Antrim

SECTION II.

OUTPUT of MINERAL.

TABLE (19).

NORTH and EAST LANCASHIRE (except the detached part).

Mineral.

Flagstone

*Rock salt

County.

Total

...

...

...

...

...

£2,032 undressed.

SECTION III.

ACCIDENTS.

In North and East Lancashire, no fatality, 15 non-fatal accidents injuring 16 persons.

In Ireland, two fatal accidents causing three deaths.

Table (21).

SUMMARY OF FATAL and NON-FATAL ACCIDENTS, classified according to
PLACE and Cause.

The death rate per 1,000 persons employed was :-
Ireland underground, 54; above and below ground, 3 5.
The district

3.7;

2.07.

19

2

ACCIDENTS FROM FALLS OF GROUND.

In Ireland one fatal accident causing one death.

On June 30th, at 8.30 a.m., at the Tigroney Mine, Co. Wicklow, Edward Gaffney. 65, miner, was killed by a fall of sulphurous iron pyrites from the foot-wall of the vein,

It was mainly a fall of overhanging side; it ought to have been secured. From statements made it was the intention of deceased to put in a timber set to secure both roof and sides, it was alleged that he was preparing for this to be put in. As a precautionary measure, whilst preparing for the more complete securing of the place, two or three simple stretchers could have been placed from foot-wall to hanging-wall. The fall was 12 feet long, 6 feet high, 3 to 4 feet wide.

SHAFT ACCIDENTS.

In Ireland, one fatal accident causing two deaths.

On July 18th, at 3 p.m., at the Old Scart Barytes Mine, Co. Cork, Patrick Casey, 33, and Dan Joe Donovan, 21, labourers, were killed. In March, 1906, Messrs. E. Ď. and A. F. Storer, of Liverpool, commenced to pump the water out of a shaft in order to inspect the vein of Barytes, to ascertain if it were worth working. The shaft was about 120 feet deep, 90 feet down was a scaffold 28 feet long by 14 ft. 6 ins. wide. The scaffold was formed of pieces of spruce fir, in their natural tree condition; there were ten of these across the shaft, seven had their ends resting in recesses cut in the side, two of them had one end resting on a beam across two others. The beams varied in size, some were inches in diameter at one end, 6 inches in diameter at the other end; some tapered from 10 inches to 8 inches, and several were 12 inches in diameter at the thickest end. There were flat deals and other timber laid across these beams, covering timber. When the accident occurred there were seven persons on the scaffold, they were standing around a pump which was about to be raised. The pump was not resting on the scaffold, it was suspended in an opening in the scaffold. Suddenly the scaffold collapsed; four of the men were on the collapsed portion, three of these were thrown into water 6 feet below (24 feet deep); one was fortunate to graspia portion of the pump and made good his footing, he by a rope rescued one of the men from the water, the other two could not then be seen. Two days after the accident I inspected the shaft, in a déluge of rain; owing to the water being up to the remains of the scaffold I could not discover what had caused the collapse. After several days pumping I was enabled to see that two of the supporting beams had broken in the middle and let down the portion of the scaffold upon which tour of the men stood. The wood was water soaked from having been under water 14 years, the mine having been disused during that period. The scaffold was erected 28 years ago. At the inquest, Mr. Alfred Flockhart Storey gave evidence: "This is my first experience of Mining. We were pumping the water out of the shaft to ascertain if the mineral was worth working. Before we allowed any one to go on the 'stull' or platform, Jones, the engineer examined it. I have myself examined it. On the morning of the accident, my sister and my brother's wife were on the platform, walked on it. We were going to raise the pump, we were in the act of pulling up one of the boards covering the pump when the platform gave way. I myself was on the part which gave way, there was no warning whatever. I grasped the pump with my left hand. I climbed up the pump, then I saw Driscoll in the water. I climbed down the pump and threw a rope to Driscoll and pulled him to the pump, yelled to the surface for the "sling" and sent Driscoll to the top. We had dressed off a protuberance in the side of the shaft which was in the way of the pump, the small fell down the shaft on to the platform, the large pieces were sent up to the top. When we first went on the platform there was more rubbish on than afterwards, some large pieces which we tumbled down the sump. We had nine men employed above and below. I cannot explain why the platform gave way."

Harold Jones said, "Am a practical engineer, I examined the platform; some portions were worse than others. I thought it safe. This is my first experience of mining, am a mechanical engineer, have a certificate as ship's engineer. The boring of a small auger hole to test the soundness would have weakened the timber. Had I known the timber had been in the shaft 28 years I would not have condemned it, timber should stand 35 years. It looked quite sound." The jury after deliberating some time found that deceased came to their death from drowning caused by the fall of the platform, tendered their sympathy to the relatives of deceased, and commended them to the consideration of the owners.

The foreman of the jury told me that he was a carpenter and remembered erecting the platform 28 years ago, the timber was cut from a fir plantation near by. The accompanying plan illustrates the position of the platform.

Two observations may well be made upon this accident, it is not reasonable for men having had no experience of mining to engage upon such mining operations as this; the re-opening of an old shaft calls for the exercise of judgment which can only be sound if

CROSS SECTION