Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-04-30
ANNUAL COAL REPORT.
STATE OFFICIALS GIVE OUT THE
FIGURES OF THE PAST YEAR.
Over 1OO, 100000 Tons Produced in Penn
sylvania in 1885-Anthracite and Btu
minous Regions Beat All Previous Re-
cords-The Latter Slightly Ahead.

mlnous Hegions Beat All Previous Re-
cords-The Latter Slightly Ahead.
Owing to the neglect of some of the
mine inspectors to report promptly, as
required by law, Secretary of Internal
Affairs Latta has only this past week
been able to prepare that portion of his
report to the governor which bears on
mining statistics for the year 1895. He
precedes the facts with some interesting
suggestions relative to needed legislation
for securing statistics and reports, say
ing that it seems proper to call the at
tion of the legislature to some of the
defects that exist in the present mine
laws, at least so far as they relate to the
department of internal affairs.
The total number of tons produced in
the anthracite region during the year
1895 was 80, s47, 104, an increase of 5,340,
925 tons over the preceding year.
During the year 1895 the number of
employees was 145, ,6O5. There were 420
fatal accidents, and 1,O75 non-fatal ac-
cdents. While the production of coal
greater than 1894, the number of fatal
accidents was less, being 420 as against
439; but the number of nonfatal acci-
dents was greater, being 1,075 as against
919.
These figures indicate that the condi-
tions surrounding the mining of coal
are now less hazardous than formerly.
In other words, the improved methods
and the safety appliances and appara-
tus which the law requires, have con-
tributed largely to the safety of the
miner.
Luzerne still heads the list of eleven
counties with 10, 143, 101 tons in 1895, an
increase since 1891 of about 800, 900
tons. The next largest producing coun-
ty is Lackawanna with II, ,s59, 1882 tons.
Schuylkill follows closely with II ,405, 3ss
tons. Sullivan county produced the
smallest quantity, 152, ,141 tons.
The total number of tons produced in
the bituminous region during the year
1895 was 51,sl3,112, an increase over
1894 of 12,O12, ,9O2 tons. 1t is somewhat
remarkable that the production in the
two regions is so nearly equal, although
the increase has been larger in the last
five years in the bituminous region.
During the year 1895 the number of
employees was S4,904. There were 151
fatal accidents, and 419 non-fatal; in
1894, 1874 fatal and 357 non-fatal. These
10 ir1i
ment in the conditions with reference to
the freedom from accident that exist in
the anthracite region, but they show
that there is greater liability to acci-
dent in the anthracite than in the btu
minous region.
This is shown very clearly by the fact
that in the anthracite region, with prac
tically the same production of coal, the
number of fatal accidents in 1895 was
420, as against 1856 in the other region,
and the number of nonfatal accidents
1,075, as against 4l9.
Under the present law it is somewhat
difficult to obtain reports from some of
the mine inspectors. The publication of
bic ulinudl lcpoiI ~ vi bHt department. lOT
1895 has been greatly delayed by one
of the inspectors who failed to make
his report within reasonable time.
Several letters were written him, call
ing his attention to the necessity for
prompt action, and he was finally noti-
fed by telegraph that unless his reports
were received by certain date the
manuscript already received would be
given to the state printer without the
data from his district. His report was
soon after received, and is included
herewith.
The secretary of internal affairs
recommends that the legislature pass
flaw providing for mining department,
to be subordinate to the internal affairs
department.
Annutz and Wife Were Accomplices.