The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-17
INDIANA BLACK DIAMONDS.
How the Annual Coal Production Has
Grown to a Total of 100000 Tons.
Perils OF Mining-Study Of the Mine Inspect
or's keport-Cost of a Strike, and Wage
Questionable Columbus Convention.
Special to the indian.no,;. torr,.,.

cpeciai ' the indianapolis Journal.
BRAZIL, Ind, Feb. I6-The first carload of
coal ever shipped from Brazil was shipped by
Messrs. Weaver & Olds, then engaged in gen.
eral merchandise here, to parties in Indianapo-
liz. In 1893. The coal was hauled from Otter
Creek, where it was stripped in wagons drawn
by horses and oxen, and loaded onto the car,
which stood on a sidetrack of the old Terre
Haute & Richmond railroad. 1t was considered
quite an achievement to ship q whole carload of
coal at once. 1t was nearly twenty years later
when, through the efforts of Professor Cox. then
State Geologist, Brazil block-coal found its way
to the Chicago markets. Now its annual ship
ment aggregates so, 900 cars, perhaps more. or,
in round numbers, 800, 900 tons, the years output
for the entire State being 2, 1875, 900 tons. emitting
Indiana to rank sixth among the coal producing
States OF the Republic. A source of constant
annoyance OF late years has been a scarcity of
cars. which has materially limited the output
The early completion of the Chicago Sc Indiana
coal road will improve matters in the Brazil dis
trict, as this road will enter on it's career per-
haps by March /, with over a thousand coal-cars.
The Evansville & indianapolis road, reaching
from the south, and feeding roads north bound
from Indianapolis, will also contribute a gener-
Gus supply of cars for southwestern Indiana as
well as this district; while the Vandalia, the
Chicago & Eastern Illinois, and the Louisville.
New Albany & Chicago roads are beginning to
give more attention to this subject The out
look therefore is promising for a much larger
output in the immediate future than ever
before.
TIE annual report of the State Mine Inspector,
as nearly correct as possible from estimation
based on available data, which, however, seems
to have been scanty. is nevertheless valuable for
what it contains. That it is not more valuable
is unquestionably the fault Of the State, in her
failure to make compulsory the giving of inform
alton, and perhaps from giving one man
too much work to do. Information of value
for statistical purposes, and doubly valuable for
precautionary steps for the safety of the miners
to which it might lead, is withheld through care
less neglect or fat refusal on the part of those
who should be interested in telling all theyknow
from benefit to accrue to themselves as we'll as
to all others concerned. To this end amend
ments to the mining laws of the State have been
fruitlessly urged by the two inspectors who have
filled the Office during the six years of it's exist
ence. Besides, can one man do the work that
belongs to this important trusts In Illinois.
which, while a new State, is in advance of any
Western State in looking after her mining inter
ests, there are five inspectors. with Is, 446 miners,
of whom, however. 80 per cent are
employed in 257 mines. which yield
90 per cent. of the coal output, which
last year was 9, 791, s74 tons. In Indiana, with
215 mines, scattered over a territory which, &C.
cording to Professor Collects recent geological
map, is 1870 miles long by from ten to forty-ive
miles wide. with three distinct kinds of coal, and
with 6. SOP miners, there is bat one inspector, and
he is not clothed with sufficient authority. An Hi
nois inspector has charge of fifty-seven and a
fraction mines, counting only those in active
operation. The entire coal output OF Illinois is
valued at $1l. 456, 493, the capital invested being
SO, 1893, $50. In Indiana the capital invested is
considerably short; while the value OF the
coal output may be placed at 81, 022, 667. 10.
The amount of capital invested and
the value Of our coal product entitle
US to at least one more inspector, with Illinois as
a model. Furthermore, Illinois inspectors are
compelled to pass q rigid examination on the
nature of the perils to which the miners of their
respective territories are subject, as well as on
the question Of ventilation and other questions
affecting the miners as to safety or otherwise.
1Noy are uOb dppOlDteu. WHOLLY y pOIlbICdl
reasons. The two inspectors who have served
in Indiana have proven themselves qualified for
the work in hand, and have ably treated the
questions belonging to their trust. With
proper assistance from the State their reports
might have contained more of value, although
quite valuable as they are.
Tnirty-two accidents are reported by the mine
inspector for the year, seven of which proved
fatal. In this day of mine disasters, in fact at
all times. the chapter that treats of the perils of
- IL at -oA 49, y t%snA41
appetites in its craving for the horrible, but from
a desire TO mitigate those perils by first knowing
them. The causes of the accidents are rs fol-
lows: Falling slate, 49, squeezed between mine
cars, 5; explosion OF fre,damp. 2; falling down
shaft which was being sunk, 2; falling stone, /;
premature blast, 2. The fatal accidents resulted
from: Failing slate, 4; premature blast. 2; falling
down shaft. 1. One life was lost for every $780,
2S5 tons mined, or for every 929 men employed.
This does not seem alarming, but Indiana has
proven to be al exceptional State In this respect.
In Illinois the fatalities last year were seventeen.
while It's were so injured as to lose work. Other
States will show a record much worse than this,
even where no great disaster has occurred.
The miners life is one of peril, and the posi-
bilities of the greatest peril exist in the mines
of Indiana, where they are liable at any time to
work fearful destruction. These causes should
be scientifically analysed and removed, as far as
may be.
Principal among the noxious gases of Indiana
ILL oiO, IKE anu uOIC 6CBGAdip OAh OutV tbItO
gas, or black damp; carbonic oxide. or white
damp; carbonated hydrogen, or fire-damp. The
latter is what has wrought such fearful destruc-
ton in the Newburg, Va, mine, as well as in
mines in various parts of the country. But two
slight explosions of this deadly gas occur in the
record of the years accidents, and they were
confined TO Sullivan county. Most all of the ac-
cidents. fatal or otherwise, resulted from care
lessness growing out of familiarity with danger,
and might have been avoided. But this is no argu-
ment for the State not taking every precaution
possible in a matter from which so much reve-
nue. is derived, and in which the lives
OF so many citizens ara at stake. The
antidote to the poisonous gases is to
he found in proper ventilation. mechanical
contrivances for which are fortunately at
hand. The steam fan, manufactured by Messrs.
Crawford & McCrimmon, of this city, is the best
of its kind. 1t is in use in the majority Of coal
producing States. The company operating the
fatal Newburg mine were negotiating for the
purchase of one of these fans when the explosion