The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-05
Production for Year Just Ended
Is Heaviest in History
Of State.
OUTPUT INCREASE OVER
1908 Is II PER CENT
With DisprOportionate Increase
in Fatalities; Important
Suggestions Made.

|
November 30, 1909, was filed with Gov
| ernor Srry Friday and shows that tho
production of coal for the year was tho
| largest in the history of the state. The
increase over the year 1905 WAS u per
cent and the increase over the highest
record of any previous year was 10
per cent. From all Indications, the re-
port SAYS. the year 1910 will be record
breaker in the matter of production.
There were 200 coke ovens idle AT
Sunnyside during tho year, but, not,
witbstauding that fact, there was an
increase in the production of coke of
46,754 tons over that of the year 1905.
Tho percentage Of increase was % per
cent There also has been an increase
in the production of hydro carbons dur
ing the year, but, as yet. there are only
two companies in the field, but more
will come with better railroad facilities,
so that the product can he shipped TO
eastern markets at profit.
No Labor Troubles.
The past wear has been free from
la Dor troubles in the mines. and the re-
latlonship between employer and en-.
ploycc has been pleasant. \ scarcity of
skilled labor has prevailed, although
there has been plenty of foreign labor
ers in the field. There are about two
| foreigners TO one American employed in
the coal mines of the state at the pres
ent, In the year tho mines worked $50
davs as against 200 days in 1908,
Mr.. Petit discusses at length the
experiments carried on by the govern
ment relative to explosives used III mines
and u number of different makes have
been tested and placed on the pcrujssi-
| bic list. Some tests have also been
made by Utah companies. and it is the
hope of the inspector that some good
powder will be found so that the state
may compel its exclusive use III the
mines of this state,
Another matter of importance sug-
! gested by the Inspector is the establish
| meut at Salt Lake CITY of u branch of
the mine rescue work of tho government.
| The station installed at Salt Lake would
| be able to take care of mine accidents
in Utah Colorado and other adjoining
states, and those on duty at the station
would be able TO leave on n moment s
notice upon learning of any mine dis.
| aSter in this territory. Proper appara-
tus would be on hand at the station and
persons would be instructed in the use
of the same, so that efficient help would
be at hand in ease of disaster. 1t is
| also suggested that the coal mine in.
spector Office should be equipped with
at least one set of the apparatus for
work In mines in time of trouble.
Increase in Fatalities.
The fatalities IN the coal mines OF
| the state has increased from eight in
| 1908 to sixteen in 1909. There were
| nine WIDOWS. and TWENTY-FIVE children
! left tathcrless because of the accidents
IN mines in the year. Most of these
| live in the old country. The inspector
places most of the blame for the acci-
dents upon the miners, who, be SAYS. dis
regarded the rules of the company and
also commonly known rules Of mining.
An incident of a sad accident is cited
| in the death of Norman Price, the l3.
| yearold son of Joseph Price. who was
working with his father July last
| The father and son went back after the
blasts were fired to see how much coal
mad been shot down, when a charce of
powder within ten feet of them ex-
ploded and killed the boy and seriously
wounded the father
The most peculiar accident of the wear
happened November last i'm the Utah
Fuel company S Sunnyside Mine No. 4,
when bounce occurred and killed
two men; The bounce" occurred at
1870 clock in the afternoon and at
that instant an acute earthquake shock
was felt i'll the town.
Big Increase in Output.
The total production of coal for the
year was 1892 ,209 short tons an in
crease of AZ 1850 tons over 1905. The
coke production in 1909 amounted TO
10000 tons as compared with l34.195
! tons Tor the previous year, an increase
Of 1914 tons. The amount of cx
plosives used by the coa mines in Utah
in the year was as follows; Black
powder, 36!,400 pounds; giant powder.
ll9.O3S pounds, or q total of 4s6.477
pounds,
In the year there were 29s3 men EN-.
ployed 10 and around coal miues. HYDRO.
carbon and coke plants, an increase of
3O3 over 1908. The average amount Of
coal produced by each man was 178 tons.
There were seven mine foreman Is Ger.
ti6cYtes issued and two certificates to
fire BOSSES. y total OF l05 accidents in
and around mines occurred in the wear.
resulting in Is deaths, % serious IN.
iuries and 81 slight injuries Tho avcr.
age mortality for each 1000 workrncu
was $50
The causes of the fatal accidents
were IA follows: Fall of rock, ;: fall
of coal, 3; sliding of loose coal, l.;
bounces, 3; motor jumping track, |: cx-
plosion of powder, l.
Carbon county led all others in the
production for the year, with 2.l5s. s.o56
tons: Smmit county. l2S,435 tons.
Emery, 5400 tons; UiDtsh. 300 tons:
Sarpete. 1898 tons, and 25 900 tons from
other smaller mines not under the min
ing Inspector s Office.
Salt Lake City consumed 304.OlS tons
of coal in 1909, while in 1904. the first
year the record was kept it consumed
2lis s369 tons.
Imports for Year.
There were 3l3.+41 tons of coal i'm.
ported into the state in the wear for
commercial consumption and 52.9l4 tons
for railroad use. while 39i. $40 tons of
Utah coal and +142 tons of Utah coke
were shipped ont Of the state. 4 total
of 3i0.92l tons Of coal was made into
coke IN the year. Tho total consump.
tiou of coal in the state was o,022. sea
tons and the coke consumptjon
amounted to 116,S27 tons; besides that
20.S59 tons of gilsonite were used.
The report of the Inspector contains
the following recommendations:
All mines. regardless of Tho nun,