The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-12-13
Annual Report of Coal Mines in st
Clair County.
BELLEvIrLE, st. Clair Co., III.

Df-t.lsrN ilIFs 1t. lhlf 70, III
Dec. 8, 1873
10 HiS E1ceiieRcy, John L, Bere,,trg, Cor
ernor o. The state oj Illinois
Hon SIR: We hereby tran smit to your
Honor our annual report of coal mines tor the
County of st. Clair i'll above State, for the
year ending June 30 1873, according to the
provisions Of Section IL Of an act entitled
IAN act providing for the health and safety
Of persons employed III coal mines, approved
March y, 1873, viz:
H. The number OF workable coal lands in
this county amount to about 1863, 900 acres
>. The number Of workable coal beds is !.
There is however another small vein Of coal
about 10 or Is feet below the one now worked,
ranging from to "A inches in thickness, but
which Is not considered workable for the pres
ent.
3 The thickne Of the coal bed average)
is 81 feet
A. The depth OF the same below the sur
face OF the ground Of most mines is about 100
feet; the least being 20 and the greatest being
27O feet.
5. The number OF mines in operation in
this county is is
8 Sixty three Of these are worked by shaft,
4 by drifts, and BY slope.
u Number Of men employed in them is
l,oO4
s. The aggregate yearly production Of coal
mined in this county, III tons. amounts to l.,
l59, 554 tons
g. The amount Of capital employed in coal
mining is about S574, $50. The above amount
is about as near as we could ascertain up to
the present time We could not get at the
exact figures as there are a good many local
operators that do not keep correct account
II coal mined annually, and about half Of
them in the county do not know the exact
amount 81 their capital invested III their
mines.
TO- As to the safety and ventilation of the
mines III this county, We MAJ say that, taking
everything into consideration, they are rea-
sonably good and improving. Some of them
are in a good condition, while others are ia a
very babe one. and will take some time to put
the latter in good working order. This state
of affairs may be attributed 10 bad manage
ment ~ vel a. to the employ " super
intendents who are not qualified for the re-
spOnslble position rs such.
H. We also find that out Of IS mines in
operation last year. there were 81 which hal
two outlets, and 32 with one outlet, and Of
that number are not compelled to make e.
| capement shafts on account OF not having
over IL men a; work at their mines.
~ There have deaths occurred at the
MINES during the past year; some through I'M
avUIdahle accidents, others through the care
lessness OF tho mIue owners: persons hav-
ing also met with severe accidents. We be-
heve that many Of these accidents could be
avoided, If the employers and employees Of
niue, would take more interest IN the safety
OF their business
| We would respect ully recommend the fol-
/ lowing amendments To the present law, viz.
|. Making i, obligatory on all owners Of
mines t" have a, least two outlets to each and
! every VEN or stratum OF coal worked
.. That the time allowed III which to sink
escapemc shafts should he diminished as the
f, time a. iNed nnw ny law j. too lon.
/ 3 That there should bc travelling way at
+ the bottom o. every shaft, "a each side there
Y Of, - a. to avoid passing directly undcr the
/ shaft,
7 That there hc a Bo4ri 81 Engineers APP
\ pointed for each Cnu@re ,siunal District, and
{ that ~ person shall be allowed to make OF
! work any engine Vt steam po" ,r until lie has
4 passed Satisfactory examination before SAID
BuaId Is To his competency OF working such,
aud shall have received a certificate 70 that
effect from the same.
). That there shall be all Inspector Of
Boilers appointed for each county in the State,
whose duty it shall lie To examine each boRal
| IN the county once every six months.
q. F. HTLGARD, Inspector ot Mines.
W. +. OWENS, Deputy.