TABLE No. 5.— List of non-fatal accidents that occurred in and about the mines of the Eighth Bituminous Mine District

for the year ending December 31, 1895.

Name of Person.

Occupation.

Name of Colliery.

Location --County.

Nature and Cause of Accident.

Date of accident.

Age.

Married.

Fall of rock in rib workings, side brow,

which broke his thigh. Fall of coal which broke his collar bone.

Accident caused by mining coal with

out sprags. Leg broken at ankle; struck by haul

age rope, which swings to one side when first put in motion and which he

knew, yet stood in the way. A piece of rock off side brow fell on

him breaking his wrist. Thigh broken by falling between mine

cars when in motion.
Three ribs broken, shoulder bruised,

thigh and spine injured. Both caught
under a fall of middle slate while min-
ing the lower bench of coal, which
should have been posted up and which
they were ordered to do.
Right leg broken by fall of fire clay

while standing on heading watching
operations of drivers.
Small bone of leg broken by rolling

coal which was on floor of mine and
while he was in the act of undercut-

ting more coal.
Compound fracture of thigh, necessitat-
ing amputation. Accident caused by
mine cars leaving the track when he
was between them. The mules turn-
ing to one side caused derailing of
cars, which danger had previously
been pointed out to him.

Clearfield,
Clearfield,

Ankle bruised and face cut by a piece

of coal rolling against him, which he was in front of, shoveling slack coal. Loss of right arm while coupling rail

road cars on siding. Arm and leg cut by fall of coal and

bony coal while examining it to see if

it was properly secured.
Thigh broken by fall of coal, which had

been mined and sprags taken out. His
father had him stand in front of hang-
ing coal to throw tamping in hole
which was being prepared for blasting

when coal fell.
Face, arms and body severely burned by

ignition of powder; caused by care-
lessly having his burning lamp on his
head when taking lid off an open can
of powder containing four pounds,

lamp falling in same.
Compound fracture of leg below knee

while neglecting his own duty and
jumping on moving cars, when they
left the track catching him between

them.
Leg broken below knee while riding be-

tween mine cars, running over an open
switch and catching his leg between,
some one having changed the switch

in his absence.
Leg broken below knee; caused by mine

cars leaving the track while he was riding between them attending to the brakes.

Clearfield,

Right collar bone broken by fall of coal; caused by neglecting to sprag

coal
while undercutting it.
Hip slightly bruised by a piece of slate

with feather edge falling and striking

him.
Two ribs broken and shoulder bruised

by fall of slate.
Collar bone broken by fall of coal which

he was undercutting. A thin slab on front having been loosened by a shot

previously fired. Fracture of right collar bone by a fall of coal which he

had

undercut,
sheared and shot, and because the
blast had not brought the coal down
he, without either spragging or in any
other way making it secure, lay down
under the coal and commenced min-
ing it deeper, when it fell upon him.

This was gross carelessness.
Hips bruised by being caught by a

mine car at a point along his room rib
where there was not sufficient space
for his safety, while his partner was
bringing loaded mine

car

down the
room.
Two fingers badly bruised while unload-

ing barrel of oil at bottom of shaft.
Shoulder and hip badly bruised by a

fall of slate, caused by mine cars-
leaving track and knocking prop out

letting slate down on him.
Left foot bruised by a fall of slate while

standing on heading.
Left leg broken below knee; caused by

fall of roof slate and coal. He had
just fired a shot and was returning to
charge a second shot when the roof
fell. He was careless in returning to
the place before the smoke cleared sut-
ficiently to allow him to see if the

roof was secure.
Simple fracture of right thigh.
Back bruised. Both injured by same fall

of bone coal while undercutting.
Leg broken below knee by fall of bone

coal which he was examining in his
working place in the morning,

NINTH BITUMINOUS DISTRICT.

(FAYETTE, WESTMORELAND AND ALLEGHENY COUNTIES.)

Connellsville, Pa., February 18, 1896. Hon. James W. Latta, Secretary of Internal Affairs:

Sir: In compliance with the act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, relating to bituminous coal mines, approved May 15, 1893, I have the honor to herewith submit my annual report as Inspector of Mines for the Ninth District for the year ending December 31, 1895.

The tables will show that during the year 5,652,813 tons of coal were mined in the district; this being an increase of 962,002 tons over the production for 1894. Also, the increase in production of coke for the year of 1895 over 1894 was 511,224 tons. The number of employes was 653 less than the preceding year. There was an increase in the average number of days worked of 62. A few of the coal miners were affected by local strikes, but, on the whole, the coal and coke men had a profitable year, and the workingmen had their wages materially advanced.

There were 21 lives lost in the district during the year this being an increase of 10 over the preceding year. The number of injuries not fatal was 40, the same number as in 1894.

Some of the accidents were remarkable; while some were the direct results of neglect. The table shows that the greater number of the miners killed were Americans or other English speaking people, so that ignorance of the language and of the mining laws cannot be blamed for their unfortunate end. The only advice that can be given is a caution for constant care and faithful observance of the mining laws. When men learn to value their lives more than the price of a wagon of coal the mine will lose its death record. How often does the investigation show that the last determination to set up the post for safety, or take down slate, was really the forerunner of death, and the coveted wagon is often loaded by another hand, perhaps the one that had a few moments before carried the lifeless form of a brother miner from the treacherous pit to daylight. Many new improvements have been made in the Ninth District during the year, especially in the ventilation of the mines. Five new fans have re