The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-09-28
THE TWIN SHAFT REPORT.


Shaft disaster. IL Will be found very inter
csting as it not only embraces the statements
of Inspector Mcdonald and other officials, but
also treats upon the history Of the workings
and the manner in which they were operated.
The publication will be concluded tomorrow:
Hugh Mcdonald, Mine Inspector testified
that he did not expect any trouble from the
pillars being too small, or he would have
taken measures to stop the men from work
ing. He thought the pillars, compared with
those in other collieries in his district, were
large enough. He had never seen any signs
of % squeeze and had not been notified by the
superintendent of any squeeze. MIR. Nc
Donald was asked to point out on the map
the location Of the different important open
ings, and their relative position to the Caye-iu.
The Attorney General wished to ascertain
FIRST who made the map and if it had been
drawn TO the scale of one hundred feet to the
inch as required by law. Mr. Mcdonald said
that the map was made by David G, Davis,
mining engineer for the Newton Coal Com
pany, and delivered to him in his official
capacity something over two years ago. 1t
was extended regularly to the scale of one
hundred feet to the inch lie was then in
tCrrogated rs TO his opinion of the cause of
the extensive cave-in, its extent and also
what effect the fissure, discovered near where
the bore hole was drilled, had ON the stiatl
Mr. David c. Davis testified that he was
thirty-One years of age and by profession a
mining engineer for the Newton Coal Com
pauy. He had been a mining engineer for
six years and used to make surveys Of the
Twin Shaft mine every week. lie stated
how these surveys were made. He made a
general survey every six months. lie 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 chambers were over
chambers. He had been in the collicry
Thursday before the accident, and noticed at
/ one point little disturbance, but throughout
/ the whole vein there was no general disturb
ance. lie then explained how he made his
| measurements while making his surveys. He
stated that where two veins are so approxi-
mate as in the Twin Shaft, "thcy are worked
| together all over the valley"
| In order to make complete report ON so
sudden and serious a calamity, it is necessary
that we should give history of the collicry
and Of the colliery officials ard their conuec-
tion with it,, together with the mode of oper
atng it, and comparison with other col
lierics in the same vicinity mining the same
coal seam and cnyironed by the same condi-
/ tiuns.
/ The Twin Shaft was first sunk to the
| Checker and Pitston seams some thirty
/ years ago, afterwards to the Marcy vein aud
/ subsequently an cEtcnsiou Of the shaft was
made to the Red Ash vein, which is split into
two members called the No. > aud No. g
veins, which are considered to be the deepest
in this basin. The shaft is sunk near the
junction Of the Lchigh Valley and the Della
ware, Lgckawanna 4 Western Railroads
within the city limits of pittstou, in the
Northern Anthracite Coal Fields Of the
| Wyoming Basin, Luzcrne county. The total
depth Of the shaft is 49, feet to the Red Ash
vein. This vein has been in operation about
nine years and during thirty years the col
/ llery has been operated by six or more diff
terent coal companies. The present owners are
the Newton Coal Mining Company, who took
| possession Of the Twin Shaft mine in 1850
/ Mr.. John A. Muars, who was member of
the company was made general manager and
served as such until September 1st, 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 to the
operation, are owned by the Newton Coal
/ Company. The colliery map accompanying
shows the underground workings of the No
and No veins, and the territory over
which they have been mined. The red lines
show the No. . and the Black No. vein.
The map also shows that GO per cent. of coal
has been mined under that portion of the
lands marked Ell X. Price; ~ &C per cent.
from under the bed Of the Susquehanna
| River and 81 per cent from under the lands
known as the Bank Farm" the remaining
33 per cent. to 40 per cent. being left as
pillar supports.
When the Twin Shaft reached the Red Ash
vein it was found to he faulty" and thin by
reason Of a rock fault" which, as shown on
the map, extends from the shaft distance of
400 feet southeast and southwest, and
through which the tunnel is driven two
hundred and forty feet to win the coal south
of the shaft, As the workings of No. 6 vein
extended towards the point located ut the
foot Of No, slope Elevation 9l1) the No s
: vein was accidentally discovered by reason
OF having to blast down the roof of No. 9
vein in order to make a uniform road grade
This exposed the upper member of the Red
+ Ash vein aud was proved to be from four to
four and one-halfte thick transportation
road technically called in and about Pittston
IA run was made into it. No. vein, how
ever, had been mined considerably in ad-
vance before No. 8 vein was opened, and
much difficulty was experienced in maintain
ing the transportation road beds Of
40. 3 vein, on account of the
rock strata between the two veins being only
S. r. and % feet thick As this occasionally
fell down Il, was necessary to fill up with
refuse aud build "cog5 50 as To raise the
road beds to their original position and also
serve as pillar supports, In course Of mining
No, 5 vein, Mr. Davis, mining engineer, tes-
titled that every effort had been made to
form the chambers and pillars ia no. vein
over those constructed in No. @ Vein The
map shows that a little over nine acres of the
No. . vein had been mined before the accident
occurred
In September, 1892, the Newton Coal liu.
ing Company secured the services of Nh
John b. Law, a reputable mining engineer
and graduate of Lafayette college, who dis
d. 4 O. i b