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

208 Reports of the Inspectors of Mines. [No. 10,
Average number of days for each breaker to work, 187.2.
Average shipments of coal from each breaker per da}', 450 tons.
Number of breakers or collieries in the district, 52.
Number of breakers or collieries in operation in 1877, 47.
Therefore, the approximate capacity of shipment, of all the collieries,
would be as follows: 450.tonsX313 daysX52 breakers=7,324,200 tons.
Average powder usedjn pounds to each ton of coal: .44X450 tons^-25
(pounds to the keg,)=7.92 kegs to mine 450 tons of coal.
Blasting mining powder.—There are three manufacturers of powder in
this particular and important branch of business, viz : Laflin & Rand,
General Oliver, and Du Pont, each of these claiming a superiority of their
product over the other. It is true that we are indebted to General Oliver
for cheapness of mining powder in this region, for I do know, that previous
to his powder being introduced into this district, the miners had to pay
about $4 00 per keg, while it is now selling for about $2 25 per keg. The
average amount of powder used by each miner in this district, will amount
to 25.69 kegs of 25 pounds each, for the time worked last year ; this is a
very important item in the cost of mining, especially in the Wharton vein
where the coal is very hard and the seam contracted. There are diversi-
ties of opinion as to the best of these powders for mining purposes, and
I find a great deal of prejudice existing among the miners regarding it.
The superintendents at many of the collieries are anxious to furnish the
miners with such powder as they have preference for, and in many in-
stances I have known them to keep several kinds on hand to satisfy their
men, which is certainly right and just. It has been intimated by some
parties in charge, that the inspector has found fault with a certain kind of
powder, "hence they can't buy such and such powder." This cannot be sub-
stantiated, as I have not mentioned anything relative to powder, unless it
was concerning the powder smoke which at times had accumulated at the
face of the workings. This, of course, I considered my imperative dut}' to
complain of, owing to insufficient ventilation to carry off the smoke. I
will guaranty those gentlemen, that I shall not interfere as long as I find
that any of these powders are not unusually deteriorating to the "health
and safety of persons employed in coal mines,'' but will insist on ample
ventilation being conducted to the face of each working place. I am of
the opinion that the above is a subterfuge to delude the manufacturers, and,
possibl}', with a view of bu3dng cheaper from some one else.
I am not aware that there exists any reasons for complaint as to powder
smoke lingering at the face of the workings, except at one colliery, and as
there is no immediate danger to life, I deferred applying to the court for
an injunction, the superintendent promising to comply with my request.
Whereby this can be amicably and satisfactorily accomplished, it is best
to do so, rather than to resort to severe measures.