Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-04
SEEMING FOR TIE CAUSE.
legislative Investigation Into the NAM
moth Mine Explosion.
Ni. Pleasant DRpafeh % PRIs0urg fost

mOIn nAPAosADh@
No. Pleasant DisPateA 10 Pitsourg Post
The hearing Of the testimony by the
Legislative commission of the forty wit
nesses on behalf VI the miners and rep
resentatiyes OF the Frick company began
at Mammoth this morning. Much In
terest was shown In the examination,
and the commissions special car Idle
Wild was surrounded all day by an
anxious crowd. The Frick company
was represented by their attorneys
Moorehead aud Head, Of Greensburg,
General Manager Lynch and Superin-
tendent Robert Ramsay, OF the Stand
ard works, The witnesses called differ
ed in their opinions concerning the ven
tilation Of the shaft, but all united
in saying that they never knew OF sum-
cient gas In the mine TO do any damage.
From the testimony il appeared that
Fire Boss Snaith had too much work TO
do. The only witness differing from
this was Mine Boss Eaton, who held
that Snaith could have travelled hVe
miles in one hour. Snaith, besides MS
duties as fire boss, acted as general util-
ity man, and was liable to be called
upon to do anything that might be nee
eSsary. The testimony, as brought out
In the course OF the examination, went
To show that the fire boss had been ad-
dicted 70 the use OF liquor, but there
was no evidence 10 show he was under
the influence on the morning OF the dis
aSter. The general opinion seemed TO
be that by his unfortunate habit he was
rendered incompetent to perform his
duties as FIRE boss.
Superintendent Robert Ramsay also
stated that, at last Defenders eIami-
nation in Greensburg for mine bosses,
Snaith failed TO make a sufficient grade
to entitle him 10 trst-class certificate.
Mine Inspector jenkins, however, testi-
fed TO Snaith's ability and competency.
James BOal, ALI Notwithstanding
miner, saids "Snaith told me 4 week
before the explosion that there was gas
In the dip, and plenty Of il. never
thought him competent, as he drank to
excess, and | never felt safe. The feel
Ing against Superintendent keighley Is
not very good. The men think he wants
to run thinks on too close a scale"
NEVER DETECTED ANY GAS.
Peter Louther, former pit boss at
Mammoth, and TO whom his son-in-law.
Snaith, was an assistant, said: ~ never
detected any gas. l was put OF because
the company was cutting down expenses.
examined the dip 10 which the eXplo-
sion occurred on December Il last, and
there was no fall at that time. Snaith
had too much TO do. We never exam
ined abandoned places but once or twice
month. AS l never knew OF any gas
i'm the mine, l don't see how the eIplo-
sion could have been prevented. The
air was good and the manway In proper
condition"
When the witness was asked what he
thought of Snaith's ability he produced
three letters Of recommendation for the
dead fire boss signed by Superintendent
Keighley General Manager Brennan
OF the Mcclure Company, and j. W.
Moore. former owner OF the Mammoth
works.
William jenkins, mine inspector OF
the district in which the Mammoth
mine is located, said that he was D.
years old, and had been engaged in min
| ing since he was boy. He Is now
serving his seventh year as Inspector OF
this district, and is considered as good
as any In his line by such men OF expert
ence as Superintendent Robert Ramsay,
who paid the inspector this compliment
while testifying. Mr.. jenkins stated that
he had examined the Mammoth mine
on January 10 last and found the venti-
lation in hrst-claSs condition, with 23,-
$40 cubic feet OF air passing the inlet at
the top slope. The volume when meas
ured al fat No. 5 showed 10000 cubic
feet; at fat No. ,, 1000 cubic feet.
He made the examination with IN open
lamp. aud at that time he found no In
dicatiOn OF gas in the dip workings, nor
was there any indication OF gas within
one year previous 10 that time. lie
said that he considered the mine safe
after the connection was made with the
slope. He also stated that more air
passed through the mine than was re-
Quired by law.
When asked what Snalth could have
done 10 prevent the accident, he said
the only thing he could have done was
10 REQUIRE the use OF safety lamps.
In the course OF Mr.. Jenkins's long
examination he said the ribs had been
drawn week before the explosion.
This would allow the gas 20 accumulate
on top Of the fall, whence current OF
air or the squeeze itself might have
driven il into the workings. Here II
would become diluted with air to the
explosive point, and would be ignited
when coming in contact with the hrst
open light. The presence OF coal dust
would intensity the force of the explo-
sion aud tend 10 generate aiter-damp.