Annual Report of the Inspector of Mines

of the Seventh Anthracite Mine District

for the Year Ending December 31, 1889

(Schuylkill and Carbon Counties)

Seventh Anthracite District

Office of Inspector of Mines

Pottsville, PA, March 04, 1890

Hon. Thomas J. Stewart,

Secretary of Internal Affairs

Sir: I have the honor of presenting herewith my annual report as inspector of coal mines of the Seventh Anthracite district for the year ending December 31, 1889.

It contains the usual tables which show that 3,125,435 tons of coal were mined, against 2,687,362 the preceding year, an increase of 438,073 tons.

The number of fatal accidents was 36 leaving 10 widows and 43 orphans. The number of non-fatal accidents reported to us was 66. A number of these were, with out a doubt, of a serious character.

We very sincerely regret the fearful increase and deplorable loss of life during the past year. Nearly fourth percent of the deaths occurred during the month of May, having resulted from two cases, viz: Outburst of gas, and in consequence of a car being run into the shaft whilst ten persons were ascending on the cage. The details and remarks on the calamity will be found embodied in the report elsewhere.

SAMUEL GAY,

Inspector of Mines.

TABLE IV

List of Fatal Accidents occurring in and about the Mines of the Seventh Anthracite District, for the year ending December 31, 1889.

(Information presented in the following order: Date of Accident; Name of Person Injured; Age; Marital Status; Number of Orphans; Name of Colliery; Location-County; Nature and Cause of Accident in brief.)

Jan. 19 Peter MILLER - 21 - S - 0 - Greenwood, No.13 - Schuylkill - Died from injuries received from a fall of coal.

Jan 25 Thomas BUCHANAN - 44 - M - 5 - Middle Creek Shaft - Schuylkill - Suffocated from an outburst of fire-damp.

Jan 25 William Brenan - 45 - M - 5 - Middle Creek Shaft - Schuylkill - Suffocated from an outburst of fire-damp.

Feb. 20 Michael DOMER - 19 - S - 0 - Phoenix Park, No.3 - Schuylkill - Died from injuries received from a fall of roof.

Mar. 22 John McLAUGHLIN - 19 - S - 0 - L.C. & N. Co., No.9 - Schuylkill - Killed by a fall of slate.

Mar. 29 Gotlieb PFAN - 17 - S - 0 - Middle Creek Shaft - Schuylkill - Killed on surface by being crushed by cars at head of shaft.

Apr. 06 James SWEENY - 26 - S - 0 - Nesquehoning No.1 Tunnel - Carbon - Killed by an explosion of dynamite; while in act of drilling the tamping out of a hole that had missed fire.

May 09 Edward STUTZ - 20 - S - 0 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 09 John MOORE - 19 - S - 0 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 09 George BEDDALL - 20 - S - 0 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 09 Albert DWYER - 26 - S - 0 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 09 Patrick McDONALD - 20 - S - 0 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 09 Steve Matson SLAVISH - 25 - S - 0 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 09 Frank STUDTCORVICH - 27 - S - 0 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 09 John POTLEVISH - 30 - M - 0 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 09 Michael BOYLE - 34 - M - 7 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 09 Hugh CARLEM - 19 - S - 0 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed while assending shaft from a car being pushed into the shaft.

May 22 James KEARNEY - 40 - M - 4 - Kaska William Shaft - Middleport, Schuylkill - Killed by a premature explosion of a blast.

May 24 Anthony ZERNHALT - Info not given - Otto - Middleport, Schuylkill - Suffocated by an outburst of gas thrown off the face of a breast where they were working.

May 24 Henry WETHELDER - Info not given - Otto - Middleport, Schuylkill - Suffocated by an outburst of gas thrown off the face of a breast where they were working.

May 24 James DOLAN - Info not given - Otto - Middleport, Schuylkill - Suffocated by an outburst of gas thrown off the face of a breast where they were working.

May 24 John ROBERTS - NG - M - NG - Repplier - Schuylkill - Killed by falling down the slope.

May 24 John WELDON - NG - M - 6 - L.C. & N. Co., No.4 - Carbon - Killed by fall of coal in chute that he was repairing.

Jun. 10 George LORD - 16 - S - 0 - New Boston - Schuylkill - Killed by being caught in pea coal screen in the breaker.

Jul. 03 George SCHAFFER - 25 - S - 0 - Beachwood - Schuylkill - Killed by being crushed between car and timber on the gangway.

Jul. 19 Nathan MAURER - 47 - M - 7 - Brookside - Schuylkill - Fatally injured by being crushed by a piece of coal thrown from face of the breast by pressure.

Aug. 02 David MORGAN - 17 - S - 0 - Feather Ridge - Schuylkill - Killed by hoisting rope pulling out if an insecure fastening on the hoisting drum, precipitating the car in which he was descending down the slope killing the boy.

Sept. 10 Christ BRUMM - 17 - S - 0 - Old Lincoln - Schuylkill - Crushed to death between a car and side of tunnel at bottom of slope.

Sept. 19 Peter McGIURE - 17 - S - 0 - Otto - Schuylkill - Crushed beneath a loaded car from which he fell whilst it was in motion near bottom of the slope.

Oct. 04 Alexander KENADY - 23 - S - 0 - L.C. & N. Co., No.5 tunnel - Carbon - Killed by premature explosion of a blast.

Oct. 24 Bryan CONVILLE - 22 - S - 0 - Thomaston - Schuylkill - Fatally burned by an explosion of gas which was forced down from the face of an old breast.

Oct 24 Richard HUGHES - NG - M - 6 - Thomaston - Schuylkill - Fatally burned by an explosion of gas which was forced down from the face of an old breast.

Oct. 27 Adam KOHLET - 55 - M - NG - Forrestville - Schuylkill - Killed by a fall of coal.

Oct. 28 George ZENDLE - 17 - S - 0 - L.C. & N. Co., No.10 - Schuylkill - Killed by being crushed under a loaded mine car.

Oct. 30 John MURPHY - 35 - M - 6 - Thomaston - Schuylkill - Killed by the explosion of a blast; the shot exploded before he had time to get away, it was caused by the shortening of the match.