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

INSPECTORS OF MINES. 69
Mine Inspectors.
The teiin of office of Frank Sclimeltzer, Inspector of ALinct; of Pottsville
district, and of John Eltringliam, Inspector of Mi))es of Ashland district,
terminated on the twenty-first day of September, ultimo, after five years of
arduous service, discharging; their dut}'' with commendable zeal and diligence,
promoting the interest and eflecting the safety of the miners in their
respective districts, having in view the establishing of a more practical system
of mining in high dipping coal seams, a better method of ventilation
of deep and extensive mines, to effect a safer mode of ingress and egress
for persons employed in mines, and to counsel a better feeling among the
employers and the employed, which would harmonize the local interests
and social relations of both parties, which would result
society.
to the benefit of
The care and vigilance exercised b}' them in discharging their duty soon
became apparent to all. And their counsels had an important bearing, and
generally was attended with success ; and many regretted their retirement
from public duty. When the necessity of their successors to the vacant
positions had become public a large representation of candidates came for-
Avard, who, after a most rigid but impartial examination, in a session lasting
several days, the board of examiners declared Messrs. Sampson Parton,
of Mount Carmel, Northumberland county, and Samuel Gay, of Gilberton,
in Schuylkill county, to be the best qualified persons for discharging the
duties of the vacant offices and successors to the late inspectors, and thereupon
certified their action in the matter to his Excellency John F, Hartranft,
Governor of the Commonwealth, recommending their appointment,
who granted their commission and forthwith assigned them to new districts
that had beefi re-organized by the said examining board, to wit
Mr. Parton was assigned to the first or Pottsville district, now comprising
all the collieries in Schuylkill county that lie south of the Broad mountain
and those in New Boston basin, except Brookside collier3', situated in
the western limits of the county, near Dauphin county line, aggregating
some seventy collieries
thousand hands.
in all, which affords employment to some eight
Mr. Gay was assigned to the second or Shenandoah district, which comprises
all the collieries north of the Broad mountain, in Schuylkill county,
that are located east of the eastern limits of the town line of Girardsville,
and the Honey Brook basin collieries, which aggregates some seventy collieries
in all, affording employment to probably twelve thousand hands.
The coal tonnage of this district will equal that of the other two districts.
Mr. William Hemingray, Inspector of Shamokin district mines, had been
assigned to a district which at present comprises all the collieries in Northumberland,
Columbia and Dauphin counties, including all the collieries
north of Broad mountain, in Schuylkill county, that are located west of
the eastern limits of the town of Girardsville, and including the Brookside
colliery, which will aggregate some seventy collieries of all classes, that
will afford employment to some nine thousand men.
Although the territory so districted would appear to be unevenly divided
the number of collieries allotted to each are nearly even, but the distance
to travel over is quite the reverse, consequently involving a larger expense
and a severity of duty which will be, to a certain extent, counterbalanced
by the greater number of persons employed in the second district and its
increased tonnage of coal.
The new officers, with good fortune, are competent men, thoroughly
aware of the responsibility that rests on the faithful discharge of their
5 Mine Ret.
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