REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF MINES

FIFTH ANTHRACITE DISTRICT

(Schuylkill County)





Office of Inspector of Mines

Shenandoah, April 17, 1890

Hon. Thomas J. Stewart,

Secretary of Internal Affairs:

Sir: In compliance with the act of assembly, approved June 30, 1885. I have the honor of herewith submitting to you my fifth annual report as inspector of mines of the Fifth Anthracite coal district for the year 1889.

The tables accompanying my repot give the usual statistics comparing them with the year 1888. It is with much regret that I have to report sixteen more deaths in the year 1889 than in the previous year; the non-fatal accidents number eighty-three. In 1888 we had one-hundred and twelve a decrease of twenty-nine. We had no unusual calamity during the year from any source for which we have great reason to be thankful. In January 1889 we had ten deaths, and had those lives been lost at one time it would have naturally have caused a gloom over the whole mining community, but as it is, one was killed at Ellangowan, another at Parker No.2, tow at Buck Mountain, ans so on, until ten lives were lost in a period of thirty-one days. Under the head of fatal accidents I have given brief descriptions of how seven of those victims lost their lives, showing that had ordinary care been observed, these men would not have lost their lives in the way that they did.

From my investigations in connection with fatal accidents and in conjunction with evidence of those working with or near to the ones who have been killed, thirty-two of the sixty deaths for the year 1889 were caused by the deceased's own recklessness or the neglect or carelessness of those for whom they were more immediately working at the time the accidents occurred. It is often asked, "can we do any more than has already been done to reduce the death rate?" We say yes, and reason thus: Theoretically and practically our mine managers do not need to take a back seat in the school of mining. Our mining appliances are as modern, useful and durable as in any country. ( Transcribers note: I was not sent the complete copy of the cover letter, however, this is a good example of the attitudes of the time, you will see that the attitudes of the Inspectors differ as to culpability for the loss of life)

TABLE IV

List of Fatal Accidents occurring in the Mines of the Fifth Anthracite District for the year ending December 31, 1889

(Listed in the following order: Date, Name of Person Injured, Age, Married or single, Number of Orphans, Name of Colliery, Location in Schuylkill Co., Date of Investigation, Nature and Cause of Accident in Brief)

#01 Jan. 10 Michael MUSICH - 30 - no - 0 - Indian Ridge - Shenandoah - Jan. 10 - Outside laborer: the rope broke on outside plane and he was killed by flying debris.

#02 Jan. 15 John WALL - 14 - no - 0 - Ellengowan - Maple Dale - Jan. 16 - Slate picker: Killed by being caught in buckwheat screen.

#03 Jan. 16 Edward COLE -38 - widower - 2 - Black Mountain - Mahanoy City - Jan. 16 - Miner: fatally injured by an explosion of gas: died in Miners Hospital on the 28th.

#04 Jan. 16 Stephen SLOAN - 40 - yes - 5 - Black Mountain - Mahanoy City - Jan. 16 - Miner: fatally injured by explosion an of gas: died in Miners Hospital on the 26th.

#05 Jan. 16 Patrick FALLEN - 22 - yes - 2 - Packer No.2 - Lost Creek - Jan. 18 - Laborer: Killed in gangway by fall of coal.

#06 Jan. 21 Charles McGEE - 26 - yes - 1 - Park No.2 - Park Place - Jan. 22 - Car loader: was running railroad cars from under breaker and in jumping off, cars ran over him.

#07 Jan. 25 Thomas KINNEY - 34 - yes - 1 - Kohinoor - Shenandoah - Jan.25 - Laborer: fatally injured by fall of coal: died in Miners Hospital September 09th.

#08 Jan. 26 Charles HODMAN - 25 - single - 0 - Indian Ridge - Shenandoah - Jan. 26 - Laborer: killed by fall of slate in gangway.

#09 Jan. 29 Elias LOVELL - 33 - yes - 4 - Gilberton - Gilberton - Jan. 30 - Killed by fall of coal, side slip.

#10 Jan. 31 James ROSS - 14 - single - 0 - Girard Mammoth - Raven Run - Feb. 01 - Slate Picker: smothered in dirt hopper.

#11 Feb. 07 Thomas HOBBIN - 28 - single - Hammond - Girardville - Feb. 08 - Starter: was in act of placing dynamite on a piece of rock in chute when another slate slipped down killing him instantly.

#12 Feb. 28 Thomas LEACHY - 22 - single - Elmwood - Mahonoy City - Mar. 01 - Loader: killed by a piece of coal falling out of chute while cleaning gangway

#13 Mar. 04 James KINNEY - 29 - single - Shenandoah City - Shenandoah - Mar. 04 - Contractor: killed by a fall of top slate in slope while clearing a wreck caused by cars getting off track.

#14 Mar. 18 David EVANS - 48 - married - 7 - Mahonoy City - Mahonoy City - Mar. 19 - Contractor: killed by coal slipping from pillar and squeezing him between wooded cribbing built to support top.

#15 Apr. 17 George LEWIS - 15 - single - 0 - Indian Ridge - Shenandoah - Apr. 17 - Slate Picker: killed by being run over by railroad cars in attempting to cross track.

#16 Apr. 26 William SMITH - 25 - single - 0 - Gilberton - Gilberton - Apr. 28 - Laborer: fatally injured by fall of coal; died on the 30th.

#17 May 07 Felix McNEELIS - 28 - single - 0 - Packer No.4 - Brownsville - May 08 - Miner: Fatally injured by an expolsion of gas: died in Miners Hospital on the 8th.

#18 May 08 Peter GELINA - 35 - married - 1 - Packer No.4 - Brownsville - May 04 - Miner: killed by fall of coal and slate.

#19 May 24 Patrick McHUGH - 20 - single - 0 - Park No.2 - Park Place - May 25 - Driver: killed between cars and roof of gangway.

#20 Jun. 11 John PLOGERT - 26 - single - 0 - Knickerbocker - Yatesville - Apr. 12 - Miner: killed by fall of coal.

#21 Jun. 15 Patrick HAGGERTY - single - 0 - North Laurel Ridge - Gilberton - Jun. 16 - Driver: killed between car and chute support.

#22 Jun. 18 Anthony GRIESHER - 27 - married - 2 - Ellangowan - Maple Dale - Jun. 19 - Miner: killed by fall of rock.

#23 Jun. 26 Patrick GANGHAN - 26 - single - 0 - Packer No.5 - Rappahannock - Jun. 27 - Miner: killed by coal flying from shot causing him to fall down manway.

#24 Jun. 26 George DIXON - 32 - married - 3 - Kohinoor - Shenandoah - Jun. 27 - Miner: killed by fall of coal.

#25 Jun. 27 William UNWIN - 21 - single - 0 - Packer No.4 - Lost Creek - Jun. 28 - Laborer: killed by fall of slate in gangway.

#26 Jun. 27 Owen W. OWENS - 26 - single - 0 - West Shenandoah - Shenandoah - Jun. 28 - Repairman: fatally injured by explosion of gas: died in Miners Hospital July 23rd.

#27 Jul. 11 James O. DONNELL - 26 - single - Boston Run - St. Nicholas - Jul. 12 - Starter: killed by fall of slate at battery.

#28 Jul. 18 John WELSH - 46 - married - 4 - Indian Ridge - Shenandoah - Jul. 19 - Miner: killed by fall of coal.

#29 Jul. 19 Michael CUNNINGHAM - 35 - single - 0 - Elmwood - Mahanoy City - Jul. 20 - Miner: killed by fall of clod.

#30 Jul. 24 Thomas LOWEN - 64 - married - 4 - Kohinoor - Shenandoah - Jul. 25 - Miner: fatally injured by fall of top slate: died on the 27th : children all married.

#31 Jul. 27 Philip LAMBERT - 42 - married - 5 - Indian Ridge - Shenandoah - Jul. 28 - Miner: fatally injured by fall of coal: died on the 17th of August.

#32 Aug. 14 James MALARKY - 42 - married - 6 - Hammond - Girardville - Aug. 14 - Miner: killed by fall of coal and slate.

#33 Aug. 17 Thomas W. WILLIAMS - 40 - married - 4 - Glendon - Mahanoy City - Aug. 18 - Miner: fatally injured by fall of top slate: died on the 22nd

#34 Aug.28 Joseph ZANIVZIS - 30 - single - 0 - Suffolk - St. Nicholas - Aug. 29 - Miner: killed by a piece of board being run through his body.

#35 Aug. 31 Anthony AMBROLEVAGE - 26 - single - 0 - Bear Run - St. Nicholas - Aug. 31 - Miner: killed by fall of top slate.

#36 Sep. 03 William RODGERS - 43 - single - 0 - Park No.2 - Park Place - Sep. 04 - Miner: killed by rush of coal from face of breast.

#37 Sep. 03 William YATES - 28 - married - 0 - Park No.2 - Park Place - Sep. 04 - Miner: fatally injured by rush of coal from face of breast died on the 10th.

#38 Sep. 04 Joseph WINKLE - 35 - married - 3 - Primrose - Mahanoy City - Sep. 05 - Miner: killed by fall of coal.

#39 Sep. 09 James HEATON - 25 - single - 0 - Packer No.4 - Lost Creek - Sep. 10 - Miner: killed by blast, he having shortened the squib.

#40 Sep. 19 William LINDERMUTH - 18 - single - Kohinoor - Shenandoah - Sep. 20 - Driver: killed by fall of coal and slate from roof of gangway.

#41 Sep. 25 William IRVIN - 40 - married - 4 - Lawrence - Mahanoy Plane - Sep. 26 - Miner: suffocated by black damp (CO2) .

#42 Sep. 25 William LOCOPOPSKE - 25 - single - Lawrence - Mahanoy Plane - Sep. 26 - Laborer: suffocated by black damp (CO2)

#43 Oct. 4 John HAMPTON - 30 - married - 0 - Draper - Gilberton - Oct. 05 - Miner: killed: while preparing to stand a prop, piece of slate slipped from "gob", taking him down the manway and jamming him between prop and roof.

#44 Oct. 14 William HOOLIGHAN - 50 - married - 5 - Tunnel Ridge - Mahanoy Plane - Oct. 15 - Miner: fatally injured by fall of coal while dressing off after firing; died on the 16th.

#45 Oct. 17 Rodger HOOL - 26 - married - 5 - William Penn - Shaft Postoffice - Oct. 18 - Laborer: killed by fall of clod, while in the act of breaking a piece of coal.

#46 Oct. 25 John OCEALUS - 22 - single - 0 - Gilberton - Gilberton - Oct. 26 - Laborer: killed between gunboat and prop while ascending the slope.

#47 Nov. 05 John FRILL - 60 - single - 0 - William Penn - Shaft Postoffice - Nov. 06 - Slate Picker: fatally injured : dirt dumper ran over him.

#48 Nov. 12 John HORAN - 28 - single - 0 - Primrose - Mahanoy City - Nov. 13 - Miner: killed by fall of slate.

#49 Nov. 15 Patrick HARDIMAN - 42 - married - 6 - Knickerbocker - Yatesville - Nov. 16 - Miner: killed between car and props on slope track.

#50 Nov. 15 John MILLER - 15 - single - 0 - 0 - Schuylkill - Mahanoy City - Nov. 16 - Door Boy: fatally injured by cars running over him on slope track : died on the 8th of December.

#51 Nov. 18 William DURKIN - 30 - not given - ng - Suffolk - St. Nicholas - Nov. 19 - Miner: killed by fall of coal: Family in Poland.

#52 Nov. 23 Joseph MILLER - 30 - not given - ng - Boston Run - St. Nicholas - Nov. 24 - Miner: killed by fall of coal: Family in Poland.

#53 Nov. 23 John KLINGLE - 16 - single - 0 - St. Nicholas - St. Nicholas - Nov. 24 - Slate Picker: killed by being caught in the rollers.

#54 Nov. 23 Thomas Edmonston - 30 - not given - ng - William Penn - Shaft Postoffice - Nov. 25 - Miner: killed by going back to a shot too soon; it exploded just as he got to it.

#55 Nov. 29 Michael CONVILLE - 24 - single - 0 - Packer No.2 - Lost Creek - Nov. 30 - Laborer: fatally injured by fall of slate in the gangway: died December 1st.

#56 Dec. 09 William HUGO - 17 - single - 0 - Kohinoor - Shenandoah - Dec. 10 - Door Boy: killed between loaded and empty cars.

#57 Dec. 16 James BURNS - 28 - single - 0 - Gilberton - Gilberton - Dec. 17 - Miner: fatally injured by fall of "bony coal"; died in the Miners Hospital on the 22nd.

#58 Dec. 16 Frank SELTZER - 22 - single - 0 - Gilberton - Gilberton - Dec. 17 - Outside Laborer: fatally injured on rock chute of cleaner and died in Miners Hospital on January 5th.

#59 Dec. 18 Charles HEFFRON - 20 - single - 0 - Boston Run - St. Nicholas - Dec. 20 - Driver: killed by falling under cars.

#60 Dec. 20 Henry WATKINS - 36 - married - 3 - Boston Run - St. Nicholas - Dec. 20 - Miner: killed by fall of coal.