The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-16

The annual report Of Edward Rod
erick, mine inspector for the First AN
thracite district, lying between Market
street and Forest city, has Just been
finished. The report would have been
out some time ago, but Mr.. Eoderick
was waiting for report of an injured
man at CarbOndale. \ report III fun
has been made to the chief of the bu-
reau at Harrisburg afteB each accident,
causing much clerical work and reduc-
ing somewhat the annual report,
During the year there were 81 fatal
accidents and 126 non-fatal, with an
output of l21, 80 tons of coal for each
fatal accident.
The total quantity of coal mineu in
1898 was 6,515, 190 tons, an increase Of
965,957 tons over the output of 1897.
The average number of days worked
per man was 1888, against 1854 in 1891,
showing a slight decrease in time made
by the men. The total number Of men
employed in this district was 1880.
The 81 fatal accidents left 30 wives
widows and x children orphans. Not
one of these accidents occurred on the
main or travelling roads, all of them
occurring at the face of the gangWayS
or breasts. remarkable fact is that
no more than one man was killed at
any of these accidents. A great many
of them happened while the men were
barring down coal or by falling tim
bcrs. Out of the 177 accidents, 81
We're caused by the fall of rock and
coal.
During the year 215.590 kegs Of pow
nf used
| 1884 pounds f dynamite. There was
but one life lost in using this inn
mense quantity of explosives and the
victom was an old and experienced
miner, who carelessly rammed the
| charge in with the head of drill
| Twenty different causes go to make
up the number of men killed or in
| jured
Among the men employed in mining
| in this district fourteen natiOnalities
are represented. showing Il very cos
mOpoltan population.
| Mr.. RoderiCk makes mention in his
| report of the serving of an injunction
| on the Elk Hill Coal and Iron company
| to compel them to build a second open
| ing i'm the Richmond mine. The in
| junction was granted and the minis
| ceased operations until the new shaft
| was in operation. Following close on
| the opening up Of the mine for opera
tions came the burning of the Rich.
mond No. 3 fan house. which happened
| on the afternoon of July IS. Twenty
| three men We're working in the Dun
more vein and made their escape ou'
| of the new shaft. If this shaft hac
| not been built, the inspector says
| these men must have smOthered, a,
| there was no other outlet.
| Among the Improvements of the year
| noted in the report, are the erection OF
| Riverside breaker at PeckVille, and :
new breaker and washery. with a cap
| aCity of 1000 tons per day. built a
! OlYphant by the Delaware and Hud
son company. new air shaft for The
Marvin and Calico cOllicrieS. and a 20
ton compressed air engine for haulag,
purposes at the Lcggett's Creek col
liery. Coal drills run by compressed
air were introduced by the Elk Hill
Coal company in the Richmond No. 8
Culm is being successfully Slushed int,
the old Grassy Island and Eddy Creel
| workings, and also by the Mount Jes
sup company in their slope workings.
The following table shows the pro
ducrion Of coal, the shipments, anC
average days worked by each company
Produc- Ship Day
Name of Mines. tion. ments. W'k,d
II q - ~