TABLE IV.

Showing by counties the principal improvements made in Coal Mines during the year ending June 30, 1895.

Improvements.

Escape-shaft, equipped with horse-power, catches and covers placed on cage.
Screen and platform built.

J. S. Henderson.

66

TABLE IV-Continued.

Improvements.

Shaft and horse-power.

Furnace rebuilt and enlarged.

Air-shaft sunk.

McFadden Coal Co.

M. B. Meilley.

Ladder in air-shaft, gates around shaft opening.
Air-shaft.

Steam plant and 30 pit-cars built and renewed.
Bonnets on cages, gates at shaft No. 7.

Revolving screen and engine at the new mine.
New screen and additional track.

Mine No. 33, cable extended 1,000 feet, and overcast erected; No. 43, new shaft,
stairway and 12 foot fan; No. 46, twenty new houses for miners built.

Shaft sunk, pit-top and hoisting apparatus, escapement-shaft sunk and furnace built.

New foundations for fan engine, two smoke-stacks, steam-pump, 1000 feet of pipe and 50 pit-cars built.

Repaired shaft, two new ropes, timbered and cleaned air-ways and mine repaired
generally.

Two cages, catches, covers and shaft bottom retimbered.
Air-shaft sunk.

New drum and air shaft repaired.

Shaft sunk and equipped with horse-power, ropes, cages, catches, scales, 30 pitcars and 1200 feet railroad track.

LEGISLATION AND MINE INSPECTION.

It may not be out of place in connection with this report to note what has been accomplished for the benefit of the operators and miners of this State, under the mining laws as originally enacted and subsequently amended. Thirty years ago, when the present Mine Inspector came to this State, the mining industry was in its infancy, and for many years thereafter comparatively little attention was given to practical mining. The condition of the mines at the time, when considered with reference to security, ventilation and sanitation, was most imperfect and defective. There was not a ventilating fan in the State, nor was there a furnace at any of the mines of sufficient capacity to furnish the required quantity of air.

The Inspector has worked under mine bosses who had never seen a fan, furnace or other ventilating appliance employed in producing artificial ventilation. Most of the operators relied upon nature alone for ventilation, a most unreliable and uncertain method, especially in warm weather. The means for ingress and egress was confined, in the majority of cases, to a single shaft, and it was at the option of the operator, whether or not, he provided one or two outlets for the safety of miners in the event of danger. There were no safety-catches nor covers on the cages, neither were there gates around the shaft opening, nor brakes on drums.

Prior to the passage of the mining laws, it was not an uncommon occurrence to drive single entries 150 feet ahead of the air, or in fact just as far as the entry driver could work and survive. Rooms were turned off each side of the entry, and so as long as the lamp continued to burn and the miner sent out his coal, ventilation was deemed satisfactory. Thus the miner was plunged as it were into an almost stagnent and hourly thickening atmosphere, night finding him so weakened and prostrated by inhaling the foul air all day long that he could with difficulty wend his way home.

It is now fifteen years since the enactment of the first mining law, and its promoters in witnessing its good results have discovered the necessity for further amending the same several times since. While this State has as good laws as may be found in any of the mining states, and great improvement in the methods of mining are observed in all directions, yet there may be found mines worked and ventilated after the manner in vogue one hundred years ago, due to the management of a class of men of whom I shall further along call attention. The first bill having for its object the better protection of the

of the State was prepared and introduced by the Hon. Henry

A. Newman of Randolph county. It was passed in the year 1881, and afterward amended in the years 1883 and 1885, but not until the year 1887 was a law enacted providing for an inspection of mines by a State officer. Previous to the law creating a State Mine Inspector, the inspection of mines was made by county inspectors, appointed by the county court, under which system salaries being inconsequential, many counties neglected to make the appointment, while other counties frequently appointed incompetent and indifferent inspectors, with the result that the mines were but poorly and partially inspected, and the crude and reckless methods obtaining allowed to continue with but slight interference. The imperfections of this system became so apparent as to necessitate the enactment of the present law.

There followed soon after the enactment of this law a marked improvement in the methods of coal mining. The mines were rapidly supplied with ventilating appliances which furnished large and wholesome volumes of pure, fresh air, and under intelligent management, where the current of air is divided up and split into separate divisions, the miner receiving the air in its freshness and from the most direct route, has been greatly blessed thereby, when compared with his condition previous to such inspection. Increased attention is given to the importance of conducting the air into the rooms, and yet a still greater improvement in this direction is most desirable. Two entries are now driven parallel to each other, for the ingress and egress of the air current, with cross-cuts between them every fifty feet; substantial wooden doors on main entries have taken the place of the old canvass door, and trappers required to look after them in all mines employing fifty or more men. Every mine in the State entered by a shaft is supplied with two outlets; all cages are furnished with catches and covers ; gates are found at all mine openings, and all drums are provided with brakes. The sanitary condition of the mines have been greatly improved and the general safety and comfort of the miners bettered.

The Inspector yet experiences much trouble with many mine bosses in having them maintain the condition referred to, but so long as the law demands these salvatory conditions, just so long, if occupying my ‣ position, will I insist upon their enforcement. The occupation of the miner, by reason of these laws, has been made safer, more endurable and more healthy, and experience demonstrates that in all improvements made with the above object in view that good results are observed in the condition of the mine itself: in other words, that those things which tend to improve the miners' health and safety also improves the mine and benefits the employer.