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

Official Document, No. 12.
EIGHTH BITUMINOUS DISTRICT.
(BEDFORD, CENTRE, CLEA.RFIELD AND HUNTINGDON COUNTIES.)
Hon. Thomas J. Stewabt, Secretary of Internal Affairs:
Sir: I have the honor of submitting- herewith the annual report of the
Inspector of the Eighth bituminous district. My predecessor resigned
August 1, 1891 and I received my appointment nineteen days later. I
was therefore unable to commence my duties until about September 1,
during these four months I visited ninety mines, examined and tested
half a dozen scales and attended the investigation of the causes of six
fatal accidents. Considering the territory necessarily traveled over to do
this work and the limited time I had at my disposal, I feel justified in
making excuse for any incompleteness of this report.
I have given a brief description of all the mines that I visited and find
that I have inspected about 75 per cent, of the whole number in the district
in time for this report, the other 25 per cent, were inspected by my
predecessor immediately before his resignation.
The number of fatal accidents during 1891 was 14, being 58 per cent,
of the number for 1890; of non-fatal accidents there were 65, being
78 per cent, of the number for 1890. Of the 14 fatal accidents only one
was what may be considered purely accidental, 7 of them might have been
prevented by the exercise of ordinary care and precaution, while the
other 6 were either from gross negligence or foolhardiness. One of the
unfortunates was fatally burned by the explosion of a keg of powder
while attempting to open it with a pick. This should be a warning to
those who are in the habit of handling powder in such a reckless manner.
Another met his death by an equally foolish practice, namely, that of
tamping dynamite in a hole, as will be seen by reference to the account
of this accident in another place. This man had akeady eleven sticks of
dynamite in the hole and was forcing these back with an iron bar in order
to make room for three other pieces he had ready to put in. In this
connection I desire to call attention to the fact that dynamite should
not be handled liko black or common blasting powder, it is not exploded
by squibs or fuse, but by detonators or caps and the shock
thus occasioned sets off the explosive. The same result may be obtained
31-12-91.
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