was instantly killed by This young the rock from a fired shot in his room. floor. He was blasting up the room floor with dynamite to make height for the mules and mine wagons in his room roadway, and Jay Blair was working in an adjacent simi- room and doing lar work at that time; these two men lit their shots simultaneously and both re- treated to the entry road until they would explode. One of the shots ex- ploded and Taylor thought it was his, but Jay Blair told him not to go back to his room because the shot that went off was his. Taylor, however, was over confident and went back to his room in company with the boy, Kildoo, and they had reached a point a few feet from where the shot was, when it exploded with the above result. The boy, Kildoo. having been a few feet in the rear of Taylor was protected by him from the flying material and was practically un- injured.
These two accidents happened as near as could be ascertained, at about 2 o'clock P. M., on this date; G. E. Hawk was killed instantly and Harry Hawk was caught by the arm and leg. by the same large stone which fell from the roof upon G. E.. and held there tightly until the next morning, when he was re- leased by the workmen. Harry died shortly after he was taken home; he was conscious when found and related his experience of the dreadful night and also how the accident happened. There was no one in the mine but the two boys when the accident occurred, as the mine had not been in operation for several days prior to this, but they were in the mine making coal ready, as the mine was to be in operation the next day. The two boys were taking out an entry pillar and had fired a couple of shots in the coal that day and the bore holes having been bored near the top of the coal seam, the roof became bad y shattered and failing to secure it properly, it fell upon them.
Nature and Cause of Accident.
Was fatally injured by a fall of top coal. He and John McBride were driving a room toward the outcrop of the coal seam, which made it (the coal) very soft; the coal seam was divided into two benches, being separated by a seam of clay from four to six inches thick. The prevailing mode of working this seam (which is about seven and one- half feet thick) is to mine it under the bench (which is about four feet thick) first, and leave a considerable area of the top coal up before taking it down. This was the condition of affairs that existed in Sherring and McBride's room on the morning of the accident, as observed by the mine foreman when he made his visit to said place that morning, and who told Shering of the dangerous condition of the top coal, and advised him not to run further risk, but to take the coal down, but the un- fortunate men failed to act on the ad- vice given. Shering was loading the car with coal while McBride was knocking down some of the lower bench and throwing coal out to him, and while Shering was reaching under the top bench for the lump coal the top coal fell, completely burying him under the mass, killing him almost instantly. McBride. having been closer to the face of the lower bench, the top coal broke over him, thus saving his life, although one of his arms was broken in two places and his face, head and other parts of his body were considerably bruised.
Was killed by a fall of top coal and slate. He was taking out a small block of coal which had been left in the "gob," when the accident happened; a small block of rib coal had been left back in the "gob." no doubt to steady the roof. and while he was attempting to take it out, the top coal and slate fell in, catching him be- tween the end of the room pillar and the block of coal in the "gob. The block of coal which Bowser was attempt- ing to take out was unimportant, but, of course, was easily mined, which, no doubt, induced him to run the great risk, as he knew of the dangerous con- dition of the roof and had been warned of the danger.
Was driving between two partings inside of the mine and drove a "string" three mules, hauling six mine wagons on a trip. According to the evidence given at the investigation, it would seem that he had been walking backward, between the front car and the last mule, attempting to adjust the "banjo or driver's iron seat, on the front end of the car, and from some cause he had fallen in front of the cars; however. I am inclined to the opinion that the iron seat had been attached to the front end of car in an insecure manner and in some way be- came disconnected, allowing the unfor- tunate man to fall off. The hauling road at the point where the accident hap- pened was perfectly level and clean, and the entry was very wide; he was found under the bumper, with his body against the front wheels of front car, with one leg broken and his body otherwise bruised.
TABLE NO. 5.- List of non-fatal accidents that occurred in and about the mines of the Third Bituminous Mine District, for the year ending December 31, 1895.
Nature and Cause of Accident.
FOURTH BITUMINOUS DISTRICT.
(MCKEAN, POTTER, TIOGA, BRADFORD, LYCOMING, CLINTON, CAMERON AND ELK COUNTIES AND ALL THOSE MINES IN CLEARFIELD COUNTY ADJACENT TO THE LOW GRADE DIVISION OF THE ALLEGHENY VALLEY RAILROAD; ALSO THE MINES ADJACENT TO THE CLEARFIELD AND SUSQUEHANNA BRANCH OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD; ALSO THE MINES ADJACENT TO THE BUFFALO, ROCHESTER AND PITTSBURG RAILROAD IN JEFFERSON AND CLEARFIELD COUNTIES.)
Blossburg, February 18, 1896.
Hon. James W. Latta, Secretary of Internal Affairs:
Sir: I herewith submit my annual report as Inspector of Mines for the Fourth Bituminous Coal District of Pennsylvania, for the year ending December 31, 1895, in compliance with the act of Assembly of May 15, 1893, together with statistical tables compiled from the operators reports returned to my office.
The returns show an aggregate increase of 997,755 tons or a little over twenty-three per cent. of production for the district, over that of the preceding year. This increase is due in some measure to more steady work throughout the district, but mainly to a large increase in production of the mines of Jefferson county. I submit no report of mines in Sullivan county for the reason that they have been classified with and added to the anthracite coal region. Four new fans have been erected during the year, making a total of twenty-seven now in operation in the district. The ventilation in general throughout the district, was found to be very good, and the drainage is much improved.
The number of fatal accidents have increased. Eight persons were instantly killed and six seriously injured, resulting in death soon after the accidents occurred. The number of deaths caused by falls of coal and roof was ten, the same number as reported for the previous year. The increase in fatalities being chargeable to mine cars and powder explosions.
The non-fatal accidents have also increased from falls of coal and roof and by mine cars. There were two persons injured by an explosion of mine gas in the Adrian mine in Jefferson county which is the first serious occurrence of the kind so far reported in the district. Indications point to an increased development of mine gas in both Jeffer
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