Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-06-14
MINING In THE STATE.
CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF MINES
MAKES HIS REPORT.
Statistics of Coal Production in Bitimin-
Gus and Anthracite Regions-Miners
Unjustiy Condemned and Inspectors
Receive Unmerited Praise.

Unjust1y Condemned and Inspectors
Receive Unmerited Praise.
The annual report Of James E.
Roderick, chief of the state bureau of
mines, has been published by the de-
partment. Extracts of the report have
been printed and commented upon in
these columns, and the portions not
heretofore covered by the TRIBUNE re-
late principally to statistical matter of
this great industry
The report states that btumnous
coal is mined in twenty eight counties
in Pennsylvania, and anthracite in ten
counties, and in the thirty weight there
was mined the magnificent aggregate of
l27, 101, l67 tons. OF this "a, 034, ,224 tons
were produced from 366 mines in the
anthracite region and 73,o66,0 045 tons
from 776 mines in the bituminous region.
The average number of days worked
in the mines of the anthracite region
last year was about 100; the average
quantity produced per day was about
300, 900 tons. The average number of
days worked in the bituminous mines
was 900: the average daily production
was 246, ,s4s tons.
In the anthracite coal regions there
were 800 mines in operation last year;
there were employed inside and outside
of these mines the large army of lao, ,5s3
persons.
In the counties in which bituminous
coal is produced there were 776 mines in
operation during 1899, and OIL, ,442 persons
employed inside and outside the mines.
In view of the large increase in the
number of mines in the coke regions,
which are very gaseous, Mr. Roderick
recommends that the bitumnous region
be redistricted and that twelve districts
be made of the present ten.
| Mr.. Roderick says he recently visited
large number of mines and reports
that he found that the superintendents
and mine foremen in charge were max
ing honest efforts to comply with the
mine law and were even actually doing
much more than the law required,
especially in the matter of ventilation.
In the thirty years that the anthracite
mine law has been in operation 9,575
persons have lost their lives in and
about the anthracite mines, or an aver
age each year of 319.
The Infamous libel on the miners and
mine workers, noted some time ago in
these columns, then follows. The chief
says the awful loss of life in the mines
is not caused by any defect in the law,
neither is it the fault of the mine inspec-
tors. The latter are thus paid for the
political services which they render Mr..
Roderick and his master, Matt Quay:
'They are most intelligent and hard
working body of men and thoroughly
| practical, and the principal causes of the
accidents can be truthfully traced to the
neglect of the employees themselves"
| Mr.. Roderick says that the dangers
resulting from the mining of anthracite
coal are increasing each year and unless
the unskilled labor of the present should
improve greatly in the practical know
ledge of mining and above all use all
known precautions while following this
most hazardous of occupations better
results cannot be expected.
He suggests that the English-speak-
ing employees can also help greatly to
reduce the number of accidents by
being careful and vigilant in the per-
| formance of their labors, thus setting a
good example to their fellows who are
not familiar with the English language
| The inventors of electrical appliances
not having made peace with the Repub-
lican machine of the state up to the
time the report was filed, the chief says:
Besides the increase in danger from
explosive gases, other elements of
danger have been introduced into the
mines in the use of mining machines
and electricity. These have been intro
duced during the past ten years, and it
is my opinion that the use of electricity
in any form in coal mines is menace
to life. limb and property"