The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-25
INSPECTORS REPORT
ON TWIN SHAFT
IConcluded from Page IL

shaft were equal to the pillars in other
collieries in which he had worked, but
the gangways We're not. He noticed
the pillars chipping off"
Michael Langan testified he was "a
years of age, and was timberman
by occupation. He had worked in this
colliery fourteen months; had observed
the pillars squeezing and was afraid;
thought the pillars We're too small. On
the night of June q the fire boss told
them she was caving in. and we coulu
not get in on account OF gas, ana l
said II is time to get out, and so did.
Coming from No. 3 slope 10 bottom OF
snaft he did not notice any indications
of Il Squeeze"
Hugh Mcdonald mine inspector.
testified that he did not expect any
trouble from the pillars being too
small, or he would have taken meas
ures to stop the men from working.
He thought the pillars, compared with
those in other collieries in his district.
We're large enough. He had never seen
any signs of Il squeeze ana had nor
been notified by the superintendent oil
any squeeze. Mr. Mcdonald was
asked to point out on the map the 10
cation of the different important open
ings and their relative position TO the
cave-in. The attorney general wished
to ascertain first who made the map
and If II had been drawn to the scale
of 100 feet to the inch, as required ny
law. Mr. Mcdonald said that the map
was mace by David e. Davis, mining
engineer for the Newton Coal com
pany. and delivered to him in his Of
fetal capacity something over Two
years ago. 1t was extended regularly
to the scale Of 100 feet TO the inch
He was then mterro%ated as to his
opinion of the cause of the extensive
,aNe-in. its extent. and also what ct
feet the fissure. discovered near where
the bore hole was drilled, had on the
strata.
David G. Davis testified that he was
81 years of age and by profession
mining engineer for tho Newton Coal
company. He had been Il mining en-
gineer for six years and used to make
surveys of the Twin shaft mine every
week. lie stated how these surveys
We're made. He made general survey
every six months. he stated that the
two veins were worked together, and.
aS near as anybody could get at them
the pillars OF one seemed To be over
the pillars of the other and the cham
bers We're over chambers. He had been
in the collicry Thursday before the
accident. and noticed at one point Il
little disturbance, but throughout the
N.'bit VEIN lltIt NdS Ip S'iltlhi hiS-
turhance He then explained how he
made his measurements while making
his surveys. He stated that where Two
veins are So approximate as in the
Twin shaft. they are worked to-
Eether all over the valley"
William Siley testified that he had
been employed by the Lehigh Valley
Coal company as mining engineer
for twelve years: that he made sur
NcyS of that portion of the Twin shaft
cOlliery where the coal IS mined under
lands belonging to the Lehigh Valley
company; that he made a survey three
times year. and that the man pro-
Guced by him corresponded with the
map Mr.. Davis had made for the use
of the mine inspector. as nearly as II
was possible to have it.
The remainder of his testimony, and
that of the other witnesses, lis given
in full with this report.
HISTORY OF THE COLLIERY.
In order to make q complete report
on So sudden and serious a calamity.
il is necessary that we should give IL
history of the coilery and of the col
fiery officials and their connection with
it, together with the mode of operating
it, and Il comparison with other col
lieres in the same vicinity, mining the
same coal seam and environed by the
same conditions.
The Twin shaft was first sunk to
the Checker and PittstOn seams some
thirty years ago, afterwards to the
Marcy vein. and subsequently an eX-
tension of the shaft was made to the
Red Ash vein, which is split into two
members called the No. and No. q
veins, which are considered TO be the
I.prIAst N fhiG h1cin 'rha shaft is
sunk near the junction of the Lehigh
Valley and the Delaware Lackawan-
ma and Western railroads. within the
city limits of Pittston, in the northern
anthracite coal fields of the Wyoming
basin, LuZerne county. The total
depth uf the shaft is i3l feet to the
Red Ash vein. This vein has been in
operation about nine years. and dur
ing thirty years the collcry has been
companies. The present owners are
the Newton Coal Mining company
who took possession of the Twin shaft
mine in 1889 John a. Mcars, who was
member of tn" company, was made
general manager and served as such
uatil Sept. |, 1892. A large area of the
coal property, from which they mined
their coal. is owned by and leased from
the Lehigh Valley company. and the
remaining coal lands. tributary tn this
operation, are owned by the Newton
Goa! company. The colliery map ac-
companying our report, which was Of
fercd in evidence. shows the under.
ground workings of the No. and No
veins, and the territory over which
they have been mined. The red lines
show the No. 8 and the black No. {
veins. The map also shows that G6 pei
cent of coal has been mined unde,
that portion of the lands marked "El
X. Price, G6 per cent. from under the
bed of the SusQuehanna river. ana g.
per cent. from under the lands known
as the Bank Farm the remaining -,
to 40 per cent. being left as pillar sup
ports.
When the Twin shaft reached tn,
rcd ash vein it was found to b,
faulty" and thin. by reason of a rocl
fault" which. as shown on the map
extends from the shaft a distance o
400 feet southeast and southwest. an,
through which a tunnel is driven tw,
hundred and forty feet to win the Goa
south of the shaft. AS the working
of No. vein extended towards tn,
point located at the foot of No. slop,
elevation Gid the No vein was ac
cidentally discovered by reason Of hav
ing to blast down the roof of No.
vein in order to make n uniform roa,
grade. This exposed the upper mem
ber Of the red ash vein. and was prove,
to he from four to four and one-hai
feet thick. A transportation roa,
technically called in and about Pitts
ton rum was made into It. No.
vein, however. had been mined con
siderably in advance before No. veil
was opened, and much difficulty wa
experienced In maintaining the trans
Dortation road beds of No. 8 vein, OF
account of the rock strata between tn
two veins being only s, 12 and 20 fee
thick. AS this occasionally fell dow
1t was necessary to fill uD with refus
and build "cogs." so as to raise the roa
beds to their original position and ais
serve as pillar supports. In course o
mining No. ) vein. Mr.. Davis. mining
engineer. testified that every effort ha
been made to form the chambers an
pillars in No 5 vein over those con