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

176 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
the law itself is deficient in many matters of details, that are at present
placed in a general class, instead of this they should be a little more defi-
nite. Other matters are not treated upon at all that should be inserted to
improve its operations. Among other things there should be some means
provided whereby that the law should be printed upon large posters of paper
or cloth, to be posted in some conspicuous place or places at each colliery.
Also, that it be printed in small book-form, to be carried in the
pocket Those cards or posters and books to be supplied and distributed
by the operators through their officers. That each employee must be in
possession of a copy of the law. In this way the officers and workmen
would not have the excuse to offer that they were ignorant of the requirements
of the raining law in its details, &c.
I do think, however, that the law should not be tinkered with by inserting
one, two or more of those items, or by. passing supplementary acts
thereto, rather let us wait awhile longer until a general revision be had,
when all the laws on niining in this and other counties may be consulted,
and select therefrom what v^ill be applicable to our system of mining, Sec.
Mining Casualties.
Having upon this subject been rather lengthy in my report fur. 1ST4, I
merely wish to add a few remarks upon the same in this report, to wit :
It will be seen by the list of fatal accidents that a considerable increase
has taken place in this district during the year 1875. The quantity of coals
produced being a trifle less than in 1874 also helps to make the ratio of coal
mined per life lost appear quite unfavorable, and especially so when we
look at the comparative table prepared in my report showing the ratios of
similar items in Groat Britain and Nova Scotia.
The fatal accidents in shafts have been extraordinarily heavy this year,
being 14 in number, or equal to 22383 per cent, of the whole, against 3 in
number or equal to a little over 5 per cent, of the whole in 1874. Those
from fire-damp explosions were one-third less than in 1874.
In regard to the comparing of one accident, quantity of minerals produced
pPT life lost, &c., I still maintain that the cases are not parallel.
In addition to what I pointed out in ray last report about the difference
of anthracite and bituminous I would state that it is claimed that the system
of "long wall woi'liing'^'i-edaces the ratio of accidents, which they use
extensively. And again of the total minerals produced under the mine
regulation act of 1872, which was 140,713,832 tons, no less than 10 per
cent, was of fire-clay, iron stone and shale, leaving only 1*26,590,108 tons.
I would also state that a few of their districts exhibit about the same
results as ours, for instance take the following districts : North and East
Lancashire, employing 32,828 persons, the number of tons of mineral raised
per life lost was 108,350 ; West Lancashire and North Wales, employing
43,658 persons, producefd 86,755 tons of minerals ])er life lost ; North Staffordshire
district, 62,921 tons per life lost; South Wales district, 87,789
tons per life lost. But those were the most unfavorable, and the average
of tlie whole minerals gave 133,251 tons per life lost.
Persons EiMployed In and About the Mines in 1875.
I Inside.
Outside, i
Totals.
'
Men emploved 8, 500 2, 389 10, 895
Boys employed 1,583 2,530} 4,113
Totals i
10,089:
4,919, 15,008