The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-08-05

.I THE London Standard says: Many in
tercsting particulars as to the d bet of re.
cent legislation on The mana kment of
mines arefo BE found in the d ial VOL
ume just sssasl whichSives TN reports
of the inspectors of mines for the year
1874. The summary Of the .statistics OF
al the reports shows that with regard to
those undertakings which are subject to
the Coal Mines Regulation act there are
no accidents or deaths during the year in
Ireland In Great Britain there was an
average of one fatal accident amongstSef-
cry Coz persons employed in and about
the mines and one death by accident
amongst every $40 persons. It will=1S
observed that fatal accident" simply
counts as one in these returns, although
it may kill several persons. Hence there
is difference in the ratio according as we
take the accidents or the deaths. 1t IS also
shown that Isl, 1923 tons of mineral were
got for each fatal accident and 133, 251
tons for each death. In, the preceding
year 1873 the fatal accidents Ind ale
number of deaths from such accidents
were more numerous In proportion to the
number of persons employed, there being
one accident among 526 persons and one
death from accident among 49,. In pro-
portion to the weight of mineral raised
the figures for 1873 showed one accident
for 146,8 1867 tons and one death for 1885,
gu tons. Thus, on the basis of the work
done there was an improvement last year
as compared with 1873 in the ratio of fatal
accidents, but in regard to the actual loss
of life the ratio was not quite so good rs
before, though the difference was SO slight
as to be scarcely appreciablc. 1t is curious
that the fatal accidents from the explosion OF
tire-damp were precisely the same in num-
Der last year as in the year preceding;
namely, torty-tour. The number OF fatal
chains was also the same in the two
several years, being eleven in each. In
some other instances the two years show
almost an exact equality in the number of
fatal accidents of specified character.
With regard to the deaths from explosion
of c-damp the figures show great in
crease, being 16G for last year as against
100 in the year preceding. But, ofcourse,
two or three heavy accidents will greatly
agSravate the returns under this head for
a single year. The deaths from the falls
ofthe roof or sides of mines show a con-
siderable decrease, being 412 in 1874 as
against 49l in 1878. The magnitude of
these latter numbers as compared with
those under the head Of firc-damp shows
that the terrible catastrophes which create
so great sensation in the public mind are
not the most fruitful source Of destruction
to the life of the collier. Deaths from &C.
cidents in the shaft were 1874 last year, and
III the year preceding. The deaths from
miscellaneous accidents under ground
were 214, as against 22l in 1878. The loss
of life from accidents at the surface showed
an increase, the deaths from this cause be-
ing.109, whereas in 1873 they were sc.
Coming to the total there is slight de-
crease, the deaths in 1874 being 1855, as
against l ,9G9 in the year before. Tho
total number of mines was 1882, employ
ing SIS, 1929. The tons of mineral wrought
amounted to 40, 1852, Of which 1885,
500, 10S were coal, the remainder 'bein
tire-clay, ironstone and shale.'