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were taken in the setting of necessary props, especially
where the roof is known to be of a dangerous
and treacherous nature, the mining department
would be relieved of the very unpleasant
and reluctant duty of recording so many fatal
accidents. An increase of 21 from this source is
shown as compared with the year 1902. The
total number of accidents due to falls of roof for
the year was 231, a gain of 8 as compared with the
preceding year. Falls of roof are accountable for
40.3 per cent, of the entire number of accidents
recorded for the year."
Nine fatal accidents were caused from falls of
coal, 4 more than for the year 1902; 31 were of
a serious nature and 16 minor, or 9.8 per cent, of
the total number of accidents. Nine fatal accidents
were also due to injuries received from mine
cars. 92 serious and 50 minor, or 26.3 per cent, of
the total number of accidents.
Premature explosions and the careless handling
of explosives were responsible for 11 fatal, 16
serious and 1 minor, a gain of 6 in the total number,
or 4.9 per cent, of the entire number.
Two fatal accidents resulted from the installation
of electric wires in the mines during the year.
One fatal, 12 serious and 2 minor accidents were
caused by mining machines. Fifty-one accidents
classified as miscellaneous, of which 5 were fatal,
25 serious and 21 of a minor character.
Regarding accidents due to the careless handling
of powder, the report says:
At the Edgar No. 1 mine located in Jefferson
county, two men, brothers and foreigners, were
killed by an explosion of powder, one of them
using a keg of powder for a seat, when a spark
from his lighted lamp ignited the powder resulting
in the death of both. The verdict of the coroner
attending this inquest is pointed and full of
good sound judgment. His suggestions might
well be acted upon with good results, although it
would seem that a person of five years' experience
in a mine, had not learned the first principle of
mining, who would be guilty of an act of carelessness
such as L^IS person was, and that all efforts
to educate men, foreigners or otherwise, were
fruitless. The truth underlying the cause of
most of the fatalities recorded by this department
is contained in the one word, "Carelessness,"
or an indifference to their own safety or the safety
of others.
The recommendation of the coroner, George A.
Campbell, is as follows:
"It would be an excellent plan to prohibit two
unskilled men who have little or no knowledge of
the English language, from working in a room
together, but instead, that when a foreigner is employed
to work in a mine that he be paired off
with one of his countrymen who has acquired
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 27
some command of the English language, as well
as a fair knowledge of mining and handling of
explosives. It should also be made a rule to
limit the foreign miner, at least, to a quantity of
powder per day to be taken into their rooms sufficient
only for the day's work, as through their
carelessness and ignorance of the various dangers
of their work, not only are their own lives endangered,
but that of others as well. As this is
the fourth death resulting in this country recently
from the careless handling of explosives in coal
mines, the miners should be compelled to use
greater care in handling the same than so many
have shown in the past."
MEDITERRANEAN COAL TRADE
AND THE AMERICAN PRODUCER.
Robert P. Skinner. United States consul general
at Marseilles, reports that the coal imports at the
port of Marseilles during the first six months of
1904 were as follows: British Cardiff, 318,405
tons; British gas coal, 56,867 tons; German industrial,
49,748 tons; American, 3,682 tons; total, 428,-
702 tons. The total receipts of coal from all
sources at this city during 1903 were 1,774,000
tons, of which 956,099 tons were of foreign origin.
Of the foreign coals, 484,620 tons were taken up
by navigation trade.
The domestic production of coal in 1903 was
considerably in excess of that of any previous
year, the recently announced figures being as
follows: 1901, 32,325,000 tons; 1902, 30,000,000
tons; 1903, 35,000,000 tons. The French consumption
in 1903 amounted to 47,000,000 tons, the
excess over the quantity produced being supplied
by Great Britain, Belgium, Germany and the United
States.
Standard navigation coal is now being sold in
Marseilles under a local agreement, by which the
price is maintained at $5.48. British industrial
coals have ruled lower, but are being undersold
by German coals, which accounts for the growing
volume of receipts from German sources throughout
the Mediterranean. The freight on Westphalian
coals by the Rhine to Rotterdam ($1.10)
enables them to be put on board at Rotterdam at
from $1.93 to $2.02 per ton. From Rotterdam to
the Mediterranean the freights are about the same
as on British coal, but there is not any export tax.
A Westphalian syndicate has established selling
agencies at Marseilles, Nantes, St. Nazaire and
Caen. The exports from Germany to France by
land and sea have increased as follows: 1901,
1,565,000 tons; 1902, 1,718,000 tons; 1903, 2,065,-
000 tons. Marseilles received 28,000 tons from
Germany in 1902. and 115.000 tons in 1903. The
prospect is that at the end of the year the local