The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-30

Testimony Of tho Engineer and tho District
Inspector-No Moro Than Twenty Men
Allowed TO Work at Once In = Mine-The
Signal Of Alarm Not Conveyed Immediately
70 the Miners. Il.
PIrrsToN Pa, May 20, 1871.
At the inquest held by the Coroner's jury, at the
ONCE OF Coroner DR.. j. P. OMaey to-day, the Jury
being composed Of Joseph Walsh foreman. James
Fitzpatrick. NJ. Bolon, J. W. Freeman. 8. H. Bar
rett aud NJ. Jones, James McDermott was
THE FIRST WITNESS
called. He testifed-I was engineer In charge OF
The machinery on Saturday at the shaft OF Blake
Co., In West Pttston; the first I knew or fre
was when Mr.. Kendrick came into the en-
gine room and hallooed fire; the large door
obscuring the shaft from my sight was opened and
saw the fire on the inside brattIce next to the
fan, which IS some ten feet above the en-
CINE house floor. I gave the alarm by pull
ing wire in the room that was connected
at the bottom with on alarm hammer. also gave
an alarm through the speaking tube do not
know at what time the IRE broke out was IN the
fan house at ve minutes OF p M. with the super.
ntendenr, and all was in good order. We had three
engines at work at the time which could be disc0n-
tinued. Myself and MIR. Kendrck measured the air
| and found "a, 900 feet passing through the mine.
| The cracker box is some fifty or sixty feet higher
| than the noor Of the engine house. There was
| the cracker top. 1t was the business Of ROLAND
| German to oil the machinery. could not tell
| whether the IRE occurred at the fan or
| at the top 1t occurred at the
| fan 1t might have been caused by hot journal.
do not know whether there was proper ventilation
or not. There is no place TO get out Of the mine
but through the main shaft. We were only
working one vein Of Goa. M. T. Williams,
the Inspector was In the mine last Thursday; heard
ru1A
ing IN the mine; the company are driving slope
for the purpose OF sinking SHAFT; the shaft was
commenced some six or eight months ago.
David Harris Observation-Disclosures Of mine was
very poor the slope has been pushed 1872 feet from
the foot OF shafts 1t was the duty Of the scaleman ct
the foot to watch for signals from the engineer and
communicate warnings OF danger to the men;
Thomas Phillips was on duty that day; Philips came
up on the first carriage after he received
THE ALARM OF DANGER
and did not communicate the intelligence to the
miners the footman, Richard Clark, came up with
Phillips: there was plenty OF room to sink an air
passage for the purpose OF improving the ventila-
ton now going on; at the time a foundation was
being laid for new fan; II blast was made in my
sbreast'' the smoke would remain all day; and
Thomas Price were driven out Of our "breasts'' on
Saturday on account Of smoke.
Thomas Phillips sworn-Was weighing coal on
Saturday; heard the sapper; the footnian and my
self had put car on the carriage, and when we
heard the signal We pushed 1t on again;
went to the speaking pipe, but did not use IL.
Told the fOotman to signal, but he received no
answer. Iput on my coat and locked up the books
and slate in the scale. When learned
it was IRE came to the foot
and went up. don't think It was two minutes
from the time commenced to prepare to leave TIL 1
vUoa end I duty to Give
the alarm TO the men IN the mine.
MI. william Kendrick sw0rn-I am superintend
ent of the West Pittston shalt, under Blaze & Co.
My duty Is to take charge OF the Mines lay out work
and have q general superintendent OF the work
above and below. considered the ventilation sum-
cent for the number OF men We had at WORK
We HAD THIBTY
belonging to the shafts and at work at the time.
employed Phillips. Did not give instructions to
him as to his duty. gave Frank Keller
instructions. The duty OF the weighmaster
was to weigh coal 1t IL the footman's place to
attend and respond 10 signals from che engine room,
or tell the weighmaster to do 30. There Is only one
rapper. Four raps was 10 communicate with
the speaking tube. 10 is not warning OF danger,
but calling attention to the speaking tube. The
speaking tube was IN working order.
Increased means Of ventilation should
be made as soon as possible. Thurs
day the Inspector and myself tested the air
In the passages and found 1l,6O0 feet per
minute passing through. The company courts
thorough investigation by the Coroner. Several
men had gone down to change Shafts
At this point the inquest was adjourned until three
O'Clock. At reassembling Mr.. Kendrick
was recalled He further testified the
combany nave not commenced to shaft
TIE mine inspector has visited us three
times since January He considered 1t necessary for
another opening. l do not consider the ventila-
ton good, but consider 1t suflcient for
the number Of men employed. It IL
not possible to tell how many men were In the mine
that morning We only know how many men are IN
by the amount OF coal mined in the day.
T. NJ. Williams sworn-l am mine inspector Of this
district was at West Pittston shaft on Wednesday,
In one portion Of the mines ventilation was good,
but in the other portion 1t was bad. Through
the East Gangway smoke was SO dense
We had 10 grope our way. The law specifies that
no more than twenty persons shall work at
a time Including boys and all laborers. 1850
feet air was passing into the nine for the
supply of the miners. We examined the
fan and found IL driven very fast, and up cast air.
| way very small did not think there were any
more men than the law required Only twenty
persons are allowed to work in mine. / did not
put direct question TO any man In the mine or to
the superintendent as to the number Of men in the
mine. The company have been trying to improve
the ventilation, but have not been very successful.
did express my approval Of the arrangements under
| course OF construction In the mine II found more
| men than the law allowed l was to notify,
| and II they refused to reduce the force
| WAS to 90 TO the courts for an In
| junction. / said TO Mr. Kendrick ut
| may happen you may work contrary TO law for
| ninety years, and then, again. you may not work
ninety hours; and II anything shonld happen the
| pany would be swallowed up.o
Mr. Kendrick re-examined--Mr. Williams did not
| ask me II had more than twenty men in at any
| time that I am aware OF. The number OF men
| In on Wednesday and Saturday was about
| the same. told Mr. Williams upon hts question
| that there probably was more men In the mine than
| the law allowed. had never any Instructions from