Where, however, neither under-cutting or side-cutting has been done, then it would be proper to say such coal was shot out of" the solid.

The unwritten law among miners, with reference to the blasting of coal, is that the under-cutting and side-cutting of the coal must be at least the same depth as the coal seam is high. That is to say, that if a coal seam is four or six feet high, then the undermining and side-cutting or "shearing" ought to be also four or six feet in depth.

There are a great number of conditions which modify the useful effect of blasting different coal seams, such as the solidity or densety of the coal, the character and number of the fractures, flexures or slips contained in it, the roughness or smoothness of the partings between the coal seam and the overlying or underlying strata.

To blast coal without any prepration whatever, we have all the known resistances to overcome, viz., the fracturing of the coal itself, the adhesion of the roof and bottom and the force of gravity due to the weight of the coal moved.

To blast it after side-cutting, we have only decreased these resistances on one side, and that directly in proportion to the surface cut, leaving therefore the resistances of top, bottom and two sides of the coal seam to be overcome by the shot, and in addition the force of gravity due to the weight of coal moved.

To blast it after it has been properly undermined, and cut in on the side. we have only the adhesive force of the top, and two sides of the coal seam to overcome, and instead of having the force of gravity operating against the force of the gunpowder as in the two former cases, it will now be in its favor.

Therefore, it will be seen at once, that unless there are very favorable circumstances to operate with, that a much better quality of marketable coal can be produced where the coal is mined and cut properly for each acre of coal mined than where it is mined either by being "shot off" or "shot out of the solid."

With reference to the length and character of my experience in mining, I may sy that I am 46 years of age, and have been employed in mines since the age of 10 years; so that for 36 years I have been engaged in or about mines in every capacity, from door-boy to superintendent. I have been coal-digger, track-layer, rockman, sinker, fire-boss, mine-boss, superintendent, and now Mine Inspector.

For the last 15 years I have been engaged in an official capacity as fire-boss, mine-boss or superintendent. Two years ago I was appointed for Mine Inspector, after a competitive examination. The appointment is for a period of four years. Hoping the above may be of service to you in arriving at a solution of the question "what is shooting off the solid," I beg to remain,

Yours most respectfully,

CHAS. CONNor,

Mine Inspector, 5th Bit. Dist., Pa.

STRIKES.

HENRY COUNTY.

The miners employed at the Hancock Coal Co.'s came out on strike in October. They demanded a pay-day every two weeks, which being denied them, they returned to work four days thereafter on the old terms. About 12 men only effected by the strike.

JACKSON COUNTY.

At the Brush Creek Coal Co.'s mine the miners came out on a strike in November because of a reduction of one-half cent per bushel on the price of mining. The strike lasted nineteen days, when the men accepted the reduction and returned to work. There were 50 men engaged in the strike.

MACON COUNTY.

At the mines of the Little Pittsburgh Coal Co. the miners on the 1st of October, 1891, came out on a strike.

The miners made a demand on the company for an increase of 10 cents per ton for mining. This was not conceded. On the 14th day of November following, the men returned to work upon former terms. About 75 men took part in this strike.

PUTNAM COUNTY.

The Mendota Coal Co. claimed that it was losing money, closed its mine No. 4, at which mine many single men and others who did not live in the company houses were employed. March 25, 1895, the miners employed in mines No. 1 and No. 2 requested the company to give the miners of No. 4 a share in the work of No.1 and No. 2, which was refused. Thereupon the miners in No. 1 and No. 2 came out on a strike, which lasted until June 1, at which time work was resumed with almost an entire new set of miners, and at a reduction of 10 cents per ton for mining. In addition to which the operator and miners contracted to do that which is in direct violation of the screen law of this State, as no miner was permitted to go to work until the following contract was signed:

MINERS' ANNUAL CONTRACT.

1

In consideration of being employed as a miner in the coal mine of the Mendota Coal & Mining Co. and of payments hereinafter mentioned, I hereby agree to accept as full payment for all coal mined by me from said mine during the periods mentioned, the prices named below, to wit:

From April 1, 1895, to October 1, 1895, seventy cents (70c) per ton of 2000 lbs.of clean coal.

From October 1, 1895, to April 1, 1896, eighty cents (80c) per ton of 2000 lbs. Of clean coal.

I agree to comply with the rules and regulations of the Mendota Coal & Mining Co. during my employment under this contract

I further agree that all coal mined by me shall be screened before being weighed, and that the weight of such screened coal shall be the basis of payments.

I further expressly agree that payment for all coal so mined by me or for work done by me in said mine during any month shall be paid for on the 20th day of the succeeding month, and shall not sooner become due.

Signed in duplicate, this

day of

1895. 9

MENDOTA COAL & MINING CO.

The termination of this strike has proved to be the most unsatisfactory to the miners of any strike occurring within the boundaries of the State, as the screen law is considered a just and a good law, and the violation of it caused quite a stir amongst the miners all over the State, and quite a number of letters were mailed to the Governor, requesting him to aid the miners in the enforcement of this law.

The Labor Commissioner requested me, when again visiting the mines of Putnam county, to investigate the cause of this strike, with all other particulars relating thereto. Upon my inspection of the mines of this county, June 28 and 29, 1895, I also made a thorough inves tigation af the troubles experienced there. The merits and demerits of the question of weighing the coal after it was screened did not interest me, as I regarded the weighing of coal after being screened as unlawful and hurtful to the miners, and there was nothing that I could see or learn that would change my views as long as the present screen law was the law of our State.

After receiving numerous expressions of opinions from the miners, and having had several conversations with the officers of the coal company, I determined to visit and examine the screens at the mines in the state of Iowa, which was but a short distance away, so much having been said by the Mendota Coal Company concerning competi tion with the Iowa operators, and a simple desire to be placed on equal terms, etc.

Measuring the screens at the mines in Iowa, I found them better for the miner than the screens at the Mendota mines. The space between the bars of the Iowa screen measured only 1 inch, while the Mendota screens measured 1 inch, and in addition to this some of the Iowa screens were made of one-inch square iron, and those at Mendota of the diamond bar pattern. In both instances the advantage to the miner was with the Iowa screens. But on measuring the width I found the Iowa screens 4 feet wide and rather flat, while the Mendota screens are only 3 feet 7 inches wide and very steep.

Both of these latter conditions are in favor of the miners of the Mendota mines.

I reported these facts to the Labor Commissioner, and further expressed my opinion that a practical miner at Mendota could, with the same size and kind of screen in use in Iowa, earn as much money at 70 cents per ton, screened coal, as he could at 60 cents per ton unscreened, but that there were so many indifferent miners who could not use the pick properly, that because of the extra amount of slack they would make that 60 cents per ton for unscreened coal would be the best rate for them. The figures furnished me for loss in the Iowa mines was from 200 to 250 pounds of fine coal and slack for each ton of coal passed over the screen, and at the Mendota mines the coal company's figures were 390 pounds over the 1 inch screen. I discovered that the old miners at Mendota did not want to go to work at any price in violation of the screen law. The law was enacted at the instigation of the miners, and its universal violation in this State would work an injury to many of them.

RANDOLPH COUNTY.

The miners employed at the Caffery-Baker Coal Co. mines have participated in more strikes during the past year than they have in pay-days when there was any money in it. In fact, when a strike was not on for pay or a check weighman, it was at such times as the men were compelled to work to bridge over a period of starvation.

This company pays its employes in script, which will not bring more than half its face value outside of the company store, and at its store supplies are sold at such enormous prices that a miner does well to exchange his labor for his store account. Strikes at these mines are too frequent to enable the Inspector to keep anything like a detailed account of them and attend to his other duties.

The National strike, which commenced April 21, 1894, continued in Bates and Vernon counties until July 15, at which time the miners returned to work on same terms existing at the time they came out.

In Lafayette and Ray counties the strike commenced at same time mentioned above, and continued until the 13th of September, but the miners of the last named counties returned to work at a reduction of 12 cents per ton for mining.

ACCIDENTS.

The wisdom of good laws for the prevention of accidents, such as we now have on our statute books, has been demonstrated of late years by the gradual diminution of fatalities in our mines.

The Inspector, impressed with the fact that the safety and comfort of the miner constituted the prime object of his appointment, has at all times endeavored to not only see our laws made operative in this matter, but has interested himself in securing such additions and amendments to our laws as would tend to still further security. It is with no small degree of pleasure that he can state, that today our mines are as well provided for in all things necessary for the prevention of accidents as are the mines of any state in the Union.

Great credit is due the operators for the readiness with which they accept and adopt all meritorious appliances and devices which tend to make the life of a miner more safe and endurable.

Accidents are liable to occur in coal mines under the most favorable conditions, wise provisions and careful management, just as they do in all other industries, with the chances however decidedly against the coal mine, owing to the lurking and hidden dangers natural to it. With close observance of our mining laws as they now are, on the part of mine managers, and with practical, intelligent and energetic underground bosses in charge of our mines, we may reasonably expect a still further decrease in the number of accidents. But for the unwise employment of inexperienced and incompetent men, we would have less fatalities to record this year. At times like the present, when the trade is flourishing and miners scarce, there is a temptation to be somewhat indifferent as to the qualification of a man seeking work and representing himself as a miner; but the rule should be to weed out all indifferent miners as soon as practicable.

While there is no law justifying the rule, yet it is a custom and the rule by long usage to assume that an accident occuring to a miner in his room or working place, that he is alone responsible for it, provided, however, the means and appliances are furnished him to properly secure himself. The inference being that a miner should know his business well enough to so care for and work his room as to make it safe. If, for instance, a fall of roof occurs in a room and a miner is killed, about the first thing noticed by managers and miners is the number of props on hand and in use. Should the fact be established that the un