Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-14
STATE COAL MINES.
The Annual Report Of the State Mine
Inspectors.
A VERY GRATIFYING INCREASE
In the States Production ShOwn-StatStieal
Tables Covering ALI Points of Interest
Connected With the Mining
Industry.
SpsnaI 7slsmam % ths Recsster.

OpeCSOS 1etegTOyt " Gto 1ssqsotU.
CHARLESTON, w. VA, December l3.-
The annual reports of the State Mine
Inspectors have just been made to the
Governor, and are full OF valuable In
formation and interesting statistics con-
cerning West Virginia's greatest in
dustry. The report shows that during
the year ended June 80, 1891, the total
coal production in this State ih tons OF
2,240 pounds was 1881, ,43G. The pro-
dUction of coke in the same time was
1925, AS tons; 179 mines were IN opera
tion; 4,117 coke ovens were in operation,
and III more were building. A total OF
ii, O7S men were employed, In 1850 the
coal production Of the State was 1,56S,-
600 short tons. In 1889 the production
of coal was 4,726, O47 long tons, and OF
coke 665, 1873 long tons.
Inspector Harris report for the hrst
district is very complete, giving tuii
statistics and information and several
essays on ventilation, gases and kindred
subjects, showing the Republican state
ments that he was incompetent TO NIL
the position to have been entirely WITH
out foundation. In his report ne saws:
l understand that it is my duty to in
spect each niue in my district twice a
wear, and oftener if necessary. This L
have done and examined carefully Into
the condition of all the mines In my
district, and l found the majority to be
in good condition and the operators are
doing all they can to live up to the re-
ouirements of the law and are rapidly
introducing all the modern improve
ments in mining. Heretofore there has
been but little experience in this dis
trict on the various systems OF haulage,
sucb AZ tail rope, endless chains, etc.,
that are used in other mining regions
to lessen the cost Of the inside move
ment of coal. This system is now
being introduced all over the State and
no doubt it will come into general use IN
the near future. While there have been
great improvements in our system OF
mining in the last few years, there has
also been q great increase OF the pro-
duction of coal and coke within the last
wear. which is as follows: The amount
Of coal produced during the year was
145. 37e tons of 2,240 pounds, an In
crease of 631, 1853 tons over the previous
YEARS production. The production OF
coke was 314,75S tons, an increase Oh
zoe, ,5s7 tons. The number OF mines IN
the district is 43. There have been SIX
mines opened during the year and eight
are now under construction. The num-
her of coke ovens in blast in the district
is 1907, and 255 are now building.
There has been but one strike OF any
consequence in the district in the year,
which was at the Monongah Coal and
Coke Co.'S works. 1t was OF short dura-
tion though it resulted in local riot
from which Alvin Hall received wound
from a pistol shot. With the exception
OF this there has been universal satls-
faction with operators ana miners
throughout the district. There nave
been two furnaces and five fans erected
within the past year. ~
The report contains the usual taoles
NJ statistics and information, also full
dissertation OF all gases that infest the
mines, and principles OF the different
modes of ventilation, collected from the
hest authorities in England ana
America. ....,
There were Il fatal and "a non-fatal
accidents during the pear. Upon max:
in0 careful inquiry into the cause Of
these accidents, says Mr.. Harr, l find
that majority of them resulted from
the carelessness of the workmen tnem-
selves. A careless miner is the worst
enemy to his fellow workmen. L can
not see how best to remedy this evil,
bnt would suggest that the mine boss
oSorc,se more strennously his authority
in this matter. In no case should ne
allow men to work in danger, no mat
ter what their experience may be. There
has been but one explosion OF gas during
the wear, from which four men lost
their lives. This happened May Z, 1891.
=, morr;son county, at the Ocean mine.