ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INSPECTORS OF MINES
SIXTH ANTHRACITE DISTRICT
(Columbia, Dauphin, Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties)
Office of Inspector of Mines
Ashland, PA., March 01, 1890
Hon. Thomas J. Stewart,
Secretary of Internal Affairs
Sir: I have the honor of presenting herewith my annual report for the year ending December 31,
1889. Complete returns from all the mines in the Sixth Anthracite District show that
4,353,868.22 tons of coal have been produced as against 4,710,014.32 ton in the previous year,
being a decrease of 356,140.32 tons. The number of fatal accidents for the year 1889 was fifty-two, as against sixty -four in the year 1888, thus showing a decrease of twelve. Almost fifty
percent of the fatal accidents were caused by falls of roof and slides. I am sorry to say a large
number of these accidents were caused, not by the danger attending the work, but by the
carelessness of the victims themselves. It is also very evident to me in my examination of the
places where a large number of these accidents occurred, that had the foreman in charge insisted
on the workmen keeping their work places properly timbered, many of both fatal and non-fatal
accidents would have been averted. There have been a large number of improvements made at
the several collieries in my district during the years, the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron
Company being in lead of all others. Did the market warrant the production of more coal this
company could have increased its shipments fully forty per cent., and in fact all the other firms
could have done so in nearly the same proportion. The accompanying tables show the amount of
coal mined and shipped to market, number of persons employed in and about the mines, also the
number of fatal and non-fatal accidents which occurred during the year, with comparisons with
the years of 1887 and 1888.
Very respectfully yours,
WILLIAM McMURTRIE
Inspector of Mines
TABLE IV
List of Fatal Accidents occurring in the Mines of the Sixth Anthracite District
for the year ending December 31, 1889
(Information presented in the following order: Date of Accident; Name of Person Injured;
Occupation; Age; Married(M) or Single (S); No. Of Orphans; Name of Colliery; Location -
County; Nature and Cause of Accident.)
Jan. 16 Francis REILY - Laborer - 25 - S - 0 - Williamstown - Dauphin - Fatally injured January 11, by stricking his head against side of the shaft. Died January 16th.
Jan. 22 Michael GIRSH - Miner - 54 - M - 4 - Alaska - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of top-coal.
Jan. 23 William V. KEAST - Driver - 16 - S - 0 - Short Mountain - Dauphin - Killed by being run over by mine wagons.
Jan. 24 Frank M. MILLER - Miner - 22 - M - 2 - Short Mountain - Dauphin - Killed by a fall of coal and lumber while repairing a gangway.
Feb. 04 Jacob METZINGER - Miner - 38 - M - 5 - Luke Fiddler - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of slate in gangway.
Feb. 07 David BUCKAMAN - Miner - 28 - S - 0 - Morris Ridge - Columbia - Fatally injured February 7th; died on the 11th.
Feb. 11 Henry ERDMAN - Repair Man - 51 - M - 3 - Short Mountain - Dauphin - Killed by being run over by a trip of mine wagons of hoisting slope.
Mar. 04 Joseph SPADER - Miner - 32 - M - 2 - Neilson - Northumberland - Killed by falling down shaft.
Mar. 16 John McCAFFREY - Fire Boss - 35 - M - 3 - Neilson - Northumberland - Smothered by carbureted hydrogen gas.
Mar. 17 Jacob COVOLOSKI - Miner - 22 - S - 0 - Black Diamond - Northumberland - Killed in breast by a rush of coal or slate.
Apr. 01 John G. WAGNER - Driver - 17 - S - 0 - Williamson - Dauphin - Killed by being run over by one trip of mine wagons of hoisting slope.
Apr. 04 Michael ZEHTO - Miner - 38 - S - 0 - Neilson - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of slate in No. 11 vein, west gangway.
May 01 William Williams - Driver - 17 - S - 0 - Pennsylvania - Northumberland - Killed by being kicked in head by mule.
May 11 Patrick FITZPATRICK - Laborer - 52 - M - 5 - Williamstown - Dauphin - Killed by dirt dump running over him while cleaning road.
May 21 James WILLIAMS - Miner - 52 - M - 5 - Big Mountain - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of rock on gangway while robbing pillars.
May 23 Thomas ALBRIGHT - Miner - 35 - M - 2 - Pennsylvania - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of bone-coal in breast.
May 29 Joseph SIXSMITH - Door Boy - 16 - S - 0 - Big Mountain - Northumberland - Killed by being caught between prop and mine wagon.
May 30 Ambrose VETH - Miner - 28 - S - 0 - Pennsylvania - Northumberland - Killed by explosion of fire-damp.
Jun. 03 John BAOSKIL - Laborer - 27 - M - 2 - Big Mine Run - Schuylkill - Killed by a fall of slate in breast.
Jun. 12 Adolph SIDLE - Miner - 43 - M - 4 - Burnside - Northumberland - Killed by falling down breast manway.
Jun. 15 Stony AMBROSE - Miner - 41 - M - 2 - Excelsior - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of slate.
Jun. 23 John NOLAN - Laborer - 28 - M - 1 - Cameron - Northumberland - Killed by being caught between elevator buckets and sheet iron in the elevator pit.
Jun. 29 Samuel NUTTER - Miner - 35 - M - 6 - Keystone - Schuylkill - Killed by being smothered by rush of coal in chute.
Jul. 07 David SHAMPER - Engineer - 27 - M - 3 - Willamstown - Dauphin - Killed by falling down shaft.
Jul. 08 Michael HIGGINS - Door Boy - 16 - S - 0 - Henry Clay - Northumberland - Killed by being run over by mine wagons.
Jul. 13 Michael KOLOCH - Miner - 38 - M - 3 - Big Mine Run - Schuylkill - Killed by a fall of coal.
Jul. 29 Charles SMITH - Engineer - 44 - M - 8 - Locust Spring - Northumberland - Killed by being run over by mine locomotive.
Aug. 02 Joseph CONSIDE - Miner - 38 - M - 4 - Mt. Carmel - Northumberland - Killed by premature explosion of a blast.
Aug. 03 Joseph MARSHOCK - Miner - 85 - M - 2 - Enterprise - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of top-coal.
Aug. 06 John GERSKI - Miner - not given - ng - ng - Alaska - Northumberland - Fatally injured by a fall of coal Jul. 13th ; died Aug. 06th.
Aug. 07 William E. DAVIS - Miner - 47 - M - 4 - Short Mountain - Dauphin - Killed by falling down breast manway.
Aug. 07 Frank LUFTUFSKI - Miner - 27 - S - 0 - Enterprise - Northumberland - Killed by a piece of coal from a blast.
Aug. 08 August ZINDOCK - Miner - 25 - S - 0 - Bellmore - Northumberland - Fatally injured by an explosion of powder. August 08th ; Died August 11th .
Aug. 10 Joseph WASHNICK - Miner - 48 - M - 5 - Big Mountain - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of coal.
Aug. 27 Alexander KEISER - Miner - 48 - M - 6 - Bear Valley - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of top-coal.
Sep. 05 William FEIDER - Miner - 36 - S - 0 - Locust Spring - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of top-coal.
Sep. 06 Jacob RUMAN - Laborer - 32 - M - 3 - Centralia - Columbia - Killed by turnout collar falling on him.
Sep. 12 Andrew MARTIN - Miner - 35 - M - 2 - Reliance - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of coal in breast.
Sep. 17 Patrick NOLAN - Laborer - Not Given - ng - ng - Williamstown - Dauphin - Killed while moving timber on tank; the timber struck him in abdomen, from the effects of which he died in five hours.
Sep. 20 Hugh ROBERTS - Miner - 35 - M - 3 - Alaska - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of slate in gangway.
Sep. 20 Anthony MORESHETY - Laborer - 19 - S - 0 - Alaska - Northumberland - Killed by same fall of slate as ROBERTS.
Oct. 05 John BROWN - Miner - 26 - M - 2 - Logan - Columbia - Fatally injured by fall of slate; died the same day.
Oct. 10 S.N. DERRICK - Miner - 28 - M - 2 - North Franklin - Northumberland - Fatally injured October 1st , by explosion of dynamite and black powder; died October 10th.
Oct. 10 John CONJWIA - Miner - 30 - M - 3 - Burnside - Northumberland - Killed by fall of slate in breast.
Nov. 09 Adam STEINBOCK - Miner - 28 - S - 0 - Garfield - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of slate in breast.
Nov. 11 Bartholamew ALLWELL - Miner - 26 - S - 0 - Williamstown - Dauphin - Killed by a fall of rock in breast.
Nov. 12 Frank WELLNO - Laborer - 57 - M - 2 - Luke Fiddler - Northumberland -Killed by his clothes catching on line shaft, and being wound around it.
Nov. 15 Phillip HOFFMAN - Miner - 37 - M - 6 - Short Mountain - Dauphin - Killed by a fall of top-rock in breast.
Nov. 21 Christ ENGLA - Driver - 19 - S - 0 - Garfield - Northumberland - Fatally injured November 20th, by being caught between loaded wagon and chute; died on November 21st.
Nov. 26 Joseph STATINSKI - Miner - 23 - S - 0 - Big Mountain - Northumberland - Killed by a fall of slate in breast.
Dec. 02 Joseph COVOLOSKI - Loader - Not given - ng - ng - Pennsylvania - Northumberland - Killed by falling down slope.
Dec. 13 John WESTPHER - Door Boy - 16 - S - 0 - Keystone - Schuylkill - Killed by being crushed between mine wagons.