Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-01-02
STATE MINE INSPECTOR
7. w. Paul Talks of his Annual
Report Just Made.

the Mining Industry In the State
Disasters That Have 0veitaken the
MinersDuring the Past Year Berry
vile Disaster Reviewed again.
Mr. ]. w. Paul state mine inspec-
tor is ia town having arrived on Tues
day afternoon for short stay. He
has just presented his annual reports
to the governor and in them he al
ludes TO matter which he told this
paper about on former visit here.
That is the Berryville mine horror.
Mr.. Paul was seen by representative
of this paper and stated that he had
just sent In his reports. He dis
cusses in his annual reports all the
facts relating to the mines aud min
ing Industries OF this State. The
following brief summary will be
found fair resume of his several re-
ports:
"West Virginia now occupies a
place among the great coal producing
states Of which every West Virginian
should be proud. Pennsylvania is the
greatest coal producing state in the
Western Hemisphere, Illinois second,
and our own State third, with only
two million tons behind Illinois.
Until 1896 the state of Ohio outrank-
ed our State, but for the present yer
we have distanced the state or Ohio
by five million tons, and at the rate at
which coal mining Is increased in our
"Mountain State" it will be but a few
years until our tonnage will b second
only to Pennsylvania. Twenty niue
thousand men are employed at the
mines in this State and hundreds of
millions OF dollars are invested la coal
plants. The daily tonnage Of coal,
handled by the railroads in this State,
mined within this State will make a
freight train twenty miles long which
requires 100 locomotives TO haul TO
market. provided 40 heavy grades are
encountered.
The growth OF this great industry
has attracted the attention Of the
world. West Virginia coal Is known
far and wide. More than million
tons of our coal reached the Chicago
market during the past year. It is
used in Mexico South America, Italy
the Philippines and Africa.
West Virginia came from sixth
place Ia 1870 to fifth in 1880 and
fourth place in 1890 and since 1896
has safely held third rank.
In 1870 the entire State produced
COS, $40 tons whereas one single mine
in Marion county produced the past
year 776, PSI tons. In 1880 the States
product was 1868, 900 tons whereas
at present we have six counties each
producing over one million tons and
two out OF the six producing over four
million tons.
In 1890 the State produced 1891
654 tons whereas at present the coun
ties Of Fayette and Kauawha produce
6,003, 892 tons, Mercer and Mcdowell
produce $3.50, 039 tons and Marion
produces 1900, 900, Tucker 1,998, s74,
Harrison CAT, 430, Mineral 562, e67
and Preston 403, $40 tons respectively.
The increase alone in production
since 1896 is greater than the entire
production Of the State in 1890. On
March 6, 1900, most appalling ds-
aster occurred at the Red Ash Mine
In Fayette county in which As lives
were lost.
Thorough investigation was made
into the cause OF this accident and it
was found thot the disaster was due
to the explosion of gas within the
mine. Gas was known TO exist in the
mine and to prevent the possibility OF
an explosion there was employed, in
compliance with our mining statutes,
a sire boss" whose duty 1t was to ex-
anime each morning before the miners
and laborers entered the mine. The
miners at the Red Ash Mine on the
morning Of the explosion did not wait
to receive the report Of the fire loss,
but entered the mine twenty minutes
after the fire boss had entered. The
men went into all sections Of the mine
and lie one section body of gas had
accumulated and upon the arrival OF
one Of the laborers at that point his
lamp ignited the gas and an explosion
followed killing all inside OF the mine,
pAit 4lt D1SS. Blo lItuE 10
ventilated by means Of a regular min
ing fan and the fan had been running
20 minutes when the explosion occur
red.
On November 2nd, there was an ex-
plosion in the Berrysbnrg Mine, in
Barbour county, belonging TO the
Southern Coal u Transportation Co..
which resulted in the death OF four
teen men. The investigation made
after this explosion was thorough and
coroner's inquest was had which
lasted the greater part OF day.
Much evidence and expert testimony
were obtained.
There had never been found any ex-
plosive gas in this mine and Ii was
never and is not now considered gas
eous mine
The explosion was the result of
the explosion OF powder on the main
heading Of the mine which explosion
in turn caused the dust, powder and
dynamite smoke in the mine to ex-