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

180 Reports of the Inspectors of Mines. [No. 10,
cars were being hoisted, providing anything went wrong with either of the
two pumps. The distance between these two lifts was four hundred feet,
dipping at an angle of about twenty-ffive degrees. There was ample room
for him to stand along side of the column pipes when the empty or loaded
car was passing. What induced him to go unto the west track, or the
track on which he was found senseless, no one can tell, unless it was to get
out of the way of the loaded car coming up the slope, and was instantly
knocked by the descending car. This was the only conclusion I could
come to, as there happened to be no one near when the accident occurred
to tell anything about it. It is a common error to have pumps placed in
the main hoisting slopes, as they should be situated in an independent pump-
way, which would also serve for a traveling way for the men, and a second
opening. However, the new slopes that are sunk nowadays are made ex-
clusivel}^ for hoisting, and separate pump ways are driven at required distance
from the slope. I gave orders to the mine boss to cause to be made
a way for the pumpman to travel alongside of the slope pillar, by which
he could attend to his duty without traveling the main slope from one lift
to the other, which I think will be the means of saving life and limb in
the future.
Accident No. 20, Thomas J. Griffiths, driver, aged 16, fatally injured by
attempting to jump on amine car while in motion, at "Room Rum mines,"
Nesquehoning, November 9, 1877. His both legs were terribly mutitated
He was taken to the Pennsylvania Hospital, where he died in one week
from the date of the accident.
Accident No. 26 on the list, Daniel Conahan, aged 35, repairsman at
Stockton No. 2, instantly killed by being run over by the mine car on the
slope, December 24. The deceased and another man were employed as
repairsmen at night on the slope, and had been working at said occupation
during seven A^ears. At quitting time they got on front of the car, riding
on the spreader of the bridle chain, to come iip the slope, and while attempting
to change his position he fell, and his partner caught him, but it
proved to be more than he could do to save him from the fatal result as
stated. The engineer, who apparantly is a competent man, said that he
was hoisting very slow at the time, but no one being near the rapper to
give him the signal to stop in time, he is not to be blamed for the occur-
rence. The rate of hoisting at the time did not exceed five miles per hour,
which is an ordinary rate of a man walking.
.
Miscellaneous above Ground.
Accident No. 4 on the list, William Hoffman, aged 33, was fatally in-
jured, March 19, 1877, at No. 9 breaker, located in Panther Creek vallej^,
while attempting to prevent the transportation cars from running away.
The deceased was employed at loading lump coal, and seeing the cars in
motion, attempted to jump on the front car to stop them, (by using the
brake,) when his foot slipped, precipitating him under the car. He died
from the effects of the crushing the day following.