July 31, 1914. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 259 Prices at pithead. Hand-picked brights ..... Good house coals......... Secondary do............. Best hard coals.......... Secondary do............. Slacks (best hards) ..... Do. (second) .......... Do. (soft)............. Current prices. 13/ -13/6 11/ ~12l, 10 -11 10/6-11/ 9/6-10/3 6/6- 7/3 5/6- 6/ 5/6- 6/ L’st week’s prices. 13/ -13/6 11/ -12/ 10 -11/ 10/6-10/9 . 9/6-10/ 6/6- 7/ 5/6- 6/ 5/6- 6/ Last year’s prices. 12/ -13/ 11/ -12/ 10 -11 11/6-12/6 10/6-11/ 8/3- 8/9 7/3-7/9 7/3- 8/ _________________ Leicestershire. COAL. The general conditions this week have been rather disturbed by the war peril, but this has not so far affected the volume of the turnover in this coalfield. The feeling of uncertainty as regards the future, however, is rather general, and colliery proprietors prefer to act only on very safe lines at all costs until it will be possible to estimate the effect of events on domestic and manufacturing require- ments. This threatened dislocation of the ordinary course of trade has come just at the very moment when all sections of the business were showing a very sound and healthy recovery, and when the aggregate output was beginning to show a fair and reasonable return in the way of profit. For the season of the year, stocks taken all round are below the average. The following are the prices now generally current at the collieries in this district.— Per ton at pit. s. d. s. d. Best household coal ................... 12 6 to 13 6 Second, hand picked................... 11 6 to 12 6 Deep screened cobbles ................. 11 3 to 12 3 Deep large nuts ....................... 10 6 to 11 0 Bakers’ nuts........................... 10 0 to 10 6 Small nuts ........................................ 9 0 to 9 3 Deep breeze........................... 8 6 to 9 0 Peas ............................................... 7 9 to 8 3 Small dust ........................... 2 0 to 2 3 Deep cobbles and nuts for London bakers 9 0 to 10 0 Steams, best hand picked .............. 9 0 to 9 6 Steams, seconds ........................................ 8 3 to 8 9 Cobbles for kitcheners ................ 9 3 to 9 9 __________________ South Staffordshire, Worth Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Hednesford. COAL. There is very little change to report again this week in the condition of the coal trade of the Cannock Chase district. In a few cases the collieries have been working rather more regularly, but this is due in some measure to the proximity of the August holidays, when there will probably be several days’ stand. Prices are much the same as when last reported. There is a fair enquiry for fuel for manufacturing purposes, and the demand for house coal is no worse. Business is slightly better this week at the landsale depots. Birmingham. COAL. There is practically no change to record this week. Special prices have been withdrawn, but other values are nominal at the moment. In view of the trouble on the Continent, buyers are wary, but it is not expected it will have much effect in this district, though in any case this cannot be seen until after the holidays. Prices are as follow;— Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase) :— prices. prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 17/6 17/6 18/ Do. seconds deep 15/ 15/ 16/6 Do. best shallow 13/6 12/9 13/6 12/9 14/6 Do. seconds do. 13/ Best hard 14/6 14/6 14/ Forge coal . 10/6 10/6 11/ Slack Warwickshire:— 7/ 7/ 8/6 House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 15/6 15/6 16/ cobs 13/ 13/ 13/9 Best hard spires 14/6 14/6 10/6 14/6 Forge (steam) 10/6 10/ 9/6 D.S. nuts (steam) 9/6 9/6 Small (do.) 8/ 8/ 8/6 IRON. There was little doing at Thursday’s market, transactions being confined to small lots for early delivery against consumptive requirements. There was a tendency on the part.of some producers to stand out for rather better prices, but the European crisis did not appear to enter very largely into market movements. The further reduction in the output of pig iron enables smelters to make rather more favourable terms for parcels required for prompt delivery. As much as 6d. to Is. has been paid in these circumstances over the lately ruling minimum. The general tone of the market, however, remains flat, and with the prospect of an unusually prolonged holiday buyers showed very little enterprise. The few enquiries for finished material were insufficient seriously to test values. From Monday next puddlers’ wages will be reduced by 3d. a ton, and all other mill and forge wages by 2} per cent, as a result of a fall of 5s. 2d. in the average selling price, disclosed by the ascer- tainment for May and June of the Wages Board. There was no further shrinkage in total output during these months, but every description of material suffered a decline in value, the average being £6 15s. 9d., against £7 0s. lid. in the preceding two months. Puddlers’ wages will now become 9s. 6d. a ton. Common brands of Northamptonshire forge iron were quoted at 48s. to 48s. 6d. South Stafford- shire common grade iron is on about the same level, while part-mine commands 50s. to 51s., best all-mine forge 85s. to 90s., foundry 92s. 6d., and cold blast 125s. Derbyshire makers maintain a relatively favourable position, their quotations being on the basis of 51s. to 52s. The bar trade is no worse. Marked bars remain at =£8 10s. Unmarked bars of merchant quality fetch £6 5s. to <£6 10s. Puddled bars have a firmer tendency, the price asked to-day being <£4 7s. 6d. The export demand for galvanised sheets is quiet, but require- ments in the agricultural districts have given some impetus to the home trade, for which a minimum price of <£11 is insisted on. Shipping orders are booked at £10 17s. 6d. f.o.b. Liverpool, but in the case of small lots, £11 is asked for. Steel is being bought in driblets, the volume of business being barely sufficient to keep the works employed from week to week. There is some anxiety as to the possible effect of the political situation on Continental supplies. A drop in standard copper and tin, £1 in the former, and £2 in the latter, was attributed to the crisis. , ________ ________ Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. The house coal pits are still struggling on with three and four days’ work in the week. Since last writing, however, stocks—especially at the dock sidings—have been considerably added to. As a result of rough weather along the coast, tonnage has been seriously delayed, and a large number of wagons are hung up awaiting vessels’ arrivals. The railborne department is much neglected at the moment. Orders for slacks are fairly good, but there is some stock to be noticed. The steam coal pits are still making good time, but the enquiry is easier, especially for smalls. Prices at pithead. Current L’st week’SjLast year’s House coals:— prices. prices. i prices. Block 16/6 16/6 1 16/6 Forest 15/6 15/6 1 15/6 Rubble 15/9 15/9 15/9 Nuts .' 14/ 14/ ! 14/ Rough slack Steam coal:— 6/6 6/6 ; 10/ Large 12/6-13/ 8/ - 8/6 12/6-13/ ! 13/6-14/ Small 8/ - 8/6 ! 10/ -10/6 Prices Is. 9d. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. ________ -------________ Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report that there is unusual slackness still being exhibited in the South Coast markets, and no advance in prices or freights is being obtained for current business, which is of a limited kind as regards house coal and coke. The war scare seems to have had no influence on the minds of buyers, who appear to expect there will be little demand before the autumn. Gas coal imports have been more plentiful, but the steam coal trade is dull. ____________________________ COLLIERY ACCIDENTS. Wharncliffe Silkstone Colliery Explosion. The coroner’s investigation regarding the death of 12 men in the Wharncliffe Silkstone Colliery explosion, Tankersley, was resumed for the eighth day on Tuesday by Mr. Mait- land at Hoyland Common. Sydney Oughton, deputy, gave evidence regarding the receipt of orders for the stopping of the fan on Saturday afternoons. He had not known men were at the coal face when the fan had been stopped. Wm. Belcher, High Green, deputy, gave evidence regard- ing a request for lamps made by the under-manager (Fearnley) for men who were to work on the Saturday after- noon when the explosion occurred. He handed in the signed note at the lamp office. . Frank Faure Mariet, Tankersley, engineer of the colliery company, gave evidence at great length. Witness explained he had the supervision, and was responsible for the repair of all machinery, including the ventilation fan. The fan was worked alternately by gas and steam engines, and the changing of the engine would require from 10 to 30 minutes. Witness explained the changing of the fan took place on Fridays prior to the strike. Information would be given of the intention to change over the fan, in the event of men being in* the pit. The information would be given to the manager, who might be in the pit or at home. The information would be given to the under-manager in the case of an anticipated stoppage. Witness explained that after the strike it was decided to change over the fan on Saturdays at half-past one o'clock. It had been decided upon by Mr. Walker, the managing director, and himself. It was to be a weekly arrangement, and the fact was com- municated to Mr. Wroe, the manager, who would inform others. On May 30 (the date of the explosion) the gas engine driving the fan was stopped at 1.27 p.m., and the steam engine started at 1.43 p.m. Witness said he was quite sure he told Mr. Wroe of the altered date for the changing of the fan. When they were about to change over the fan witness said they went to the lamp room to ask for four lamps for changing over the fan. The Coroner : Was it anyone’s duty to tell you before changing the fan whether there wrere men working at the coalface?—Witness : I am not sure. I should have expected them to withdraw the men. Witness said the deputies would know the fan was going to be stopped at that time, because it was a fixed arrange- ment. He assumed the deputies had been informed. On the day of the explosion witness explained that Mr. Wroe (manager) came into his office about 11 o’clock in the morn- ing. “ I asked,” said witness, “ Will it be all right if we change the fan as usual at 1.30,” or words to that effect. The manager said it would be all right for him. The Coroner asked if it was the usual custom witness should mention the matter, and witness said he did it to jog his memory, as a manager had many things on his mind. Witness added that whilst he was in the engine house after the changing of the fan he found indications by the circuit breaker of something being wrong, and he gave certain instructions, later ascertaining the explosion had occurred. Witness said that when the lampmen issued their lamps for changing the fan he would not know whether any men were at the coal face or not. After the fan was stopped the ventilation would stop in some places after about four minutes, but would keep up for an hour.in other parts. He considered sufficient ventilation was main- tained to comply with section 29 of the Mines Act. He did not receive reports regarding the presence of gas; it would be reported to the manager. Witness said he subsequently went down the pit, but he would rather not give an opinion as to the cause of the explosion. He admitted the coal cutting machine would come under his supervision, and added he saw the machine in question about three weeks before the explosion. He saw the machine after the explosion, and noticed the “ half- moon ” plate was in a bruised condition. He concluded it had been done by hammering, but wood or something soft should have been used for the hammering which might be necessary. Asked as to whether he saw anything in the pit apart from that which might be a factor in the explosion, witness said an electric joint box in the straight level had been brought down which might be a factor in the explosion. The joint box had been knocked down, and in falling had drawn one cable from the box. At the time of this the con- tact would be broken, and an arc would be formed which would cause ignition. He thought the box would be blown down by the explosion. He was hardly in a position to say what caused the explosion. The enquiry was adjourned until the following day. The enquiry was resumed on Wednesday. Mr. Mariet, the engineer, recalled, said he expected the manager (Mr. Wroe) to make all the pit arrangements consequent upon the stopping of the fan. Tom Fearnley, undermanager, said Mr. Wroe did not “ jog his memory ” on the day of the explosion in regard to the stopping of the fan. Mr. Mariet, questioned by Mr. Neal, said Mr. Wroe had since told him he had no recollection of his (witness) having reminded him of the stopping of the fan on the day of the explosion. Replying to Mr. Neal (for the colliery company), witness said he thought the indication shown by the apparatus in the engine house of a short-circuit in the level, due to the falling of a cable, would show that at that moment an explosion of gas and probably coal dust occurred in the level He agreed it would have been more effective, as regards safety, if the electrical pow’er had been cut off from the engine house when the fan was standing. Mr. Mariet was also questioned by Mr. S. Roebuck (Yorks Miners’ Association) with regard to the instructions for the stopping of the fan, and said they were not in writing. Mr. Roebuck submitted the instructions only referred to the stopping of the fan, not the restarting. Witness said 30 minutes was allowed for the changing over of the fan, but it did not occupy that amount of time. All electricity was switched off for another 15 minutes after that. Mr. Geo. Blake Walker, chairman and managing director of the colliery company, was next called. He had been chairman since 1885, and connected with the management for 40 years. Witness gave a lengthy statement regarding the matter and inspection of the pit after the explosion. His opinion vras that the accident was undoubtedly due to the ignition of gas which had accumulated in the top corner of No. 2 face in Atchersley Whinmoor district. When electric driven coal cutting machines were introduced, they took into account the possibility of gas accumulating at the coal face, and they did not introduce electricity power at the No. 1 face, but used compressed air. These were much less efficient than the electrical driven machines, and the No. 1 face got considerably behind. As a matter of fact they now knew that during the stoppage of ventilation for a quarter of an hour, gas had accumulated in No. 2 district. He thought gas had accumulated in the corner while the fan- was standing. The gas appeared to have been swept rapidly down the face, and for a time there would be a very high percentage of firedamp present, pro- bably for five or seven minutes. In regard to the possibility of the coal cutting machine having caused the ignition, witness said he did not want to express an opinion, though when the machine was found it was not properly bolted together. It would not have been allowed to be used in that condition if it had been known. He thought it extremely doubtful that ignition had started at the machine. Even so he doubted whether gas would enter the motor case, and that sparks of the brushes would ignite the gases which might enter, or -whether sparks would escape from the case. If the percentage of gas w*as as much as 14 per cent., the mixture would not detonate, but would probably burn feebly. This would perhaps account for the men being apparently alarmed and being found a little distance away from the working place. If the flame passed Wm. Fisher’s “ gate ” it would there meet the incoming current of fresh air and the detonation would take place. That would explain the statement of Harvey and Lang that the first gush was from No. 4 slant towards the face. The same blast might be blowm down the electric cable, which crossed the bottom of No. 4 slant. Regarding the coal cutter, he thought the evidence showed the bolts which were missing from the cover had been removed during the Saturday morning. He took it that Geo. Bailey, being anxious to finish the cutting of the coal, must have been content to run the machine in that condition, relying on the weight of the cover, though when found it was only held by one bolt. Witness said he did not wish to be understood to say that he attributed the ignition to the machine. Questioned as to who was responsible for men being allowed to be working at the machine when the fan was standing, witness said in the first place Fearnley (under- manager) would be responsible. Witness pointed out it had been given in evidence that Bailey, the machine man, was expected to get the cutting through by 12.30. With regard to the responsibility for the men working at the face, Mr. Walker said he thought, strickly speaking, Fearnley was responsible, and by that he meant through his subor- dinates—Slack and Clayton. In respect to the stopping of the fan, witness agreed it should have been made known, week by week, by the manager to the undermanager, and by the latter to his staff. That had not been done on that occasion on account of grave forgetfulness on this occasion on the part of Fearnley. He (witness) thought Mr. Wroe (manager) had not spoken to Mr. Fearnley on the subject because he was preoccupied by a succession of distracting work. If he had seen Fearnley he would probably have mentioned the matter. Regarding the responsibility for seeing the coal cutter was kept in working order, Mr. Walker said Jessop would be responsible for the mechanical part and Otway for the electrical part, when the machine was in the pit. It would be for Jessop to say that the machine was perfect. The enquiry was again adjourned until Tuesday next.