Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the anthracite and bituminous ...

302 Eeports of the Inspectors of Mines. [Off. Doc .
On examination of the place of accident, it was found that the last
shot in the coal had been drilled in the slate at the face and had shat-
tered it somewhat, causing- a break or fracture which extended to a slip
on the left side of the entry. This slip continued in a zig-zag- form across
the face and back down the entry for a distance of five feet.
From the evidence at the inquest, it appeared they had, when commencing-
on their last shot, some four hours previous to the accident, care-
fully examined the slate and considered it quite safe.
They had almost completed preparing- this shot, and deceased was in
the act of drilling, w^hen the slate above suddenly gave way from the forementioned
slips, crushing him in such a manner that he died in a little
over an hour afterward.
Gorden Menser, a miner, was instantly killed by a fall of slate in Snow
Hill mines. May 20th.
The deceased and Henry England worked tog-ether and had finished
their room and were taking- out the slate post from under, preparatory
to abandoning it, when a piece of slate, 7 feet long 6 feet wide and 10
inches thick, fell on him. He leaves a wife and three children.
James Collins, trapper, aged 14 years, was instantly killed in Caledonia
mines, June 9, by being caught between a part of a trip of full
cars and a runaway car. It is supposed that the deceased jumped on
the rear end of the trip (not knowing- that the trip was broke) when the
runaway car caught him betw^een it and the other part of the trip, with
the result as above stated.
Arwi Venrado, miner, was fatally injured June 10, in Ivil mines, by a
fall of slate and coal Died June 12. I did not get to see the place
where this accident occurred until after it was cleared up and all evidence
was removed. The parties who adjusted the place did so without
authority from the mine officials. The deceased was 35 years of age and
single.
La Fayette S wager, age 22 years and single, was instantly killed by a
fall of slate and coal in Greenfield mine, June 23. The deceased and Mr.
Jeremiah Edwards were working- tog-ether in room 19, entry 9. Just
previous to the accident the above parties were bearing-in under a butt,
and the latter started to bail water in the right of the room, when about
three cars of coal fell and at the same time slate also fell, catching- the
deceased and resulting- as above. They had a sprag under the coal but
it did not seem to have much effect when the coal started.
Henry Abbot, a miner, age 55 years, was fatally injured in room 15,
entry 10^ by a fall of coal and slate in Clipper mines. The deceased and
a son worked together; on examination of the place where the accident
occuri^d I found the face of the room badly squeezed, and to prevent an
accident it required the utmost care on the part of the workmen. It
seems that the deceased at the time of the accident was raising bottoms
when the slate and coal fell catching Abbot and throwing him with such