The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-09-25
MINE COMMISSION REPORTS
Causes of the Twin Shaft Disaster
Set Forth.
SUPERINTENDENT LANGAN BLAMED
The Commission Details the Result Of It's
Investigation and Makes Recommends
tions Which will be Embodied in a
Bill For the Next Legislature.

Mine Inspectors William Stein, of town;
Edward Roderick, of Scranton, and Edward
Brennan, Of Shamollin, constituting the COM
mission appointed by Governor Hastings to
investigate the Twin Shaft disaster at Pitts
ton, last June, in which ifty-eight lives were
lost formally submitted their official report
TO the Governor and Attorney General Nc
CormicS at Harrisburg yesterday and after
accepting it the Governor discharged the
committee with thanks.
4 bill will be offered in the next Legislature
to reimburse the Inspectors for their work.
Their recommendations will he embodied in
n bill which will also be introduced in the
next Legislature, amending the mining laws
of the state so as to throw greater safeguards
around the miners
The report states that the mud crack"
discovered in front of bore hole dislocated
the roof strata and this, with some Irregular
ity in the formation Of the pillars and the
chambers of No. > vein, not being all verti-
cally over those in No. 6, was the original
cause of the squeeze. The inspectors recon-
mend that where two veins are so intimate as
those at Twin Shaft, the upper vein should
be mined first for, even with the greatest
care taken to have chamber over chamber
the partition rock is likely to fall taking the
miner with it and killing him.
The inspectors found evidence that naked
lamps were used on the night of the accident.
The character of the squeeze and the results
produced therefrom were such as lead them
to presume that an explosion occurred. The
report states that loss of life does not
necessarily attend a mine squeeze if those
whose duty it is to direct will use all precau-
tons to prevent the worllmen from working
under it.
The commission disperses all doubt and
speculation as to the personal responsibility
of officials for the disaster in the following
Although a squeeze did occur in the Twin
Shaft colligry," the report states, Mine
Superintendent Langan, who had charge of
the work, erred in judgment in going SO far
into the mine from the bottom Of the shaft
Having gone so far from the means Of es-
cape to make an examination of the squeez-
ing section of the colliery, he put his men to
work to arrest the squeeze which he may
have considered local, and he and his men
worked for hours under the squeezing terri
tory until the collapse came. So, without
question of doubt, his error of Judgment
was the cause of the loss of his own life, as
well rs of those subordinate to him. Mine
Inspector Mcdonald cannot in any way be
held responsible Tor the accident, not having
been notified Of the squeeze by the mine
superintendent"
To guard against and prevent a repetition
Of such accidents as that at the Twin Shaft,
the commission recommends that the rcscrva-
ton pillars of coal be left unmincd sectonally
through each cylliery of such dimensions as
will form the position OF two breasts or
chambers between two reservation pillars
that where more than one seam of coal is in
ppa ,f glpll bp
formed in each seam, one vertically over the |
other, and where such reservation pillars |
have not already been formed in colieries
now in operation the mine inspector shall
have power to enforce the same, and no
opening other than transportation and ven
tilation avenues shall be driven through
those reservation pillars unless by permission
of the district mine inspector.
The commission also recommends that coal
may be mined from these reservation pillars
on giving notice to the mine inspector, but
not until final robbing may be begun and
only where the surface conditions will permit
Of such mining should a squeeze occur it
would be confined to one group Of breasts or
chambers LshOuld an explosion occur the
effects of it would be confined to one par
ticular group of breasts or chambers.
Each group could be ventilated separately
and the impurities from combustion and
otherwise generated in each group could be
discharged into the return airway, which
would give purer and safer atmosphere for
the men to breathe When reservation pillars
are left under surface streams of water they
should be left unmined unless it has been
proved beyond question of doubt that it is
safe To mine them.
The commission suggests that reservation
pillars of coal should also be left unmined
under surface streams and rivers, the width
OF the pillar to be in proportion to the width
Of the streams or river aud depth from the
surface to the top of coal seam. The pillars
left under large streams of water will pre-
vent the surface or bed of the stream from
fracturing and flooding the colliery, which
has happened in the history Of coal mining.
Another suggestion made by the commits
sion is that skeleton map Of each vein
mined in every colliery shall be furnished by
the owners operator or superintendent To
the Mine Inspector, showing the course of all
the air currents, intakes and outlet, also the
main and distributing doors and ovcrcasts.
Should any important or permanent change
be made in the course of the air the Inspec-
tor should be notified so that the change
shall be put upon his map. Should all the
officials lose their lives by accident, as at the
Twin Shaft, those who might volunteer to
assist in rcscuing the entombed men would
be better able to do so with the aid of such
map.
In all collieries operating explosive gas,
where the workmen alternately use naked
and safety lamps the commission recon-
mends that they shall absolutely use safety
lamps Nearly all accidents from explosions
of gas occur in collieries where this practice
is in use and not in collieres where the
workmeu absolutely use the safety lamp
At Kepchinskrs Arcade Cafe.
Maurice River cove oyster soup will be
served as free lunch during and between the
note o. pight