THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

685

October 1, 1915.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Coal Mines Inspection in 1914.

MIDLAND AND SOUTHERN DIVISION.

Mr. Hugh Johnstone, in his report on coal mines in
the Midland and Southern Inspection Division, states
that immediately after the outbreak of the war Mr.
Carey and Mr. Clive were called up on military duty,
and their official work has since then had to be under-
taken so far as possible by the other members of the
staff. During the year 3,316 visits were paid to mines,
exclusive of those made by the horse inspector, 2,517 of
these being underground inspections; 3,276 quarry
inspections were made, and 175 inquests attended.
With the exception of a very few small mines which
work intermittently, and which were not at work when
the inspector visited them, every mine in the district
has been visited and an underground inspection made
of the whole or part of it, and most of the larger and
more important mines have been visited repeatedly.

Persons Employed.

The number of persons employed shows an increase
of 947 underground and 444 above groupd, making a
total increase of 1,391, or 1’2 per cent. The increases
were chiefly in Somerset, North Staffordshire, and South
Staffordshire, in which they amounted to 286, 566, and
1,136 respectively. South Derbyshire shows a decrease
of 159, Gloucestershire of 105, Leicestershire of 120,
and Warwickshire of 137. In the number of mines

worked during the year, there has been an increase of
eight in Gloucester, pne in Kent, and one in Somerset;
and a decrease of one . in Cheshire, three in Leicester-
shire, one in Northamptonshire, seven in Salop, six in
North Staffordshire, and 20 in South Staffordshire. The
mines which have been added to or taken off the list arc

chiefly very small mines.

County.

(------------------' -DeJOW

at Below Above g-ound. and
work. «roux>d' -- ■'-V- ab0Ve|

Males. Males. m^s ground-

Cheshire, part of 		4..	37..	11 ..	—	48
Derby, southern portion	12...	. 3,797...	942...	—	4,739
Devon 		1..	2	—	—	2
Gloucester 		57..	7,166..	i 1,578...	—	. 8,744
Kent		8...	609...	496...	—	1,105
Leicester		26...	8,259...	2,078...	2.7	10,339
Northampton		6	147...	39...	—	186
Salop		49...	3,075...	619...	9"	3,703
Somerset		22...	5,904...	1,071...	2...	6,977
Stafford f^rth 	  (South 		79...	25,568...	6,852...	19...	32,439
	176...	22,067...	7,831...	56...	29,954
Warwick		29...	14,575...	4,487...	6...	19,068
Worcester 			45...	1,714	577...	43...	2,334

Total in 1914 ...... 514... 92,920...26,5Rl...	137...119,638

Total in 1913 ______ 542... 91,973...26,150...	124 118,247

Minerals Raised.

The following table shows the quantity and value of
mineral raised :—

County.	Coal.	Fireclay.			Ironstone.		j	Other  !	minerals.		j	Total.	
	Tons.	Value. Tons.  £	Value.  £	Tons.	Value.  £	Tons.	Value.  £	Tons.	1  Value.  £
Cheshire, part of...	5,002	2,386	—	—	—	—	—	—	5.002	2,386
Derby, S. portion	1,184,530	536,164 30,974	5,419	—	—	3,043	304	1,218,547	541,917
Devon 			—	—	;	70	52	—	—	—	—	70	52
Gloucester		1,612,439	828,407 ;	10	2	—	—	—	! 		1,612,449	828,409
Kent		130,440	73,566 !	—	—	—	—	—	i			130,440	73, 66
Leicester...			2,^59,49*1	1,237,443 50,675	17,467	—	—	—		3,010,171	1,254,910
Northampton 		—	—	1	—	—	187,600	21,558	•—•	—	187,600	21,558
Salop 		~ 7*5,810	314,345 ' 13,076	3,992	2,901	2,046	24,819	4,411	826,606	354,794
Somerset		1,259,747	;	734,025	236	11	—	—	1			—	1,259,983	734,036
	6,405,679	: 3,027,749 : 23,872	5,119	805,941	316,870	750	56	7,236,242	3,349,794
	7,508,849	; 3,122,477 259,977	52,979	29,852	14,314 ;	1,293	202	7,799,971 1	3,189,972
W ar wick		5,028,087	. 2,273,015 28,494	7,632	4,535	3,007 1	5,576	2,360	5.066,692 ;	2.286,014
Worcester 		550,913	194,347 112,176	20,871	1.245	730 ;	—	—	664,334	215,948
Total, 1914		27,430,992	i 12,373,924 i5 9,560	113,574	1,032,074	358,525	35,481	7,333	29,018,107	12,853,356
Total, 1913		28,284,387	12,824,158 ! 525,450	116,051	1,070,857	374,201	43,533	7,461	29,924,227	13,32 ,871

The output for the year shows a decrease of 906,120
tons, or 3’03 per cent., as compared with that of the
preceding year, notwithstanding a slight increase in the
number of persons employed. This was probably due to
conditions arising out of the European war. In the
output of coal alone, Cheshire shows an increase of 2,608
tons, Kent of 71,237 tons, and Somerset of 6,095 tons;
while South Derbyshire shows a decrease of 56,578 tons,
Gloucestershire of 99,641 tons, Leicestershire of 213,926
tons, Salop of 59,917 tons, North Staffordshire of 186,876
tons, South Staffordshire of 248,341 tons, Warwickshire
of 42,152 tons, and Worcestershire of 25,904 tons. In
the output of ironstone, the principal differences as
compared with the preceding year are an increase of
17,387 tons in Northamptonshire, and a decrease of
53,303 tons in North Staffordshire.

Table A.

Description.	; Number driven by		Statute tons cut by			
	Elec- tricity.	Com- pressed air.	Electricity.		Compressed air.	
			Coal.	Other minerals.	Coal.	Other minerals.
	i		Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.
Disc 		:	35	14	352,550	5,107	183,195	—
Bar		20	6	114,798	82,083	57,783	—
Chain		29	20	303,307	74,002	263,203	23 232
Percussive 			94		—	171,114	13*651
Rotary Heading		—	5	—	—	3,003	—
Totals 	*		84	139	770,654	161,192	678,298	36,883

Table A gives the number of the various types
of coal cutting machines in use, their description,
motive power, and output of mineral produced.
The above machines were used at 60 mines, namely, at
three mines in South Derbyshire, three mines in
Gloucestershire, five mines in Leicestershire, three
mines in Shropshire, four mines in Somersetshire, 22
mines in North Staffordshire, 14 mines in South Staf-
fordshire, and six mines in Warwickshire. Six coal face
conveyors were used.

Accidents.

The total number of accidents reported during the
year was 726, a decrease of 58 as compared with the
preceding year. The fatal accidents show a decrease of
one, with a decrease of six in the number of persons
killed. The non-fatal accidents reported show a
decrease of 57, with a decrease of 50 in the number of
persons injured. Of the accidents, 123 proved fatal,
resulting in 125 deaths; 603 were non-fatal, and caused
injuries to 632 persons. The corresponding figures for
1913 were 124 fatal and 660 non-fatal accidents, causing
131 deaths and injuries to 682 persons. One accident
due to an explosion of firedamp and one due to a fall of
roof each caused two deaths.

The accidents, fatal and non-fatal, are summarised
in the following table :—

Non-fatal All non-fatal
Fatal accidents	accidents

acci- reported disabling for
dents. to	more than

inspector.* 7 days.

Persons employed.

Place and cause.	ar	A (	■  O £	* A  <D	c  © £	©
Underground—	-P <D  fl1^  a 2  tn	£ £3  fl	<-)■ xJ  ®	0 d  Q co	CO ^4  M fl  Ph	•P O  flnfl  H  co	02 fl §•= tn •--<  ©  Ph
Explosions of fire- damp or coal dust	1...	2...	8..	13..	8..	13
Falls in mines		64...	65... 234..	. 247..	. 5,050..	. 5,076
Shaft accidents 		8...	8... 16.	19..	39..	41
Miscellaneous under- ground 		46...	46.. 259..	. 266..	. 8,792..	. 8,801

______

______	______

______

Total underground 119... 121... 517... 545..13,889.43,931

On surface ......	4... 4... 86... 87... 1,497... 1,497

Gross total in 1914 123... 125... 603... 632... 15,386... 15,428
Total in 1913...... 124 ..131... 660... 682...15,567...15,606

' * Includes (a) accident causing fracture of head or limb,
or dislocation of limb, or any other serious personal injury ;
(b) accidents caused by explosion of gas or dust, or any
explosive, or by electricity, or by overwinding, and causing
any personal injury whatever.

f Including those injured by accidents which proved fatal
to their companions.

Of the deaths, 41 occurred in South -Staffordshire, 34 in
North Staffordshire, 15 in Warwickshire, 12 in Glouces-
tershire, eight in South Derbyshire, six in Shropshire,
four in Leicestershire, three in Worcestershire, and two
in Somersetshire. There were no deaths in Cheshire,
Kent, or Northants.

The death rates from accident per 1,000 persons
employed were as follow (calculated on the number of
persons ordinarily employed from January to July) :—
Above ground, 0’150 (in preceding year, 0’685); below
ground, 1’302 (1’229); above and below, 1’045 (1’108).
The county death rates from all underground accidents
per 1,000 persons employed underground were :—South
Derby, 2’107; Gloucester, 1’675; Leicester, 0’363;
Salop, 1’951; Somerset, 0’339; North Stafford, 1’330;
South Stafford, 1’813; Warwick, 0’961; Worcester,

1’167; the “Black Country,” 2’559. Of the total
number of deaths below ground, 53’72 per cent, were
caused by falls of roof and sides.

Explosions of Firedamp or Coal Dust.—One fatal and
eight non-fatal accidents from explosions of firedamp
occurred during the year, resulting in two deaths and
injuries to 13 persons. The corresponding figures for
the preceding year were one fatal and 13 non-fatal
accidents, causing one death and injuries to 20 persons.
All these accidents w’ere caused by naked lights, and
none of them was aggravated by coal dust.

Falls of Roof and Side.—The number of accidents
from falls of ground reported during the year was 298,
causing the deaths of 65 persons and injuries to 247
others. The corresponding figures for the preceding
year were 308 accidents, causing the deaths of 67 persons
and injuries to 251 others. In the Black Country, taken
by itself, there were 13 accidents causing 13 deaths, as
compared with 11 accidents causing 12 deaths in the
preceding year; of these 13 accidents, 11 causing 11
deaths occurred in the Thick or Ten Yard coal.

Shaft Accidents.—Twenty-four shaft accidents were
reported during the year. Of these, eight were fata],
causing the deaths of eight persons, and 16 were non-
fatal, causing injuries to 19 persons. The corresponding
figures for the preceding year were nine fatal and five
non-fatal accidents, resulting in 14 deaths and injuries
to five persons.

At Maryhill Colliery, North Staffordshire, on April 16,
a “ hooker-on ” or onsetter was killed by falling from a
mid-inset in a winding incline which had an inclination
of 60degs., and which, although not vertical, was to
all intents and purposes a winding shaft. The accident
was due to a contravention of General Regulation 21 (a),
which provides that the onsetter “shall close the fence
immediately he has signalled the cage away.” When
he pulled the empty tub off the cage, he ought to have
twisted it into the empty road and left it standing there
while he was signalling the pumper away, and thus
enable him to close • the gate. Mr. Johnstone calls
attention to additional Special Rules 2 and 3 which were
established in the East and West of Scotland Inspection
Districts in 1894, and observes that if similar rules had
been observed at this colliery the accident could not
have happened, as the engineman would not have lifted
the cage away until the gate had been closed. In
several cases the managers have recognised the utility
of these rules and have adopted them.

At Pensford Colliery, Somerset, on June 7, a charge-
man was fatally injured by the falling of a rider in a
sinking shaft. When changing shifts, the sinkers rode
in a bowk or hoppit, for which, in order to deal with
the water, a water barrel was substituted as soon as
the shifts had changed, and anyone requiring to ride
during the shift stood on the top of the water barrel, to
the plunger rod of which he was fastened by means of
a safety belt. The shaft was fitted with wire rope
guides, which were anchored at a point about 49 yds.
above the pump room. The rider was a patent cone
sinking one, the ring of which had a diameter sufficiently
large to permit of the detaching hook passing through
it. The rider appeared to have been picked up without
shock, but had evidently been caught by a wing of the
detaching hook or by the cone eccentrically, and carried
up the shaft for some distance, when it slipped down,
passed over the cone and struck deceased, breaking his
spine. The cone appeared to be too small for the ring,
and was not sufficiently strong to prevent its becoming
distorted, otherwise the ring could not have passed over
it. Riders of a similar design are in common use in
sinking pits, but wherever Mr. Johnstone has seen them,
he has advised that the cone which lifts the rider should
be sufficiently strong and sufficiently large to render it
impossible for it to pass through the ring of the rider,
and further, that the rider should be fitted with an
appliance which will ensure the rope passing through the
centre of the ring. Several of such appliances are in
use, and appear to act very effectively, without in any
way interfering with the action of the detaching hook
in the event of an overwind.

In regard to an accident at Birchenwood No. 4 pump-
ing pit, North Staffordshire, on October 27, it is observed
that there can be little doubt that if the life belt had
been used, deceased’s life would have been saved.

At Snibston Colliery, Leicestershire, on Saturday,
November 28, at about 3.30 p.m., an accident occurred
of a very unusual nature. A shaft, 15 ft. 6 in. in
diameter, was in course of being sunk, and had reached
a depth of about 240 yds. It was fitted with wire rope
guides and the hoppit was guided by means of a “ rider.”
The winding engines were very powerful, having
cylinders 30 in. in diameter by 5 ft. stroke, driving a
drum 15 ft. in diameter on the first motion. The drum
was fitted with a powerful brake, and the engines were
controlled by the Perfex patent overwind and over-
speed preventer. A master sinker had descended the
-shaft in order to give some instructions to a chargeman
in the bottom, and after waiting there for a few minutes,
the usual signals were given for his ascent. The hoppit
was raised steadily until it passed through the scaffold
to which -the guides were anchored and at which it
picked up the rider. It appears then to have been raised
at practically full speed, and when half-way up the shaft
and travelling at a speed estimated at about 50 ft. per
second, the controlling gear came into action, and the
steam brake brought the winding drum practically to a
dead stop. Owing to its momentum, the hoppit appears
to have continued to ascend for some distance and then
fallen back, causing a most violent jerk when its descent
was arrested by the winding rope. The action of -the
Perfex apparatus is controlled by a dashpot charged with
oil, which is intended to delay the application of the
brake until a few’’ seconds after steam has been shut
off. The dashpot was alleged to have been filled with
oil on the day prior to the accident, but if this is correct,
there must have been some serious leakage, as after the
accident it was found to be practically empty. Two
days after the accident a trial run of the engine wTas