The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-05
MANY MEN KILLED
IN MINES IN 1904
Chief Mine Inspector Gray
Submits Annual Report
MAKES DETAILED RECORD
In Many Cases Accidents Were
Caused BY Carelessness on the
Part of the Killed and In
Iured-CoaI Production.

The annual report of John M. Gray,
chief mine inspector of the state of Ala
bama, was completed and forwarded to
Acting Governor Cunningham yesterday.
1t shows that during 1904 there were Sc
fatal accidents in the mines Of Alabama,
and that the non-fatal accidents amount
ed to 49, In 1903 the number killed was
81; in 1902 81 were killed, and in 1901 only
Al were killed.
OF the fatal and non-fatal accidents,
a large number resulted from careiessness
on the part of the deceased and injured,
according to the report Especially was
this true of the accidents and deaths re-
sulting from falling rock and blasts with
powder and dynamite.
The Report.
Many of the men killed were heads of
families Widows and orphans were left,
sometimes in bad circumstances. Twenty
five white widows and 50 white orphans.
and 23 negro widows and 10 negro orphans
are recorded.
Friday proved the most unfortunate
day, as Il people were killed on Fridays.
Mondays proved little less fatal, as 20
were killed on the second day in the va
rious weeks.
The report of Mr.. Gray was as follows:
Lieutenant and Acting Governor r. M.
Cunningham, Montgomery, Ala:
Dear Sir-I beg leave to submit the
following report of the fatal and non
fatal accidents in the mines of the state
of Alabama for the year ending Decem-
Der 81, 1904
"Eighty-six people were killed. 81 by
falling rock. 10 by use of powder and
dynamite in various ways, IL by tram
cars, by electric currents, by falling
coal, 2 sufficated by smoke and l by
falling from a tipple.
ELEVEN were killed In January, 10 in
February, in March, 8 in April in
May. 3 in June, in July, in August, Q
in September, In October, 6 in November
and in December.
The days of the week show that eleven
were killed on Monday. twenty on Tues
day. ten on Wednesday, fourteen on
Thursday, twenty-one on Friday and ten
on Saturday Thfrty-one white and fifty
five black were killed
"Twenty-five white and twenty-three
black were married; eigthytwo white
and nineteen black children were left
orphans; five white and thirty-three
blacks were single. On the night of Feb
ruary 26, windy shot was fired in Har-
grove mines, killing three men, and on
April l fall of rock In No. slope, Pratt
mines, killed two men, Outside OF these
two accidents, the others have all been
killed one at a time.
"As to the non-fatal accidents. eighty
three have been reported to this depart
ment forty-four white and thrty-nine
black were injured. Thirteen of these
were caused by the use of dynamite
and powder, thirty by falling rock, six
by tram cars five by falling coal two
-. 60 ELL 1t hntf
one by falling timber and earth, and
one by q kick from a mule.
Result of csreIessness.
Taking both the fatal ana the non-fa-
tai accidents together, we have had by
falling rock, eighty-one accidents; by
the use of powder and dynamite, fifty
two; by tram cars, seventeen, and fall
ing COAL nine.
"a large number of these killed and
injured by falling rock and the use OF
powder and dynamite could have been
prevented by ordinary care on the part
o. the deceased and injured. The pre-
vention of this class of accidents de-
ponds almost entirely on the carefulness
OF the miner himself. The Investigations
OF the accidents show that fully 80 per
cent O. those killed and injured by fall
ing rock, knew that the rock was loose
and delayed the securing OF the same
IN order that they might do a little
more work on something else. me inves-
legations OF those killed and injured by
powder and dynamite show that in every
case 1t was the result of recklessness In
handling and shooting same.
ut will be some time in February be-
fire I can make anything like an accu-
rate report on the production of coal,
but from a rough estimate / think that
the production will reach near 12,O0OOO0
tons, and coke will reach something over
1000, 900 tons All of which is respectfully
submitted by the humble servant,
JOHN NJ. GRAY,
Chief Mine Inspector"