remark that it was well propped
on one side ; the distance filled up by the two fresh props was ten or twelve
feet ; the company always provides good props for the mines ; it is part of
my business to see that props are on the ground ; no orders have ever been