633

September 24, 1915.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

Coal Mines Inspection in 1914.

LANCASHIRE, NORTH WALES AND IRELAND DIVISION.

Mr. A. D. Nicholson, in his report on the Lancashire,
North Wales, and Ireland Division, states that the total
quantity of coal produced in the Division was 26,293,532
tons (including 685 from quarries), which is 1,920,959
tons less than the output for the previous year. A com-
parison of the production for the year under review with
previous years is rendered difficult owing to the excep-
tional conditions introduced by the war, which, since
August, have had the effect of creating an increased
demand for coal which it was impossible to satisfy. Since
the beginning of August practically all coal mines have
been working full time, and still there has been a distinct
scarcity of coal for works and manufacturing purposes.

Considerable developments are proceeding in order to
win coal at depths varying from 800 to 1,000 yds. by the
Wigan Coal and Iron Company Limited, at their
Parsonage sinking near Leigh, where two shafts, each
21 ft. diameter, are being sunk, also by the Hulton
Colliery Company Limited, in Halsnead Park, near
Cronton, where two shafts, each 21 ft. diameter, and
another 15 ft. diameter, are being sunk. In Denbigh-
shire a considerable tract of virgin coal is expected to
be won from shafts to be sunk by the Llay Main Colliery
Company. In this case, however, freezing operations
have been interfered with by the war.

Mr. Nicholson refers to the retirement on December 9
of Mr. John Gerrard, and observes that he “ had been
in charge of the Manchester and Ireland Inspection
District for nearly 23 years, retired on reaching the age
limit. Mr. Gerrard was appointed to the inspectorate
on January 13, 1874, and succeeded the late Mr. Joseph
Dickinson on January 1, 1892; his official career, there-
fore, extended to nearly 41 years. Unfortunately, for
the last few years Mr. Gerrard’s health has left much
to be desired. During his long term of office he has
combined a keen desire for the increased safety of work-
men with a zealous execution of his official duties, and
has always been most accessible to both employers and
workmen, especially when any difficult situations had to
be faced. His retirement after so many years of faithful
service is a distinct loss to the department, and he
carries with him into his retirement the sincere wishes
of all for a rapid and complete restoration to health, and
that he may be long spared to enjoy the rest he has so
well earned.”

All the mines in the Division have been inspected
during the year, and at upwards of 35 mines, 10 or
more underground inspections were made. The total
number of underground inspections of coal mines made
by the staff amounted to 1,785, and 868 surface inspec-
tions were also made.

Persons Employed.

The following tables give the number of mines at
work, and the number of persons of various ages
employed in and about mines under the Coal Mines Act
during the year ending December 31, 1914 :—

Persons employed.

County.	Mines at work.	Below ground.		A	  Above ground.	Below and above
		Males.	Males- miles.	ground.
Cheshire 	..	.	15 .	... 1,022	... 263... —	.. 1,285
Lancashire	.. 296 .	... 83,612	...19,850... 2,905	. 106,367
Denbighshire 		..	26 .	... 10,724	... 2,340...	4	.. 13,068
Flintshire		..	14 .	... 2,546	... 612...	1	.. 3,189
Total in 1914* .	.. 351 .	.. 97,904	...23,095... 2,910	..123,909
Total in 1913 .	.. 432 .	.. 97,898	...23,196... 2,833	. 123,927
Ireland:				
Kilkenny 		6 .	325	... 111... —	436
Leitrim 			1 .	13	3	—	16
Queen's County .	2	70	40... —	110
Roscommon		4 .	91	10... —	101
Tipperary 		4 .	48	21... —	69
Tyrone 		4 .	37	24... —	61
Total in 19144	...	21	584	... 209... —	793
Total in 1913 .	..	22 .	576	...	194 .. —	770

* Cheshire, Lancashire and N. Wales. f Ireland.

Output of Minerals.

Compared with the previous year, there is a diminu-
tion in the total output of 1,942,422 tons, the reduction
being fairly evenly divided throughout the various coal
producing counties in the Division, except that Ireland
shows an increase in the output of coal of nearly 10,000
tons. The reduction is easily accounted for by the
reduced number of persons employed during the period

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Quantity and Value of Minerals Raised.

County.	Coal.		Fireclay.		Iron pyrites.		Shale.		Other minerals.		Total.	
Cheshire 		Tons.	Value. £	Tons.	Value.  £	Tons.	Value. £	Tons.	Value. £	Tons.	Value.  £	Tons.	Value.  £
	292,218	138,014	23,710	4,219	—				—	—	—	315,928	112,233
Lancashire		22,593,137	11,734,298	146,575	23,365	631	221	35,840	2,986	5.->8	44	22,776,781	11,760,914
Denbighshire		2,644,996	1,280,327	28,492	7,178	—	—	—	—	640	96	2,674,128	1,287,601 1
Flintshire 		670,096	317,312	8,113	1.887	—	—	—	—	231	58	678,440	319,257
Total in 1914*	26.200,447	13,469,951	206,890	36,649	631	221	35,840	2,986	1,469	198	26,445,277	13,510,005 |
Total in 1913	28,130,845	14,330,979	221,854	40,123	677	229	37,526	3,884	3,956	488	28,394,858	14,375,703 !
Ireland:												
Kilkenny		60,082	37,111	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	60,082	37,111 i
Leitrim 		l,3<>0	650	—	—	—	—	—			—	—	1,300	650 :
Queen's County	15,434	8,334	.—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	15,434	8,334 i
Roscommon		8,283	4,639	—	—	—	—			—	—	—	8,283	4,639 ,
Tipperary		6,751	4,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	6,751	4,000
Tyrone 		550	259	640	112	—	—	—	—	—	—	1,190	371
Total in 1914J	92,400	54.993	640	112	—											93,040	55,105 '
Total in 1913	82,521	50,654	3,360	588	—	—	—	—	—	—	85,881	51,242 i

* Cheshire, Lancashire and N. Wales. f Ireland.

of the war. In many mines the output has been reduced
10 to 20 per cent, in consequence of the large number of
men who have gone on military service. The total value
of the coal produced is estimated at .£13,524,944, or
about 10s. 3d. per ton. The estimated value of all the
minerals produced is £13,565,110.

Coal-Cutting Machinery.—The number of coal-cutting
machines in use is nine more than in the previous year.
The output of machine-cut coal shows a reduction of
77,719 tons. The total number of tons of coal produced
by coal cutting machines was 2,089,572 tons. There
were 27 coal conveyors in use at the face, an increase of
five over the previous year.

N umber Statute tons of

	No.	driven by	coal cut by
Description.	of mines.	Elec- Com‘ Elec- Com\ tricity. Pr«?sed tricity.
Disc 		—	..	7 ... 117 ... 74,155...1,067,475
Bar 		.... — .	. 19 ...	34 ...186,448... 360,720

Chain ...........	— ...	8 ...	5 ... 95,047... 26,495

Percussive.......	— ...	— ...	209 ...	—	...	279,232

Rotary heading ...	— ...	— ...	— ...	—	...	—

Total in 1914 ... 95... 34... 365 ...355,650... 1,733,922
Total in 1913 ... 107... 36... 354 ...393.940... 1,773,351

Accidents.

During the year 1914 there has been no serious disaster-
involving large loss of life. One fatal accident caused
three deaths, and other two accidents were each respon-
sible for the loss of two lives. With these exceptions,
all the remaining fatal accidents resulted in single
deaths. The total number of accidents reported was
595, causing 140 deaths and injuries to 487 persons.
Compared with the previous year, there is a reduction
of 28 in the number of accidents reported, but an
increase of nine in the number of deaths, and a decrease
of 35 in the number of persons injured. There were no
fatalities in Ireland, and only three persons were
injured. The fatal accidents occurred in the various
counties as follow:—Cheshire, three; Lancashire, 118;
Denbighshire, 16; Flintshire, three.

The following is a summary of fatal and non-fatal
accidents, classified according to place and cause :—

Cheshire, Lancashire
and North Wales:

U ndergroun d—
Explosions of fire-
damp or coal dust
Falls in mines.....
Shaft accidents ...
Miscellaneous under-
ground .........

Place and cause.

Non-fatal All non-fatal
Fatal accidents	accidents

acci- reported disabling for
dents. to	more than

inspector.* 7 days.

—...	—...	1...	1...	1...	1

75..	.	76...	191...	195...	6,721...	6,743

10..	.	13...	11...	33...	92...	109

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41... 41.. 197... 199...11,038...11,047

Total underground 126...130... 400... 428... 17,852... 17,900
On surface ....... 10... 10... 56... 56... 1,547... 1,549

Gross total in 1914 136...140... 456... 484... 19,39.9... 19,449

Total in 1913...... 129...131... 487... 514...21,430...21,493

Ireland:

U ndergroun d—

Explosions of fire

damp or coal dust —...
Falls in mine ..... —...
Shaft accidents ... —...
Miscellaneous under-

ground ........ —...

Total underground —...
On surface...... —...

—..	1'.’.	177	877.	8
	1..	1...	2...	2
	1..	1...	10...	10
— .	3..	3...	20...	20

_____	_____

Gross total in 1914	—...	—	3...	3...	20...	20

Total in 1913.....	7...	8...	51...	51

Gross total for the

division—In 1914 136... 140... 459... 487... 19,420... 19,469
In 1913 129...131 .. 494... 522...21,481...21,544

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

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

The death rate from accidents per 1,000 persons
employed above and below ground, was as follows (the
figures for 1913 being shown in parentheses) :—
Cheshire, 2*33 (0*82); Lancashire, 1T0 (1-22); Denbigh-
shire, 1-22 (1’43); Flintshire, 0’94 (1T8); Ireland —,
(—); Division (January to July 31 only in 1914), 1T2
(1-23); Division (last pay in December 1914), 1’39. The
death rate per 1,000 persons employed below ground was
as follows:—January-July 1914, 1’32; last pay in
December 1914, 1’62; 1913, 1’42. The above figures
afford a comparison between the years 1914 and 1913.
The death rate per 1,000 persons employed for 1914
would at first sight appear to indicate a slight improve-
ment on the previous year, but as the results are
obtained by using the number of persons ordinarily
employed from January 1 to July 31, the influence
caused by the reduction in the number of persons
employed after that period is not • taken into account.
On the other hand, if the results arrived at by using the
number of persons employed during the last pay in
December are taken, a corresponding increase in the
death-rate is obtained. The average of these two
results is as follows:—Below ground, 1’47; above
ground, 0-49; above and below ground, 1-25, which is
practically the same as the death rate for- 1913.

Falls of Ground.—From falls there were 75 fatal
accidents causing 76 deaths, an increase of 10 fatal
accidents and 10 deaths over the figures for the previous
year. This increase is entirely confined to accidents
on roads while otherwise working or passing. The
number of accidents and deaths at the face were exactly
the same as in 1913, and those on roads while repairing
or enlarging resulted in a reduction of one death. The
non-fatal accidents show -a reduction of 27, with 33 fewer
persons injured. This reduction is principally due to
fewer accidents at the working face. Mr. Nicholson
does not consider it would be an extravagant assertion
to state that probably 20 per cent, of the 75 fatal
accidents from falls of ground could have been avoided
by using greater care, obeying instructions and carrying
out regulations specially framed with the object of reduc-
ing the number of the most common form of accident
in coal mines.

Shaft Accidents.—There were 10 fatalities in shafts
resulting in the death of 13 persons, an increase of four
fatal accidents and seven deaths compared with the
preceding year. All the fatalities occurred in
Lancashire. None were due to overwinding or breakage
of ropes or chains.

The most serious accident during the year occurred at
Low Hall Colliery on February 16, and resulted in the
loss of three lives. It was of quite an unusual char-
acter, and occurred through a remarkable combination
of circumstances. Ten persons were ascending the
upcast, or No. 5 pit, about 3 p.m. at the close of their
shift, and were all in the top deck of a three-deck cage.
When 'the cage was about 450 yds. from the surface
it was struck by an empty tub which had fallen from
bank, and three of the occupants of the cage were killed,
the other seven sustained no injury and were able to
walk home. The shaft, being an upcast pit, was cased
round the top in the usual way, having vertical sliding
doors raised by the top hoop of the cage on reaching the
heapstead level. On the descent of the cage the doors
were brought back to their proper closed position by
their own weight and balanced by weights in the engine
house connected to chains on each door by wire ropes
passing over a small pulley. An indicator in the engine
house showed the winding engineman when each door
was shut. The primary cause of the accident was the
failure of the door to close immediately the cage at the
surface descended. This was probably, due to some
small coals or other foreign substance having fouled the
grooves in which the door moved, and thus retarded its
descent. Whatever the cause, it was only a temporary
obstruction, -as the door worked satisfactorily after the
accident, although it was said to have slightly stuck
once or twice earlier on in the day. A boy of 13 years
of age was acting as temporary assistant to the banks-
man, owing to the regular youth being otherwise
occupied, and while the banksman was at the opposite
side of the shaft, the boy brought four empty tubs
off the creeper and arranged them on the iron flat-sheets
in position for entering the cage, the first tub being about
4 ft. away from the door. The usual practice was
always to turn the first tub broadside on to the shaft,
but the boy, being strange to the work, was not aware
of this. When the cage containing 10 persons left the
Arley seam, the door which had been held up by the
cage on the surface, failed to follow the cage in its
descent, and its motion was so slow that the inrush of
air into the shaft sucked the first empty tub through
the open doorway. It was afterwards found that if the
door was propped up the suction of the air into the casing
above the pit was sufficient to slowly draw an empty
tub into the shaft, if leffc standing not more than 5 ft.
from the door. The flat-sheets were level, and a
good deal depended on the greasing and easy running
of the tub. The remedy to prevent such a recurrence is
obvious, and at several other similar upcast shafts which
are cased in and have sliding doors, automatic con-
trollers working against the tub axles, or a strong iron
bar to check the tubs, have since been fixed.

There were two deaths caused by falling down shafts
from part way down, but although they could not be
said to have resulted from insecure fencing, there are
frequently cases in which the fencing of mouthings and
the entrances to shafts at the bottom, leave much to be
desired. Mr. Nicholson therefore specially emphasises
the fact that such entrances require to be “ kept securely
fenced,” and a fence such as a slack chain or a single
bar cannot be regarded as complying with the statutory
requirements. Proper gates, or two rigid bars should be
used, the top one of such a height that the tubs can be
set in or out of the cages without being removed, and
the bottom bar may be hinged so as to clear the tubs
when in a raised position, but, when in its usual position,