The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-06-10

A
coal on the carriage, and, hearing the sig
nal, pushed il off again John Jones is the
only man who came up with me; ran to
the speaking pipe, but could get no answer;
told the footman to give four raps, but re-
ceived no snswer; put on my coat and
licked my slate and books up in the scalea;
| went to the foot Of the shaft and got on
the carnage and went up; did not go
back in the mine that day while the men
were at work did not know what the alarm
Of danger was was never informed il was
my duty to give the alarm to the men; have
worked there about twenty-one days John
Jones was inside boss; be was not there
when the rapper struck; think I went up
on the third carriage; was weighmaster the
first time on the day OF the accident; was
foOtman before took the place Of the man
who was either discharged or changed to
some other place.
Robert Cor, sscorn-Am q miner; com
menced about the eighth of May; have
mined coal about eight years; | think the
ventilation was very bad / was driving an
air course, and after / had it done, came
cut with six men on account OF the bad ait;
we told the boss about the men having TO
sIop ON account Of the new air course; Il il
the business Of the weighmaster to give the
alarm.
Ed. *. Jones, ssoorn-Am a miner; have
been such twenty-five years; worked at
West Pittston shaft about ten days; was
at the foot when the signal was given, wait
ing to 90 up; | saw the fire above while at
the bottom Of the shaft; | vent back about
$50 yards and called my three friends to
come there was danger; i ran back and
got on when the carriage came down; my
friends came up on the second carriage
after me the air was goodwhere l work
ed, but believe that the air generally was
bad. Have been a miner twenty-five
years
Crosa examined By Inspector Williams
We worked three shifts; tour of US in my
chamber don't know Of any others who
worked three shifts.
Supt. Kendrick-The ,Lehigh Valley
Company own the mine ;''C. A. Blake
works them; have been superintendent
since the lst Of January; my duty is to
superintend the general management Of
the books above and below; I think the
ventilation was sufficient for the number Of
men we had to work; there were twenty
eight to thirty men in the morning shift
last Saturday; / employed Phillips /
gave Frank Keller orderst to surrender bis
I w.ou,tsor IN Dh;lED- onI iAforr, Dh;ll,r. ~
bis duty; tie duties of the weighmaster is
not necessarily to attend alarms or signals,
but it d the duty Of the footmsn four
raps at the bottom is to listen to the speak
ing tube. Inspector Williams has been all
through the mine with me several times,
and gave no directions to have whistles at
top and bottom of the shaft Williams and
l measured the air last Thursday, 10 the
passages, and found IL 600 cubic feet per
minute. AT this stage of the proceedings
Inspector Williams, after having had ex-
tended to hlm the usual cOurtesies, got on
his defence and INDUCED in insinuating
remarks rejecting upon the incompetency
of the coroner and jury, when be was po-
iitely requested to leave.
The inquest adjourned at 4 o'clock
P. NJ, to meet at the Tower Hall
Mr.. Kendrick. resumed The differ
ence Of depth from surface to bottom q
shaft and bottom, Of slope is, that the lat.
ter is about five yards lower they were
working to find a basin so as to know where
to sink the shaft think the mine inspector
has been there about three times since last
January have had charge of mine about
ten years; don't think the ventilation as
good as be would like il, but the best they
good get
Inspector VILLAINS, sworn.-I am Mine
Inspector; visit the different mines al
my convenience | was at the West Pitts
tor shaft last Thursday, Here Williams
exhibited panoramic view Of the mine
giving the result of his visit to the mine
the substance of which Nas that there were
$50 cubic feet of air to the square inch
per minute He stated that he also re-
commended the shortening of the speaking
tube so as to be nearer the footman. lie
then examined the fan, which was driven
very fast, and the upcast airway very
small He did not know that there was
more men than there was air for thinks
that for twenty men there was sufficient
They have been trying to make improve
ments 10 the ventilation never knew that
the breaker was on fire at one time soon
after the Avondale disaster They we're
working, in his opinion, under the twenty
men clause IN the mine ventilation bill on
the 18th of September; they we're 1900
feet before the present proprietors had pos
session at the last inspection, January
IA, II, found the quantity Of air very
much improved. Mr.. Williams had ex-
pressed to Supt Keadrick bis approval Of
the improvements He denied having
told Mr. Kendrick that be counted more
than fifteen men in tho shanty this occur
ed on the occasion of bis visit in May; said
be told Mr.. Kendriek that he might work
i'm violation of law ninety nine years, or be
might not nlnety-nine, hours.
j. r. Gormdn.-I was fireman at the
breaker on Saturday; attend the breaker
engine, oil the fan, etc. | stopped the fan
as soon as the alarm Of FIRE was sounded,
by oraer Of Supt. Ksndrick | stopped the
fan; don't know how the fire originated ;
think the engine that run the fan occasion
ally run faster on account Of the governor
getting out Of order.
Richard OLdrk-I was foDtman at the
shaft from Thursday till Saturday at the
time Of the fire his'and the weghmaster' :
duty is to give alarms; when be heard !
staid at the foot till the next car came
down the shaft there we're seven or eight
men at the scales Phillips did not 20 up
the shaft till after did no one went back
to give the alarm that know Of; the
fourth carriage was the last | saw come up;
don't know q there being any inside boss
but Mr.. Kendrick.
Michael OBoyIc- Il was a laborer 10
the shaft; | was 10 the old works when the