1879.

VICTORIA.

REPORT OF THE CHIEF INSPECTOR OF MINES

TO TRB

HONORABLE THE MINISTER OF MINES

FOR 'l:lIB YEAR

1878.

PltESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY'S COMMAND.

lS~ \l'lutbotit~: JOHN FERRES, GOVERNMENT PiliNTER! MELBOURNE.

No. 12.

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Prepamtlon LltllogrnpWng •• PrinUng (1,571$ copIes)

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JU>PROXDU.TE COST OF REPORT.

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To, M0:jor' the Honorable W. Collard \ Smith, M.P., Minister of Mines, ~c.,~c., ,,' '~ ~ : • ~ • j

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SIR, " ...... ,'" "", ',;',". ';' \;'i::~ " ;),,: .I. ;.~~.accord,ance. ;with:lth~,~~l,lJ:ll;t.~.to1).J,,!L:Q.aV.i~: :.~4e .,hg)lgr:;¥> ]s!1Qp1it, lI!Y.l~ll~u~aJ ~epOl~/, 0~}}4e; ;op,eration 9£ Ffh~f.;~~~tJJ.tIilS ;J0r' ):·t4.l1~ :a~g1!mQQn~~.~~ ·M~-:~sj.J ;Np~·, .l1,8:Q '~~~pea:led:J: an~ "N~9; :·5.8~f:'~n~ :::~~Q 'ire,~~r~~, (u,pg~;:,sJ!C}p.;,\~~gg~~t~.?A~'~I4a:v:mg;. for ,tl;t,~~T \'~Ject (th~.!.,s.afety"pf :th~~~nun~r~Jll~ 'h.a.5v..e,:~e!!!l fhtg~ght.[ll;Q.,d~ti tp,gi,1iwt;\Q,!j 9f~tb~J:;Pep~!)~1 int;ntof'.Mines1id:uririg.the;past;y~3;J.:.:;;~ . in .mind that this .re~'\lction has taken place notwithstanding that many quartz ygiires are ,being explored 'Ye~r ·by year 'at increaSingly greater' depths. . ' ...,

. It may not 'be inappropriate to quote he~e' a remark in the report for 1877 ~f Dr .. ,C:. Le., Nt:ve lfoster, Inspector of Metalliferous Mines in the Western District, of England, who, in alluding to 'the' low 'death rate' in the metalliferous mines of Saxony-which is rather less than 1 per 1,000-says ,;- .

i "Whether w,e, shall ,ever be able on 3;n av!}rage of ten' years to attain to as great a freedom from .?"cc~~e~t~.as iuSaxoIiJ':}~ is .il!1p~ssible to say, and it certainly cannot be done; unless all persons engaged III mmmg, whether masters or men, ~r'e comitantly striving to reach Eif desirahle a goal." ',' : ' The following table shows' th!3 nu.mbe~ of accidents in' the last five years, as co~pared with the rqining population of ~he cplony do/ing the ;same periods :-

i I

I ! Mean N)1mber; i '.I Yea;. ' . Number of Total ; of ' I Killed. 'Injured. Killed and i Miners 1 Tmployed. . Accidents,' Injured. ,

. .1874 .... . .. 46,512 296 90 245 335 , 1875 ... ... 42,058 : 275 83 217 300

1876 .... " ... 41,531. ': 209 55 170 225 1877 ; 64 154 218 " ... ' 38,860 213 '1878 ... . .. 37,212 121 '40 106 146

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During the past. year there were in alluvial mining-

19 fewer persons killed, and 21 fewer persons injured, than in 1877 ; 17" " 34 " " 1876 ; 28 . " " 54' , '.' " 1875 ; 24" " 56'" " 1874.

And in quartz mining there were- '

5 fewer persons killed, and 27 fewer persons injured, than in 1877 ; 2 more '" 30 " " 1876 ;

15 fewer " 57 " " 1875 ; 26" " 83 " " 1874.

In the course of the past twelve months fourteen persons were killed III alluvial mining, and twenty-six persons lost their lives in quartz mining.

,Five deaths resulted from accidents at the surface, and thirty-five below the surface; thirty-six of the killed were Europeans, and four were Chinamen.

Twenty-two of the men killed were married, and they left sixty-nine orphan children. . .

The deaths were nearly 0'616 per thousand of the mean number of alluvial miners employed during 1878, and of quartz miners neary 1'797 per thousand. The mean number of alluvial miners employed during the past year was 22,742; therefore one death occurred in every 1,625 miners engaged in this :branch of mining. The mean ·number ·of quartz miners employed during the year was 14,470; ,consequently the death rate through mining accidents was one in every 556 miners. The average death rate per -thousand of both .classes of miners was 1'075, .01' one death to every 930 miners employed. The average of' fatal casualties is much less in proportion than that of similar casualties in the British metalliferous mines, and in ,the mines under the Imperial Coal Mines Act, during the year 1877, as will be, seen from the following extracts from the summaries of the statistical portions of the Reports of Her ·Majesty's Inspectors of Mines (England) for that year :-

"In the 'year '1877, at the mines .elassed under the Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act in Great Britain and Ireland, the fatal accidents amounted to 87, and the deaths (some of the accidents causing more than one death) to 97. Of these, $6 deaths occurred underground, and 11 aboveground. From the summaries it appears that in the year 1877 there, was one fatal accident amongst every 651 persons employed in and about the mines, and one death amongst every 587 persons so employed."

. As regards those mines under the Coal Mines Regulation Act, the report says :.-U It appears that on the ayerage during the year under review there was 'one fatal accident amongst

eyery 572 persons employed in and about the mines, and one death by accident amongst every 409 persons. employed."

If the number killed by explosions of fire-damp in British coal mines be deducted from the total casualties at those mines, the death rate then (one for every 573 'persons employed) is slightly lower than the Victorian death rate of persons employed in vein mining. .

The following comparative statement shows the number of persons killed by accidents which have occurred in each mining district during the past five years :-

Alluvial Mining. Quartz Mining. Total. :Mining District.

1878. ~874.11875.: 1876.\1877. 1 1878. ----'-_._-!--

B:111arat 1~ i 1: 1 11 7 8 5. 26 20 23 22 11~ i

Beechworth: ..

1

4 2 3 0 8 9 4 5

Sandhurst ... 2, 5 i 2 0 21 25 12 11 23 30 9 14 II Maryborough 7 i

:1

9 5 1 3 1 4 10 8 10 6 5 i

~ 1 i

Castlemaine

1

4 4 2 7 !I 0 4 2 13 6 4 8 4 Ararat 6 i 4 1 5 4

5

. The immediate causes of the fatal accidents and the number of persons killed .thereby in each of the five years, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, and 1878, were as follow':-

. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877.' 1878.

Fall of earth or rock underground Fall of earth on surface Falling down shafts Falling down winzes and shoots ... Fall of materials down shafts Crushed by cages in shaft Fall of timber underground :Fall from a tramway on sUlface Fall from a truck on surface Fall from a bank on surface Fall from the frame of a puddling machine on surface Fall from an engine frame to surface Fall underground Machinery ill motion ... ... • .• Explosion of bJasts (explosive Ilot named) ...

" ,,( lithofracteur) " ,,(gunpowder) ... " ,,(gun-cotton) •••

Explosion of fire-damp ... Explosion of tins of blasting compound Foul air Miscellaneous ...

Totals

35 45 26 20 16 10 13 9 9 5 22 6 7 15 7 30020 2 3 4 3 .•. 4 2 3 2 5 2 o 3 0, 4 1 1 000 0 1 0 0... 0 '0 10100 1 0 000 o 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 5 2 1 0 0 30000 2 1 0 1 1 2 4 202 1 0 000 o 0 1 0 0 U 100 2 o 1 020 1 1 0 3 0

93 83 55 64 40

The following is a short comment upon the fatal accidents that happened during the past year :- .

Of the sixteen deaths from falls of earth or rock underground, eIght appear to have Falls of earth or occurred from causes purely accidental and which could not well have been foreseen. ~~:;'der. Three of these were due to the sudden falling away of rock wanting in cohesion, through having what is technically known as "greasy backs," i.e., decomposed and moist slate between the laminations, and the other five were caused by the slipping of loose ground, notwithstanding that care had been exercised in timbering. Of the deaths from pre· ventible causes, three occurred from insufficient or otherwise defective timbering, two £i'om the reckless undermining of ground, two from working in ground in which no timber supports were being used} and one in drawing slabs from an old and dangerous shaft.

One fatal accident was caused by a fall of earth in a drive in which the person superintending operations had allowed too large a space to be opened without timber. This space was 33 feet wide, 13 feet high, and 14 feet from the nearest props to the face. A prosecution was instituted against the person in charge for a breach of general rule viii., sec. 6, of Act No. 583, but a conviction was not obtained.

A man lost his life, it was considered, through using til;nber of insuffiCient strength. Stronger timber had been ordered for the work, but the deceaesd had countermanded the order. One man was killed while assisting another in timbering a drive. The ground was known to be of a very dangerous character, and apt to slip, and the inspector reported that, in his opinion, the accident might have been avoided .had more care been observed. A Chinaman 'was buried by a fall of earth and cement between twelve and fourteen tons in weight while working alone in a shallow mine. He had neglected to use any timber supports. In like manner a European was killed. He was smothered by a fall of earth while working in a drive put in from a hole only about 5 feet deep, and in which he had neglected to use timber. His mate deposed at the magisterial enquiry that he knew the process of excavation was hazardous, but he had often before worked similar ground with safety.

A tributer was killed in a quartz mine through working too much ground away below the lode, and thus causing the overhanging quartz to fall upon him; and in another quartz mine a man was killed by a fall of earth of which a premonitory warning had been given of sufficient significance to cause his mates to retire, but he, reckless of the consequences, or wanting in experience, continued to work, and was in a few minutes after crushed to death. A fossicker lost his life while drawing slabs from an old shaft, assisted only by a half,'witted and deaf mate. In this instance the deceased must have been aware of the danger he incurred, as it was elicited at the inquest that he could get no ordinary miner to work with him in such ground.

Through falls of earth on the surface five lives were lost. A miner of lengthened Fall of earth on experience was suddenly buried by the fall of a bank.in a gully )"hile working a sluicing surface. claim. The only person (if any) to whom blame could be attached was the miner himselt.

FIllllngdown shafts.

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:In\,~i~porting;the. acci9.~rit the? inspect9;r.;stated;7~:;N,o.!timberjs ,used:dj1",wor,kiJlg' :sluicing ?1aQ11s ,0f.·thls, desc~ptioh;: ,ang.,; the methqd.ofi. :workingomust generally be left to;tlit? Judgment of'·the miners iIi charge.'" At another sluicing claim three Chinamen were at 'York undermin~~g an e,mbank~ent, when,' owing to the ground being f:)oft ',from rec(;1nt rains, H: ~lipped aw~y and k.illed one of them. ' The men. apparently haC!- not been su,fficiently vigilant in watching ::for indications' Qf instability"on" the. surtace. Anqther .Chinaman; cook to a· party of miners, was killed by the sudden slipping of earth in an, open' cutting ill;. which :he was at work. In this ea'se the' ground had also bec~me loose through '~he. percol:~,tioiC of water. The fifth casualty was one,.that ordinary.foresight .might have'. prevented. A, wedge-shaped block of ground, about 15 ~eet high, had been.left;standing in, a sluicing claim without :suitable,support,.and the'¥Ian'w~l:1t ur:de~'it to g~t a·drink of'water":w~en suddenly the eatthfell upon· him and; smothered hIm. The mspector was of opmlOn that due allowance had not been mad.e fo~ the weakening of tli~ block.by drives which had beel1'LP~t .into iL", The magistrate who. held an. enquiry stated that he. ',' thought"with.:proper, precaut~ons by the.'owner dfthe m~ne, the:acciderit might have been prevented." The manager (part oW:t;Ler) was prose disco:vere'd ::that an "end .... . '.-

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slab, c.overing an .old drive, ;had,;been> displaced ,by. hlews' fr.onl,,,the·.:asceiiding and descending buckets, and it was fr.om the reef behind the slab next ab.ove the .one displaced th~t the piece .of st.one fell,. . One .of the mates .of the deceased, at the inquest, admitted that-he knew;.of .. the,.old. drive, but never.tr . .oubled te··l.o.ok at-:it·;) als.o, that .on the eveni:qg pri.or t.o the accident-he n.oticed that the slab was partly out .of,· place, but he said n.othing ab.out it. . I

During th,~ past year, tW9 men were kil1~d by, cages.... Onl:) ,dl:)ath' resulted c:::~~t!'YCnge5 entirely fr.om the .. sufferer~s .own carelessness. The .. man -(wh.o.,had. been. previ.ously . cauti.onedagainst the practice) was calling d.own the shaft t.o ·s.ome .o1].e :at the plat bel.ow when a descending cage struck his head and killed him. .The .other death was caused by the sudden, descent .of a cage laden with a truck .of st.one which had been .overw.ound t.o the. p.oppet~heads.. The effect .of the . .overwinding was t.o break the spider, put· the spider-shaft .out ef gear, and t.o break the bed~plates 'and plummer-bl.ocks. In this way the cage was released fr.om the c.ontr.ol .of th~ engine, and descended the mine shaft, breaking in its d.ownward c.ourse thr.ough a penth.ouse, and fell upen three, men C.one killed) wh.o were ,engaged in sinking-the·shaft .beJ.ow the level fr.om which quartz was being raised .. At the magisterial enquiry it. was ascertained that the .overwinding was caused by a defect in the indicat.or, which ··had, previ.ous··t.o the accidep.t, been n.oticeq t.o be slightly out .of .order. N.o safe~y ,appa;r:'atus wa,s.in use at the p.oppet-heads.or .oJ! the c~ges., The mi.ning.manageranQ.~ngin~~driv€):r we.re pr.osecuted and fined,.the f.ormer f.or brea;ch.of general.rule. xvi., clause 6, the.latter f.or carelessness .

.. Three deaths are attrIbutable t.o expl.osIOns .of blasts~. In tw.o cases gun.p.owder Explosion of was in use; and in .one lithofracteur., One man was killed while .engaged (c.ontrary to blasts. the pr.oviE1iQllS .of the Statute) in drilling .ou,t a sh.ot which. bad misseci fir~.. He. and his mate had .succeeded in drilling t.o within ab.out an inch .of th.e ;charge.when it expl.oded, killing him, and injuring his mate. The men .only were to blame. A man was killed by being struck .on the head by ast.one fr.om a sh.ot fired 130 feet distant fr.om the place. where he was working. .There appeared s.ome reason t.o d.ou bt whether the man ,1lJ!qerst.oQa..his .p1~tesl .when_ th~y ,gay.e . thl=l t;J.,Sp.td>.;sig:n~1 to_.~~~k ":;1.. pl~.ce . .of .. ~afety, .or ;w;h~ther.his mat~s . .Were ,as careful ~ithey~ .. .oJJght tQ,hav~ .b~~n ... ,Np"blanw .. was.~ttp~ butable t.o the management. The remaining death was due to the expl.osi.on .of a lith.ofracteur .. blast. which .. hung fire. , ... ,.The . .dec~sed. charged .tw.o. h.oles~.one .. :with. gun-p.owder~ .the. other .iwith. lith.ofracteur":"7'an.dtired themt amI r.etire,d. The gunp.owder blast exploded,·and, ·alth.ough advised n.ot t.o do ·s.o, the man' went ,at .once t.o the site .of the lithefracteur'charge, and just as ;he"reached it ,the blaste:x:pl.oded, and s.o severely w.ounded 'him that. he died.a few days aner.:· He' only was t.o blame, and his acti.on was in direct c.ontraventi.on .of the pr.ovisi.ons of .par.); gen~ral .rule ii., secti.on 6, .of Act N.o. 583, a c.opy .of which was p.osted at the claim.

A Chinaman l.ost his life by a fall .of timber and earth in a drive, but the FnUofllmbcr exact ca~se .of th~' accidel1t c.ould n.ot b~ ascertained; ; it is : supp.osed to have. arisen underground. fr.om .one· .. .of tw.o.causes-either thr.ough the: last set pf timber. having been placed t.o.o far away fr.om .the preceding .one, .or fr.om, the last set having had a lean' ,in the head t.owards the face .of the drive s.o as .. t.o cause it t.o fallf.orward .on the false set Lb~jng.withdrawn,and.to bring t:w.:.o.otheI &~ts wi,t)dt. ,'. "~ '.,' ',.c,'rj ' .. n \., , ,'. r T:w.O" men )died fr.om. exhaust~.on, t~e.TElsult: of b.u:r~s .r~ceiv:-,ed frqro ~he ~~p!.9l?i,~n Eb~~~~lon-not" ,o'f.~b.oy.t 5 Ib~!.Qf .. gunp.owder c.ontaUl,e.d· In ,~·.:Qpen. ca:p,~§i~r .. ~.lt.:was .ascert!1ln~d that th~y.;W;ere ,~b.out .to.charge.a ,h.ole. in a driY!3·.with i gp.p.PQw.Q,~r, a. ~&Itister . .of which !.they had .. ~eside them. One man was C1).~ttillg ~Qp1e mse, w1;lich ,he .had pl&ced .on, a piece . .oLquar,t~, :when it.t.o.o~ fire.p.,He threwAheJuse,fr.om hirn,&1).d it unfortun:;ttely f~ll .4lt.o. the . .open ,. ca~ster .. .of.;gunp.o.wder, .~~usi:pg art ~xp'l.osi.on ~ which., inflicte,d. : such .seY.ereburns .. ;ts'ltQ.result.in the death"ey~ntuaJly .of. bQth..m.en ..... One m~n linge,re¢t si~ 3Jld the Qtber eleyen.J!aysbe(.ofe. d~th P\lt ~:Q end to' their sllm~rings ... '," ." '. ~ . "'. In' ,the f.oll.o~g statl:)ment, is .given .• the n~m. bel', ()f:.perl3()~s inj u,re4,by accidents ~~~ii~~~ plY,c4.paYI:) :.occ1l;p:e

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The causes of non-fatal accidents were as follow :-Number of Persons Injured.

I , 1874. 1875. . 1876. 1877. 18i8 •

Fall of earth or rock underground 60 58 ... 53 -le9 41 }'all of earth on surfa~e ... 15 8 .... 11 12 4 Falling down shafts 21 19 ..... 13 12 10 Falling down winzes and shoots 9 10 '2 4 2 Fall of materials down shafts 18' 13 16 10 5 Fall of materials. down passes and jump-ups ... I 5 .3 2 3 Cage accidents ... ... ... '" 2 16 5 8 10 Injured in setting timber ... 4. 2 1. 5 1 Slipping and falling underground 0 5 5 4 2 Slipping and falling at surface 4 3 ' 1 1 1 Fall' from tramway on the surface 1. 1 0 0 0 };'all from brace at'surface 2 1 3 0 0 Fall of maehinery at surface 5 1 1 0 0 Tl'llck accidents ... 0 5 8 5 1 ]{IaciJillery in motion 15 8' 8 10 1 Explosion of blasts (gunpowder) 13 15 8 17 11 Explosion of blasts (gnn·cotton) 6 1 3 0 0 Explosion of blasts (lithofracteur) 3 5 2 1 0 Explosion of blasts (dyna~ite) . 2 0 0 0 1 Explosion of blasts (rock-burster) 0 0' 2 0 0 Explosion of blasts (other explosives) 16 0 0 1 0 Explosion. of a boiler 1 1 I 0 2, Explosion of firedamp 2 10 2 0 5 Explosion of explosives (not blasts) 0 4 3 6 1 Blow from a hammer 3 2 2 0 '0 Blow from a pick I 1 0 0 0' Blow from'a windlass 'hundle 2 2 0 1 2 Miscellaneons ... 39 21 17 6 3

Totals 245 .... 217 ... 170 ... 154 ... 106

The'following table shows the number of persons killed and injilred' to every y'ears that the Regulation if Jl1ines Statute 1873 thousand employed during the five

has been in operation ;-

Allu vial Mining. QuaTtz'and other Lode Mines. I All Classes of Mining.

Years. Number per.Thousand. Number per Thousand. !

Number per Thousand.

I I

! Killed. Injnred. Killed. Injured. Killed. Injured.

1874 ... ... 1'21 2'75 3'40 10'39 1'93 5-26 1875 ... ... 1'.')2 3'03 2'84 9'23 1'97 5'15 1876 ... ... 1'15 2'38 1'64 7'25. 1'32 4'10 1877 ... ... 1'37 2'11 2-11 7'00 1'65 3-96 1878 .... ... 0'616 1'32 1'797 5-25 1'075 2'85

Upon analysing the numbers of persons killed and injured in accidents of the principal classes in each year since the first Act for the regulation of mines came into operation, there is'a satisfactory reduction to note in those which proceed from falls, of earth or rock underground and on the surface. The total' number in 1874 was 120, and in 18'78, 66. This reduction is no doubt due to the greater care enforced in the timbering' of mines, and in the examination' of banks on the surface wHile in process of un~lermining; lmt as a large proportion of these accidents is still caused by want of care on the part of the sufferers, I confidently anticipate that, with increased habits of observation alldwatchfulness, the casualties will yet become less in number:

The next class of accidents to which attention' may be .drawn is that under the descriptions "Falling clown shafts" and "Falling down winzes." The numbers injmed in this class have fallen off from 55 in 187 4 to 19 in 1878, and the reduction may he attributed to the. provisions of the Statutes for ~he fencing of entrances to shafts, the adoption of better ladder-ways, and for the staying of persons who· ascend and descend shafts on ropes or buckets ..

The number of persons 'killed and injllred in accidents resulting from falls of materials down. shafts, &c., has fallen fl;om 21 in 1874 to)2 in 1878. In respect to accidents of this class, the adoption of cage covers. has doubtless, done much for the protection of the miner.

p TY

SID r. v I E.W END VIEW

PLAN

&tam Litho., (Jf)!J/. Printing Office. MelbwN1

·9

The reduction in the number of accidents from machinery in motion has, during the past year, been very remarkable. Persons killed or injured in 1874 numbered 20, and in last year only 1. "While it would perhaps be too much to expect entire immunity from accidents of this nature in the future, ~here is every hope that the fencing of machinery, as provided for by the Act, will cause such accidents to be very infrequent.

Compliance with the pl·ovisions· of the Act appear to have had a very salutary effect on accidents arising from the explosion of blasting compounds. The persons killed or injured have been reduced in number from 48 in 1874 to 15 in 1878.

Finally, the only class of accidents in which there appears to have been no sensible falling off is that connected with cages; but I hope to see in the future a large diminution in the casualties, when suitable appliances shall have been fitted to cages to prevent their sudden fall down shafts, and when a proper system of signalling , shall have been adopted in the mines, in accordance with the provisions of the Statute.

Mr. Grainger, Inspector of Mines, reported to the Department in November Prosecution lo!" last the removal, by one Edmund Jones, of timber and. ladders from an abandoned ;;;~:::~: h f.'.' dId . b I'. h Id d·l A t' .. Ing nseless a salt, SItuate on an some tIme elore e un er ease. prosecu IOn was mstI- shalt.

tuted, and a breach of rule 23 of section 6 of the Regulation rif Mines Statute 1877 having been proved, the bench fined the accused Ten shillings, and Two pounds twelve shillings and sixpence costs, and in default of distress seven days' imprisonment. As much injury is occasionally done to the mining interests by the dismantling and wilful destruction of valuable shafts, it is hoped that the publicity which was given to the case will have a deterrent effect.

"The accompanying sketch shows three sections of Pryor's safety-cage in a Sa.letyappllanees. shaft. By the arrangement of this cage levers are made to catch in the sides of the J::t;~~:~ shaft instead of in the skids, as in other safety/-cages. The parts marked A on the sketch are the levers, or catches, to stop the cage in case of the rope breaking. There are four levers fitted to the cage as shown by the side view, two on each side ; each pair of levers is fitted together with joints similar to rule joints. Each end of the cross-bar marked B is fitted in the hole of a joint-the crossbar is arranged to rise or fall in slot holes fitted to the centre bar of the cage-consequently, as the bar rises or falls, the levers will draw back or press out into the sides of the shaft. The distant bar marked B is worked by a rod connected with the main shackles, the pin of which works in a slot hole in the top of the cage, so that should the rope break, the weight of the shackle and levers would be sufficient to press the latter out, and their joints would catch immediately in the sides of the shaft. The lever marked C on the crossbar marked B provides a means whereby a person standing in the cage can at will stop its descent, as by pressing the lever upwards the catches are disengaged from the rod connected to the shackle, and are brought immediately into operation. Any ordinary cage can be easily fitted with this safety apparatus."

Mr. Grainger, Inspector of Mines, has reported that, with a view to carrying SlIfety"strapI out the provisions of rule xvii., clause 6, of the Re{(ulation of Mines Statute 1877, Mr. James Quick, mining manager of the Garden Gully Drainage Association, has introduced what is known as the safety-strap. This strap or stay consists simply of a piece of rope about a yard in length, with a hook fastened at each of its ends. One of these hooks has an eyelet hole in it. The strap is placed by the miner round his waist, one of the hooks is looped into the eyelet hole, and the other is looped to the chain attached to the end of the hauling rope. By this means the miner is stayed and secured against a fall, as, if he should loosen his hold of the pit rope, he would be caught by the strap slipping up under his arm-pits. A man could easily set himself free from the strap by undoing one of the hooks; upon which, under ordinary circum-stances, there is no strain. I .

In connection with the above matter it rhay be observed that, at the time the Bill was under discussion, it was contemplated that some such contrivance should be used, and a drawing of a staying band with smalil bar and loop fastening was prepared for members of Parliament, in illustration of thJ requirements of the clause.

At the Shenandoah Company's mine, oh the morning of the 7th May last, a Aecldentshowlnf:. cage fitted with Jackson and Middleton's safety! apparatus was accidentally drawn up ;~;;!:'g~1 to the poppet-heads, the cap of the cage striking the pulley and smashing it, together apparatus. with the solid wooden bearers on which the pulleys l'un. The winding rope did not break, but when the damaged pulley dropped down out of its place, and the cage lost the supporting power of the rope, the safety apparatus immediately gripped the skids and held the· cage suspended.

NQ,12. B

10

.At this mine, however,' balanced catches (see Report ,fo'r 1~77,: i).:'10) 3:re .. attacbed to :the skids a~Jove the brace 'for 'the express purp'ose 6f prevebtill'O' 'Ca,ges ·descending into the shaft in case of 'an accident similar to that· referred 10 ,ari'd "these~ would, no doubt, have, stopped the JaIl of 'the cage had the~ safety app'dratiis been defective. These. catches are excellent aids in preventing serio'us' accidents,' arid have upon occasions already, proved of great value at this and one other llline: they 'are inexpensive" simple, and they shoiild certainly be~broug;htinto gen'eral'ilse. , .

Self'actingsafcty,.. In October, Mr. W. McLeish, of TnHlk Lead, informed the department that h'e brake, desired. to bring' under notice a, self-acting saf~ty-brake which he had invented to

Tender over-winding, impossible. As the members 'of the ',Safety~Cage 'Board were at the -time prosecuting_ their· enquiries,' Mr. McLeish "Tas 'advised ''to c()l'niiiunicate 'with

Remarks.

,them on the subject. ' ,I , , " ' ,; " ' , 1\11'. ,Charles Stewart,. Inspector of Miiles for the Ballal'at 'division of the' 'Ballara:t .district, draws attention to,a custom 'at,the,alluvialmines''in hi's district'to 'einplby dIlly

, .....one engine"driver ,to attend two engiiles, one of ·the latter 'heing- used for winding, the - '(. _other_ for pumping. and puddling. He states that' the puddling~iTIachine signal, con-

I -sisting :of an iron bar striking agaiI~st' an: -iron plate~ is ·frequently 1(ept going at'th'e time the engine-driver is engaged in raisirig 'and'lowering men in the shaft at a· chang,e

.,of shift, and he considers that it isJiable at some 'time 'or', other 'to', distract the marfs

.attention andlead to serious accident.:" :'.'" t. _ ,~ .. ' • ,'.-,-,' ', .. r, - • < ' • ,', Suggestion, ;:... _ In comle~tion with the fatal accident, (No. 97)·to three men; ,,,h6fe11 with :the

,'cage to, the bottom of, the shaft at:the Britamiia,mine, Mr. Stewart suggested' (llythat it ought to be made imperative that an instruction should be given to the perRon'In charge of the engine to see that the plumber:'blockisalways s6 secured as'to prevent its being forced out or displaced by any s'udden jerk or strain ~ (2) that rack-gear shou'ld

. be attached so as to prevent the spur-wheel fixed to 'the spider 01' "winding "', shaft from leaving the pinion-wheel of the engine without being caught in the teeth of the'rack.

, Mr. Shaw, manager of the Phrenix Fomidry, Ballarat, who was employed 'as 'an expert in connection, with, 'th.e ,enquiry into, th~ : cau~e of the aCCi?eilti referi'ed to above, suggested that every- eng'me, whether workmg WIth a loose or· a ,fixed phimber.

"block, should be provided with a brake 0l1tlie winding:.gear, so that, shoulclthewiIidiIig-"gear, from any cause; become ',disconnected ,from the engine,' it 'might be the meailS of pr(:wenting the cage from fi111ing down, the shaft.'· '.' .. , . , " -, ' " '

, ",Mr. VV',' H. Grainger, Inspectm ofUines,-Sandhurst,'sngg-ests that; in the ev'ent of new legislation, in connection with the' inspection of mines, a 'clause shollld be'intro-duced prohibiting the taking of iron: ,or' steel,taulping-ba'rs below grou:nd, because"Ire frequently finds ,such implements ,in mines, and he has every 'reason 'to believe ~thei aTe used in tamping, but it is ,very difficult to ohtain evidenc,e of their. a'ctual 11se'.' Para-graph e, general rule' 11, section 6, of the Act provides that' no' iron or steel' tool shall be used in tamping or ramming. . . ' , ,

Men, while in the, act of speaking down shafts,have' sometimes b'~en' struck by .descending cages and killed or ~njured .. Mr. John Moore, 'of Eyre 'street, Ballarat, sugO'ests, in relation to these accidents, that as they ':Ire 'caused solely hy mbtnentary tho~o:htlessness OIl the part of the sufferers,~l,conspicuous notice to the following'effect should be painted,at the surface opening of the shaft :~"Do not put .your1wad inth'e slwfl unless .yon can see the Tope." This' he believes would b~ a sufficient' precauti0l1, and ." would warn a man. at once, as: everyone 'knows that If he can see the'· rol)e'he can put his head into that division of the shaft ,,,ith perfect safety,' as' the cage must 'be down the shaft." ,,' '. ' , "

Mr. Moore considers such a notice ',,"QuId' ",be hetter than' forhidding speaking ,down the shaft, as there are many delicate operations· to be performed w here spe~kiiig is necessary, and prohibitions cannot always be enforced."

C f I Mr. W. Nichola:s, F.G:S., has kindly furnished me:with an extI'act from the.

~~O_- ~. . dentsf,rom d Cornish. Tele[!Tal'Jh of the 15th October':1878, relating'to' an' enqilirYJ into'theJ deathl'0f' explOSIves use v -. • C " h' 1 . in mines: ) ,two miners by 'an explosIOn of dynamIte at arn Brea Mli.le, from, W IC 1 It1appears (Dynamite, that both Major V. D. Majendie, R.A., H.M:'s Chief Inspector' of Explosives, and

Dr. C. Le,Neve Foster, H.M.'s Inspector of Mines; were of opinion'that the accident was .due to the explosion of nitro-glycerine, that'",had'leaked ftom dynamite, ~charges placed in. wet holes, and which had, 'not exploded 'when t~ech~rges were"'fir,ed, 'but

. which was subsequently exploded by a blow from a perCUSSIOn dnll." ' ., ""')', , In the exhaustive report upon the s?-me'accident'presented by:Major-Majendi'e to the Right Honorable the Sectetmyfor the .Home Dep~rtn:~nt, a·copy~of~'which'has been courteously forwarded to me, the questIOn of the habIlIty of dynamIte charges

to. only partially explode,. and the causes thereof, are fully considered, and it is strongly urged that in all cases where dynamite,\tonite, and the like explosives are i,n . use, some thoroughly effective system of searching (after shots have been ;fired) sl~ould be enforced, anq also that for use in very wet ground waterproqf dynamIte cartrIdges should be employed,. so as to·minimize the evils resulting from the possible leaving of unexploded cartridges or exuded nitro-glycerine in wet holes.

The follo\ying extracts fi'0!ll a report by Major A. Ford, R.A., H.M.'s Inspec~or of Explosives,on· the circumstances attending two accidents by explosion of dyrianute which occurred at the Yarlside Mines, Barrow-in-Furness, are brought under notice, with a view of ag:iincalling attention to the liability of nitro-glycerine to exude under certain conditions from the charges of dynamite. in which it is contained,. and to become highly dangerous when used in wet ground ;-

, "As ,to .1,hoc:J,use of I,hese .accidents it is so fnr perfectly clem' that they were. both. due to the cxp!osion,of ~l!yllamitc: No othcr cxplosive was in the shaft on either occasion. It is evident also. that

. the accidenl of the 14th J\oIay was brought about by the hnnd-drill 011 its being placcd on the surface of t,hc rock, and strucic'by.a hammer; and tlmt of thc3rd July was ·caus.ed by the bit of the boring machine, whcn it haq penetratcd to thc depth of 18. incItes or more into the rock, coming into contact with an unex-plocl'ecl charge therein." We have thcrefore to· dis(lover, if possible, how the. explosive was' in the first caSie on the surface, and 'in the, second ,case in, thc interior of the rock. I think :the explanation ·is the same in both cases. ..... . :

.. "Dynamite consists· of 75 pel' cent. by we'ight of nitro-glycerine absorbed by 25 p.er cent. or a siliciolls earth 01' sand known as kiesclghnr. The sand is very porous, and absorbs 'the· nitro-glycerine ill the same manner,as a sponge ·absorbs ,water, but the nitro-glycerine not being vaporised at ordinary tem-p~~.atures does not dry .out of thc kiesclguhr in .the same way as water dries out of a sponge. III its normal condit,ion dynamite is a red hOI)logeneous plastic mass, but when the ten;tpernture falls below about 40" Fahrenheit the nitro-glycerinc contained in the kieselguhr freezes; and a cartridge (in which form it is supplied for blastiug) is then, with difficulty, broken in two, in, the hands. Nitro-glycerine is a colorless oil mnch heavier than water, and.·when a cal'tridge is placed into a tumbler ot water the nitro-glycerine it contains gradu,ally leave,S the kiescfguhr aJ;l.d sinks to the bottomof~the tumb'ler .. Insomc cases the kiesel-guhr falls t9' pieces, at the· same time. Liq~id nitro-glycerine iI?' a_ v:~ry.!3~~sitjv:e C1cplosi ye, and is 9ply licensed to bc p:lltnnfactnr~d, in._England. for, immediate ·conversion into dynamite.. Inconseqnence of accidents it was prohibited from b.ein·g kept· by the Nitro:glycerine Act of 1869; and this prohibition is continuednnder the Explosives Act; even-under very stringent regulations it would not be safe either to be .. lmndled. Or to ge transporte.d,. and itjs, especially 'sensitive to contact .with metal. When,. however, it is a~sorbed by thek.ieselguhl',-we,haye a, substauce .of a very.diffe~ent and far safer cliaruct!3r ,: so long o.s it r~ri1itills in thE! sil,i.cious 9arth J;litro-g~y,c~rine,may be looked upon as an explosive which, under fitting regu-hitions, 'may be properly licensed . .for .use,. stomge, and transport., But. SillCC the, nitro-glycerine is rcadily , washed. out· by water, andithe solid comparati'vclysafe cxplosivc is thereby without difficulty reconverted iIJ.~o :: liqnid of: so dangerous a character, it is' clcar that unless'the explosive is to be forthwith fircd, all contll-ct,of dynawite :w:it4 ;yat,er ,should" be most rigidly gUHrd,ed.against .. And if i.t is necessary to insist npon this,even wlle.r:e. ~he .llCtiQtl.O.f .water npon dynamit.e is well known, it is obviously much more so in the case of ordinary miners, by far the greatest part, I might say almost the whole,of whom are absolutely ignorant of this property ; -becanse persolls' who are thus ignora.nt are liable, by bringing dynamite into contact. with wa~er; not ·only: to call .. into ,existence an explosive which, as befom sta.ted, is· except,ionally sensitive, but being unawa.re that they are dealing with anything more dangerous than dynamite, they are without any inducement. to rpake further provision for the greater risks attendant upon its ~se than would be generally considercd requisite in the use of dynamite. '. *' .. , *' • .. . "-To thisproperty.of dynamite both the accidents to which this'report relates are, in my opinion, to

b,e trac.ed"f, In'. both cases, I think, there is little doubt the explosive strllck was nitl'O-glycerine, which had gmduaJ:ly.,oozed through the cracks contl1.ining)ron-ore above mentioned. It mllst be remembered that the t\'.'o or three cartr:idges fOl:lI}ing the charge were.pbced into a hole which \VIIS allowed to fill itself with water. No sooner ~iid the dynamite come into 'contact with the ,\'uter Uian it began as it wcre to dissolve; some of thc heavy. liquid nitro-glycerine forthwith rall downwards iuto allY cracks through which the holes might hp,ye ;)Je!ln pored, and in.a few minutes .was, fHr remoYf\d from the explosion of the rest, which then took place ... Fro~ oth~r ho]e~ :rnore ni.tro-glyc~rine pas.sed into the same cracks, finding its wily into the same· crevice,s) on. 0l1e of.. tlHlse ,crevices, doubtless, the bit of the boring machine lighted within the rock, on ailother the hand. drill. In each case a life was needlessly sacrificed and other seriollS injuries inflicted."

. T,he. followiI1g ~xtracts."from a report by Major A. Ford, R.A., on the Oun-ootton. ci),;C1-ll!lStfl~~es attenqing an .. accide:pt which occul'~ed in a tunnel in course of con-s~ru.ct~-;m at. Hfllkyn, ·refil' I;:Iolywell, by which one man lost his life and eleven others were more or . less injured, are brought under notice· as showing the poisonous ·c11aracter of the fumes evolved by the explosion of ordinary gun-cotton ;-

.,' '.~ Halltyn Moupt,ai,n is a hilly tract,in Flintshire extending some four 01' five miles in a north-westerly dircc~ion, aIl~ coqt~iIling y!),luable 1!3m1 mines, 'which, hOWeyOl', it has hitherto been very difficult to work, on account of the mflux of water. Owing to their great depth, it has been fonnd impracticable to pump the water ~p t? the surface, and an attempt has bcen made to drain it' off by constructing an outlet through the, mp~ntulIl slde~ , A tunnel wa~ commenced for that purpose so long since as 1818, but the work proceeded slowly; in ~87~ i~ w~s. s.~, far completed th!1t a. commnnication with the Halkyn deep level mine had been effected-about a mile and a half in length." .

. From this point the tunnel had been further driven 89 yards when the accident happened.

"The material excavated consists of limestone intersected with veins of quartz, and dynamite is the explosive usually employed. Twenty holes. each,36 inches deep and from 2 to 3 inches in diameter, are drilled in the' face' of the tunnel by a boring machine, driven by compressed air,fo.ur. holes at a time. The face is 7 feet 6 inches wide by 7 feet 6 inches high." .

When the holes are .completed the machine i~ removed, and the holes (beginning at the centre) are then charged and fired, four at a time, the men .retiring each time to a place of safety. ) .

"The time occupied in each round of fonl' holes appears to be as nearly as possible a quarter of an hour, which may be roughly divided into three periods of five minutes each .as follows, viz., .five 'mi~lUtes occppied in charging the holes, five minutes in retiring out of danger (which was a distance of about 200. yards at the time of the accident), and five minutes returning to the face to re-charge. '

. "The compressed air,aftcr driving the boring machine, 'escapes into the tumiel and serves 'to' vcntilate it. * • lit Air is pumped ill continuously with the exception of the small intervals while the boring machine is being removed and the first round of holes is being charged, and the foul air.is expelled thereby, part through the ladder-way to an old level and thence up the shaft, the remainder along the tunnel;finding its way, one portion directly up the shaft, and the other portion to the outlet in the valley', below. The mouth of the pipe through which the ltir is' conveyed' is abont 30 feet, more or less, from . the, ' face of the tunnel. ' .... " ,

" While the firing is going on, the air rushing in becomes mixed with the smoke and' fumes ievol-ied:' from the explosive, which are thus carried along the tunnel; at the face the air gradually becomes 'irioFe 'and'! more pure, and by the time;another round is fired it may be assumed that tlle lloxiousgltses'given"(iff by'ai ( former round have been carried to a distance of about 40 to 50 yards from the Ince." , . " ",'

About a week,.p,rior to the date of the accident an experiment was made\vI'th some wet nitrated gun-cotton charges. ",

"The trials on this occasion were not successful. The charges simply blew out witnoiIt detaching the roci):. The superintendent of the boring opemtions noticed tlutt the fumes appeared 'to be 'more pungent' than ·those given off from dynamite, but he did not find them sufficiently bad to affect his bl;eathing." .

On the day of ' the accident dt,!! gun-cotton was used. Following the usual course, the four centre holes in the face were first charged. These holes were about 42 inches in depth, and the gun-cotton charges, with primer, filled about 20 inches. The weight of each charge was about l~ 1bs. When the snuffs were lighted the men retired to a place of safety about 200 yards distant. After the discharge the men returned to the face, and found that the charges had blown out without detaching the rock, just as had happened with the wet gJill-cotton on the fonner occasion. The gases from this discharge of the gun-cotton do not appear to have annoyed anyone present. vVithout loss of time the four centre holes were charged with dynamite and fired, and the rock was r~moved. Four more holes were then c~larged w~th gu~-cottop. and fired (second explOSIOn ·of gun-cotton), and the charges thIS time dId theIr work. On their way to the face after this discharge the superintendent and workmen remarked that the fumes were "sharper" or stronger than dynamite smoke. Four more holes were then charged and fired. This was the third round of gun-cotton and the fourth explosion.

The superintendent at once prepared to return to the face, but the person experimenting 'with the gun-cotton objected, saying that the smoke was too bad. Two men had in the meantime started to the face, and the superintenaent followed; the rest stayed behind for a short 'time. The three had got about half-way when they all remarked that they felt "queer" from the fumes, but they managed to walk to the mouth of the pipe from which pure air was rushing into the tunnel. Near to the mouth of this pipe they placed their faces and rested for about half a minute, and then endeavoured to return so as to warn the rest of the men not to advance to the face. The superintendent having proce~ded about 90 yards met the rest of the party and 'told them to go back, and he then immediately after fell down insensible. Meantime· the two other men who had accompanied the superintendent had also fallen down insensible. The fumes travelling along the tunnel overtook the men told ,to retire, and they all (seven) became insensible, fiS also the signal-man at the bottom of the shaft, and two of four men who were the first to go down to render assistance. Altogether' there were fourteen persons overcome by the fumes. Eventually all recovered except one of the two persons who accompanied the superintendent, and who, it would seem, never breathed after he fell. The appearance of the men when brought to the surface is thus described :-

« The injured men generally were in a very excited' state, but two or three of them when ·they got to the top quietly snt dowlI in the cabin.and stared vacantly as if looking at 'nothing, with 'tremendous tears nIDlling down their cheeks. Some jumped about as if wild, shrieking madly. Their appearance also was very wild ; all of them looked. very pale and .haggard. They were all very eold, wit.h their teeth chatterillg." "!.

13

Major Ford says, "There is no douht whatever that the gases evolved from the gun-cotton and inhaled by the men were the cause of their suffocation."

Analyses of specimens of the wet gun-cotton used a week prior to the date of the accident, and of the dry gun-cotton, which caused the accident, sho'\'fed that the former was nitrated gun-cotton, and the latter ordina1Y dry gun-cotton.

"Gun-cotton is produced by the action of strong nitric acid upon cotton, and contains carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. The proportion of carbon to oxygen present is such that when the fmbstance is decomposed into gases by explpsion a large quantity of earbonic oxide must be formed. Nitro-glycerin'e (the explosive ingredient of dynamite), however, which is formed by the action of the same acid upou glycerine, and consists of the same elements, contains carbon in sufficient quantity to form no carbonic ()xide, put only carbonic acid on decomposition. The chemical formula for gun-cotton is C. H1 (N02)s 0 6 ; that for nitro-glycerine being Os lIs (N02)a Os. It will be seen that the proportions of carbon to oxygen are 6 to 11 in the former, and 3 to 9 in the latter. It may be assumed that all the hydrogen will be converted into aqueous vapor, but even if none of the oxygen in gun-cotton combined with the hydrogen, the proportion of oxygen present would not be enough to form carbonic acid (C02) with the carbon, and at least some carbonic oxide (CO) must bc formed. In nitro-glycerine there is enough oxygen to admit of all the hydrogen being converted into aqueous vapor, and all the carbon into carbonic acid; and as carbonic oxide is only formed when the supply of oxygen is insufficient to produce carbonic acid no carbonic oxide is cvolved. Thc poisonous character of carbonic oxide is well known- (One volume of it diffused through one hundred volumes of air totally unfits it to sustain life.' (Air containing one-twelfth of its volume of carbonic acid causes suffocation.'-BIQxam's Chemistr.1J, pp, 78, 68.

"Gun-cotton, to which 11 nitrate has been added mechanically so as to supply the deficiency of ()xygen, is in use, under different names, as nitrated gun-cotton, tonite, or cotton powder, and cotton gunpowder. The oxygen contained in the nitrate added is sufficient iu all cases to enable carbonic acid aloue to be produced.

"The War Office Committee on Gun-cotton (1871 to 1874) in their report enumerates the results arrived at by Professor Abel, C.B., F,R.S., the chemist to the War Department, from his experiments with gun-cotton, one of which is thatwlten mixed with nitrate of potash, nitrate of soda, or chlorate of potash in such proportions as will get the full amount of work out of the carbon," The products of combustion furnish little or no carbonic oxide, the presence of which renders the use of ordinary compressed gun-cotton ()bjectionable in military mines.'"

On the 16th December Captain 'Vagemann pelformed some experiments at the :New explosive. quarry of Mr. S. Dodd, East Richmond, with a new explosive invented by him.

Captain W agemann's New Camphorated Explosive Compound is a preparation of nitro-glycerine and gun-cotton. It is of a tenaceous gelatinous consistencv, brown col9r, and emits strongly the odor of camphor. ~

The principal points of superiority over other explosives claimed for it.are :-1. That it has 25' per cent. more power by weight than dynamite. 2. That it is not exploded by the firing of a charge in close proximity. 3. That it is not affected by immersion in water.

The experiments made to demonstrate superior power "'ere not very satisfactory or conclusive, but with regard to the other points the experiments proved eminently so.

On account of the only partial success of the experiments regarding the superiority of the power of the compound as compared with dynamite, Captain Wagemann has stated that he will at an early date make some further experiments. Additional particulars respecting this compound will be found in the Report alluded to in the next paragraph. .

During the past twelve months the inspectors appointed under the provisions of the Explosives Act have been diligently gaining information and experience, and their report will doubtless be read with interest. The bringing of the. Act into operation has been somewhat tardy on account of the delay experienced in framing regulations in accordance with its provisions. On the 13th March next the Act will -come into full operation.

As the manufacture of explosives in the colony appears to he on the increase, and as this industry demands a careful supervision to prevent the possibility of serious destruction of life and property from explosions, the Ul'gent necessity for passing the recent Explosives Act is apparent. ' .

I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant,

T. COUCHMAN, Chief Inspector of Mines.

H· ",."'i

it ~i

LIST OF ACCIDENTS r~,f,T.HE M~NE~, ?F ~OLONY OF; ~Iqr?;aIA;pUI~lf~," :pl.-~ ?,~~R E~~~~~3~S:, ~ECE~_~~~ ,:187~:, ~ f~;~ " .: ... ~l l..:..:~ :

District.

Castlemaine •••

Ararat

Ararat

BalJarllt

Maryborough

DIv!slon.

~

Creswick

Dunollj ~" ,

;' ,

."

~Ine Owner.

'19th Jan,;: Queeu;s Bfrthday Q.: : l~th?an;" ~:~nd:G.M, Co~,;. ,~~ "C;" '

Sandhnrst ••• 1 Sandhurst, '" I LanselJ's, ,No. Claim' t ..... ' i~:"

~ .' , ,

Maryborough Amherst Periev;erance Co;', .. '121th"J~n;' ., ':

Sandhurst ••• 1 Sandhurst '" Co. " •• !' 27,thJan: -

Sandhurst ••• 1 Eaglehawk ... I St,Mungo Co. Jan~~

Ballarat '" 1 Ballarat

Ballarat .. , 1 Smythesdalc

1,,1 r ';of],

'. (:..,-

~,

lith Feb,' , !

, '

Ra~i~~~~so G~ 1tr.60~J 6,tl1 F~~. ". "':' (" '.'

...\

.'

.. ~ " { .. " -:;! ~ \ ' ','

':~ 1 t [3 'E'!", '4;' ,'" " • ~'.~. ;, ." • '~I : ',: l ~. ~.

-- :~;~ • -: :~:,~ ~:: ~1~ # ~';'~' :'.. :' ~~< " ~?:', :: ,_ '., -'

Oauee ,~f Accident. ;.:. .1' ",-I !-:t; t.:· p '.1" L:- ;.. ':'" :;: Ii I; :1' ,"

1 \,

\-\j "\

,'" "

~.,I ~': :~., "J ~~i F~IC down a, ,shaft'

2 of- a' piece of q nartz from the face of a drive '

3 n Fall of a shaekle , down a shaft

~ !

" ~:~ '~

",

l' I ThJ:£lc~ide~~ ..¥£l~ cau~~d'biih~ ~reaki~g a rop~: with which ;lad~~r the'man ~as on was tied, nnd ~h~ ~nn fel!,a~d h~~d ~isleg b~o~en~ .~o.other perso~wns.us.ipgthes.haft, anfcous?~l!en.tly no one was t- ,,~.

7:.1 Explosi~n " ':po'!der

':: .. ,;; f·'1

~

~! '

" g'}g" . ,-t .. ,

c~

~

8': Expfosjon of ~'~Y~9' , lignin€! " ,:

':::.::: '- - ./"

2', The meri'were'raising,stuff,fronl below by,means of, a large and, hcuvy windlass fixed to'a stage Itbout . j,;,'30 feet.from:the bottom of the shnft. 'A fresh 'bucket had been 'sent off by'tlw man at the bottom when

I) ',,1 ";i ! 'the' men :winding fel~: the handles of the wiridlass; suddcnly jerked

Maryborough I ;A.voca '''I Working Miners' 17th Feb. I! 12 \ Machinery in motion \"'j Sa:dl;:rst .. ~ f1e:~h~ot~" :.~ ~?i~~: and Central' 9Jl F~b'" : l~" JixPlosi:n '~f ~ blast l'

.!" "

Sandhurst Sandhurst Windmill Hill M. Co. I 11th Feb.

;:..

Sandhurst Sandhurst ;Fortuna Crushing I 12th Feb. Works

Maryborough l,Amherst Perseverance Co. .., 14th Feb:'

Sandhurst Sandhurst Victoria Consols Q. 14th Feb. M.Co.

Se.ndhurst '" I Sandhurst ... : l'Adventure and ~d-'I4th Feb.' vance Co.

Sandhurst ... I Sandhurst '" I Garden Gully United I 18th Feb.

Sa.ndhurst Sandhurst

Co.

New Chum and Vic- list March toria. Co,

(gunpowder)

14 I Fall down a shaft a distance of from 15 to 20 feet

15 I Shifting of the top door of a pUlllp

16 Explosion, of a (gunpowder)

' 17 Fall of mullock down I ... I a shaft

18-1 Fall 'of a prop and mullock down a shaft

19 I Fall down a shaft 300 feet

20 I Fall of, earth in a drive

1

I

2

As the man was entering, the engine-liouse his foot slipped while he ",'as close to the side of the pumping engine",and his right hal)d was caught in the' cog-wheels and very much ,broken and crushed.

Verdiet at magisterial inQuiry :_H Deceased was accidentally killed by an explosion, during the out of a shot that had missed- fire." 'Deceased and his mate, after the lapse of about twenty'minut8s, menced to drill, out a shot 'which had missed 'fire, and they had drilled to within :ui inch of the powder when it· suddenly exploded, leilling one man and slightly iujuriug the:other about the eyes; The under" ground manager deposed' that, when asked by one of the mcn for a pricker, he refused, sayiug that it was not allowed below ; 'and he further dep'osed that he had no idea they were going to drill out the shot: It was generally understood in ,the mine that a Dlissed fire shot was not to be drilled out. A

, printed copy of the regulations under Act No. 583'was posted at the miuc,

The melD"was ascending the ladder-way from the I;020-foot l~~ei,to a l;ighcr oue, when he lost his hold of the steD of the.ladder and fell; receivii(g ,a, severe shaking, The ladder,S at the levels were iD,a safe

'and the,accident appeared to hfLve occurred through the Dlan earryiug his" jumper" (article of n. one hand while clipibing. ,Tne accident was entirely the man'R own fault, and the man~gel'

in )10 way to blame. '.. . ' man was taking off the top door of the pump,'and had all the nuts unscrewed except one at the

,vhen tl;te door suddeuly shifted:round and jammed his hand against the bottom door, severely it. The would have been prevented had he unscrewed all the other nuts before. the top one, as by doiug so could lieitqer have fallen nor shifted rouud. '

T4,e I!Ian placed the· shot in the driv~ and retired to a safe distance. After waiting some time and not hearing the discharge he went back to ascertain the cause, when suddenly the blast exploded and inflicted' a sevel'e wound on his head and knee and injured one of his eyes. .

The nien had descended' in' the cage from the 764-foot to the 834-foot level, and ou one of" them stepping on to the plat, the other on 'to a qhain ladder to descend deeper, some mullock fell from'an opening at the 700-foot leYel and slightly injured them. The mnlloek which fell was lying on. slabs at the 700-£00t level, and both mullock 'fLud slabs 'were resting on a round piece of timber 12 feet long and about I,l inches in diameter. The round piece broke and the plat being close to the shaft the lllulloek fell down it.' On examinatiou it was found that timber had been attn,eked by dry rot, which was the cause of its breaking. No braille was attributable to the management.

Fi~e men' at' the 700-foot pl:lt wished to gO to, the '850-i'00t level, and as the cage was going down the of the number jumped. on to the,cage cover, and the other three came down after them on the 'When the cage WfLS nearing the bottom (850 feet) onc of the timber supporters in the 700-foot way, and the broken prop with fL lot ofmullock was heard falling. 'l'he men on the cage took

refuge in the bottom level, where, they were soon joined by two of the men on the ladders, but the third' man was too late to get out of the way_ :The prop and earth fell on the cage cover, seriously damaging it, and the piece of timber then rebounded on to the ladder-a swinging one-on "vhich the man was'

and br.oke it down, when ladder, timber, and man fell to the bottom, about 10 feet. The injured his right leg'severely bruised. '

Verdict at inquest :-"Deceased ,~as killed by falling dmvn a: shaft." The jury considered that if the Act, had 1>een complied wi~h,,,thn,t is, by staying the men to the bucket or rope, the deceased could not 1 fallen down the said sp.llft. The mining manager was committed f9r ,trial for manslaughter, but Crown Prosecutor withdrew tlie.clmrge. 1 Deceased 'and three others ,were standing au the bucket bein'g' raised to the surfaqe, when "deceased su'ddCl~ly fell away and was killed. He had a bag ove shoulders and ,tied round his neCK, and it was surmised that he was caught by the jagged head of 'a (which projected into the shaft from the side) and was dragged out of the bucket. The drill was fixed between two lining boards which were 9 inches"wide by I! inch thick, and some of ,them. were placed, from 4 to 10 inches apart.

The man (one of a party of tributers) was in the act of ,working down the ground when some of it sud-denly fell away, knocking him down Ilnd slightly injuring him. No blame was attributable to the management, and the maD had ouly himself to blame, as instead of keeping from under the when working it he placed himself directly beneath it.' ., .. --. ' - '

~,

':.1'

LIST of AcCidents in tho "Mines of the Colony of Victoria during tho Year ended 31st December I 878-continucd •

_ District. Division .. :tiline OWlIer. DIl.~c of Accident.

1878 . Samllmrst .•. I Sandhurst ... I South Ulster G. M. I 6th Marchi

CO.

l\1aryborough DnnoHy Sydenham Q. G. 111. 7th March Co.

Bcechworth ••• Beechworth ... 8th March

Gippsland

Ararat

Sandhurst

Ballarat

Sandhurst

13allarat

Russell's Creek Co-operative Com- 13th Mar. pany

Pleasant Creek Newington and Pleas- 15th Mar. ant Creek Q. M. Co.

Dunolly Queen's Birthday Q. 22ndMar.

Eaglebawk ... I Central Catherine 22ndMar.

... I Creswick Dyke's Freehold G. I 2nd April M.Co.

... I Sandhurst ••• I Garibaldi mine ••• 16th April

... I Smythesdale I ... . .. 18th April

Cause of Accident. od " a

1

Ballarat Smythesdale Trunk Lead Co. • •. I 9th April I Sand hurst Sandhurst ... Hercules and Ener- lIth April

Z getie Co. ? ..... !" Sandhurst ..• I Sandhurst .•• Young Chum Co. . .. 13th April

o

Beeehworth ... 1 MittaMitta .•• Carlisle Tribute Co. 13th April

Castle maine "'1 Castlemaine Anglo Mining Co. ..• 18th APrill Ararat ... Pleasant Creek Great Northern Cross 29th April

Reef G. M. Co.

Sandhurst Eaglehawk ... 30th April

Maryborough I Maryborough I Bristol Hill Co. 6th May

Ballarat

Amrat Buninyong '''1 ... '''16th May Pleasant Creek St,awel! Big Hill Q. 6th May'

M.Co.

Castiellmille ... I Tarrangower I Eaglehawk Union Co.1 9th May

31 I Slipping and falling 1 underground '

32 Fall of a stage in a drive

33 }l'all of earth from the top of a rise

34 . Fallofearthinadrive

35[ Cage accident 36 Explosion of a blast 1 ". 1

(gunpowder)

37 I Fall of earth in a drive •.•.

38 1 Fall of a tank (3 ft. x 2 ft. x 6 ft.) down a shaft

39 I Fall of earth in a drive 40 Fall of earth in adrive

41 I Fall down a shaft from 965-foot to 1,OOO-foot level

4

The man (Chinaman) had his thigh broken by falling down when he was at work.

a stage which was supported by two ladders placed against ,the hanging wall. a hole in the roof of the drive (14 feet high) a truck passing under the stage touchcd one and shifted it so far out of position that the stage fell, and the man had the sidc of his

head cut. There was no blame whatever to be attributed to the management • The man and his mate had just commenced work in a rise, and the injured man was breaking down the

ground when It fall took place, and caused injuries which necessitated the amputation of the big llnd third toes of his foot. There was no blame whatever to be attributed to the management.

The man was one of II party of sub-tributers, and they had to find their own timber, but it was not con-sidered that the ground required any. The face of the drive was only 6 feet from the shaft, and the drive was not more than 6 ft. x 3 ft. The fall of earth broke the man's leg above the ankle. It was purely an accident, and no blame could be attributed to

The cage fell on the man from a height of 20 feet, and severely him.

The hole was drilled into a face of stone to a depth of 2 feet 6 inches, and at about half way there was a seam carrying a little loose quartz. One of the men had the quantity of powder in the holc and had hardened it by hand with a wooden tamping-rod, he then the rod with his hammer and caused the explosiou, which more or less injured each of the four men. From what the inspector could see, the hole at the seam mentioned was a little broken, and it was supposed that the rod must have gathered a piece of stone and carried it into the bore, and that the concussion of loose stones caused hy the blow from the hammer resulted in the explosion.

'I The man and his mate were working down some ground at the 200-foot level, ileal' to the shaft, when about 5 cwt. of earth fell' and bruised the man's right leg. The inspector did not consider there was any blame to be attributed to anyone. The man stated that it was purely an accident, and that no one was to blame.

Verdict at inquest :-" Deceased died through injuries accidentally received by the tank falling down a shaft in consequence of the breaking of It coupling chain." One of the links of the chain which con-nected the lank to the rope broke, and caused the accident. The chain (i-inch round iron) appeared to the inspector to be or good quality and suitable for the purpose. The chain broke when the tank was abont 50 feet from the surface, and caused the Ilttter to faU to' the bottom at 490 feet, deceased was at work. The shaft was divided into one pumping and two winding compartments, all securely timbered down to the 396-foot lev,el; below that point the shaft had been sunk nearly 100 feet, but the timbering was incomplete. '

The man had his leg broken by a fall Of earth in the face of a drive in which he was working.

Verdict at magisterial inquiry :-"Death was the result of an accidental fall of earth on deceased from the roof of a tunnel." The extent of the excavation open (i.e. not timbered) was 33 feet wide, 13 feet high, Itnd 14 feet from the props to the face, which was undoubtedly too large an area to be left without timber, showed a want of care for the safety of the persons employed. Messrs. Nicholas and Stewart, inspectors of mines, were of opinion that the accident was the result of insufficient timbering, alld Henry Polgreen, the person having the management of the mining operations, was prosecuted for a breach of general rule vIn., section 6 of Act No. 583, but the magistrates dismissed the case.

The man and three others were timbering the shaft from the 1,OOO-foot to 965-foot level, and were working on a stage flxed in the side of the shaft. The sufferer was, hanging a plumb line from the corner of IL frame about 3 feet 6 inches above the stage, Itnd in getting down he slipped and fell on to the stage, displacing the latter, which partly fell with him to the bottom, 35 feet below; he had his left leg cut, and his side and head contused, &c., by the falL The inspector ascertained that there was a second platform over the shaft on the frame immediately below the and that the accident would not have occurred if instead of taking two of the planks off this platform to make the stage,

man had (as he should have donc) brought the proper timbers down from the 900-foot level. He the opening in the lowcr pl!l.tform eaused by the rcmoval of the plank.. The negligence

have been on the part of the men concerned.

I-' ....:J

District.

LIST of Accidents in: the Mines of the Colony of Victoria. 'diir~g the Year en"dod31st December 1 87S...:.....continued .. ·· --------.-----------.-----~-~----~----~--~.-. ---.----------~----~----------------------------------

Division, Mine Own~r. Date of Accident, Reml1.rkJ, Canse of Accident. ~

" ! ·----1 I--------.l--__ I_· __ I __ · ______ I __ I __ I ____ ,..,-_-,-,.....,...,."..., __ -,-__ -,-,-;.,,-~ __ ~ ____ ~...,._,...==-""=-"',..,.__c=-~-

Sandhurst

Mary borough

Salldhurst ...

,1878. Sandhurst

, " Mornin.g!~i~~t g~:"'118t~1 ~ay I ;2 Fall of groundat'the

100-foot level, •

I Dunoll.)' ". I John, Richard, and I 18th May I 43 I Fall of earth from the ;rames Pollard iroof of a drive

Eaglehawk ... S~ob'B Hill G. M. Co. ',14th May ~4 • Cage accident " . ..

~v "1" 1 ,l I~ •• ; I .,~.~.,: .~~ .. :!I':':'~~ .... ~ 1.. ....... ~ 1" f' '. 1~. t'~" t-' , ,.; . .• j l. , ••• > ; 1: .,' .. r,J1 ',- ',,', ~ • ~. "-

The man'.was stoping, down, tlie.gro~dr.wh~n the: acci~~nt oc9.!lrred ... ·yHis.;rightJcg W:as.l?rJri.sed:~,;.The, .. ' . inspector·examjn€Jd the mine and. conl!idered ,there;waB 'po, blame,lto .be atpribnted,!,t({'lthe J;Ilanagement. l . anc1.that.

Q

10:)

Sundhurst Sandhurst Comet Q-. M. Co. • .. I 3rd June

Castlemaine ... I Castlemaine IEureka Consols G, 16th June ~. Co.; Registered,

MarJborough I Maryborough ,J. Ferrara and J. I 18th June Hyam

S,,,,dhurst .•. I Eaglehawk , •• I Johnson's Reef G,M. I 21st June Co" Registered

M,tryhorough Dllnolly

Balial'at Smythesdale

l~;d!nrat, . Ballarat

Queen's Birthday Q, I 27th June C. aud G. M. Co.

Argyle G. M. Co .... 29th June

Koh-i-No!)r Co.' 29th June

50 I Fali of earth in II. drive 60 feet from surfuce

51 I Fall from ladders near 280-foot level to bottom of shaft, 460 feet

52 I l!'all down a shaft, a distance of from 30 to 40 feet

53 I Explos ion of a hlast (gunpowder)

,.

54 I :Fall from a stage in a shaft

55 Fall of a piece of I ... I, 1 reef in a drh'e

56 Fall from a ladder I down a winze

Ihll:uat ... I Smythesuale I Scarsdale G. M. Co. ! 2nd July I 571 Explosion of fire-I'" 4 and damp 58

Verdict at iuquest:-" Deceased died from injuries accidentally received while working in a mine." The deceased imputed no blame to any oue. The inspector reported that the accident was caused through want of care or judgment on the part of the men themselves; they worked too much ground away below the' lode, causing the quartz to fuJI before it was expected. The men were tributers. The deceased received serious injury to the spine and severe bruises on the shoulder and baCk, from the effe'ets of which ile died on 6th July 1878. His mate had his shoulder and back slightly bruised.

Verdict. ut inquest :-" Death was caused by deceased ~cidentally fa,lling dQwn'a shaft;" with ,8. rider that ." the ladder in the pump shaft should not be used in ordinary trll-ffic, but the llJ,dder to the bottom. of tile shaft should be continued from the 280-foot level in the eastern,comp,artment."Deceased, with fonr otncr men, was coming up the ladders on the relief of shift, and deceased was leading, when, from some unexplained cause, he fell away and was killed. The inspector deposed at the inquest that the laddcr-way from' surface tQ'280 feet was strictly in accordance with general rule XU., sectiOli 6 of Act No. 583, but hel .. ", this point the ladder-way in the pump shaft appeared to have been used by the night, shift relief men 'for descent and ascent. 'I'he ladders in the pumping division were placed at a con-venient >Lngle, as required by general rule XVlll., and they were properly constructed for a pump shaft; but thei!).spectvr' diel, not think it was, a' ladder-way which, sho)lld j:le uS,e,d rllg~aJ;'ly for traffic by the ordinary workmen of the mine.

The lUan was being !lrawll" np the'shaft'with his fo()t in a loop attached to the whip rope, when it is supposed , some,clay fell frolIl ~he sides oCthe shaft near the ~urface, and striking him caused him to lose his hold' of the rope and fall away.'cu~tingand bruising l:j.is head; arms, and bo~y: He was not,stayed to the rope, as required by genqral rule KVll., clause 6, of Aet No. 583~ , . ,"

Verdict at, inquest : 0--'.', Death from. fracture of the skull, c>Lused by being accidentally struck with a stone from. a; blaSh" ,The juey,do not attribute ,criminal neglect to. the miners who,n,rEid ,the s.lwts, J?ut'eonsider, it highly" reprehe!loible ,that more care' was ,not taken in giv,ingnotice' anQ."waitingfor,,~n answer to the' ~ignal," '.Phe·aceident occurred'at, the' 400-fQot -level, and \leceased was struck on tIW·I!.ea(l;.by·a stope from ,3, shot ,whkh,was, fired, ;130 feet away from the place where he was at the time .•. The, tw:o, men who fired the shot stated lit the inquest that they the proper signals before firing, and they thought ~ they were understood' by deceased and his .The inspector, quite agreed with the .verdict of the jury i bnt'c},)lsing the handle tocoqlC in,contaet With, ~he p,eg .. fi~ed "in the w,~lljl.l!l!i~, to.pt:C'l.epJ,j.t, moving, The peg;l'\',lls knocked out I,tnd the.bucll;et and tiuli)er fell,displac~d some.ofgle s,tag~nglWQn. whJeh

, the man below st'ood and caused him to fall, whereby he receiVed a sealp \found and sliglit injury to thc b,~ek: TIHi'inspector was of opinion that it was purely an accidental occurrence, anilno one was to blame.

, . 1 - . . - .. .' ,'J -. ~:,._. I ',' r .' ' .'J I. ~,I ".' -. ',' • II -~'... ,,. The'sufferer (Chinaman),re,ceived.a bruise I,>etween the sQ.oulders, The :rniAe, like, lIlost ot!:ters. wQrke~ , by qhinese, WIIS .well timbered;; b,ut ,in, this instance . .t-h.Q, back l,aths \~ere r!Ltl},e.r,.~Qo far apart, a,nil ,1M

piece'of rcef fell betwcep.,thel;i:l. ,:At the, place ,where the "accident Qceurred,.no ,experienced RurQpe~ would have.timbered it so, closely" the, nature:,ofth\l !;eef ,be!ng such tha~ it,would l)0~ ~e"tho.ught likely to fait , . ',;.. ' .. " ...

Tl;Ie.aecident was' caused by the man's own want Qf care., rhe"winze was.no~ being.usei! f()r,h,auljng dirt, but, had 'R hand~pump being worked in it, thus causing it to be a. little wet, and in trying to escape the wa.ter the man slipped and fell, breaking his leg.

Two of the men were injured by an explosion of' gas, and some time after the other two went into th-e same drive with a lighted candle where the first accident occurred; when a second explosion took place, burning the men about the hands and face, The mine consists of old ground which has been worked by ,~ former cOlllpany, and it has been subject to these explosions. The miners shOUld have been provided with sa.fcty lamps.

})i8tri~t. Dl"islon.

.-------. ------~

;;3uuhurst ... Waranga North

;\I:u'yborough Maryborough

Gippsland Stringer's Creek

Ballarat Smythesdale

Ballarat ... Ballarat

Castlclllttine ... Hepburn

Sandhurst ... Sandhurst •••

LlS'f of Accidents in the Mines of the Colony of Victoria tiuring the Year ended 31st December 1878-continued •

.s lJatc of, " Mine Owner. ~~ "'" AceluCll~. d 'g

z< ---------- -----1--

1878.

The Byron Co. (con- 6th July 59 sisting of three men)

The Duke Co. ... 7th July 60

Long Tunnel Ex- 9tb July I 61 tended G. M. Co.

On or 6:l about 9th July

Meyer's Freehold 12th .July i 63 G. M.Co.

Union Q. M. Limited

Co., 15th July 64

Mount Blanch 'In-bute Co., Uegistered

lith July 65

Cause of A ccWcnt.

------

Fall of ea the roof (

Fall a ail about,,!o n pump sl

Injured in a bucket

Fall of ear ground

Fnll of eD drive

Fall of a ST of slate roof ora r

J!'all of e3 drive

th from It drive

allce of cct down nH

lowering

h under-

th in a

all block rom Ure nin drive

rth in a

~ g

.,; :; " ~

Rema.rks.

Venliet at magisterial inquiry :-" Deceased died from injuries produced by and from the pressure of a. qU>lntHy of fallen mullock while at work at his claim." Three men were working in 11 drive about 80 feet from the surface; one man wns in the cnd, about 40 feet from the sh!1ft; and the other two were a little Denrer to it, and they were engnged in timbering, when suddenly a lnrge qunntityof mullock fell >lnd buried them. ' The third man rescued one of his mates, who had his collar-bone broken and body

but hc was unable to relieve the other (his brotber). The inspector was of opinion that the might have been 'avoided had more cure been observcd in timbering. 'l'he grotlnd was of

11 very dangerous cbamctcr and apt to slip.

The mnn was assisting to connect the Jlump rods of the draw-lift on changiug a bucket, wben the crowbar he was using to turn the rod slipped and he fell from 280 feet to about 320 feet, and received scalp wounds and bruises on the body. The pumping works arc very large (:l2 inches) aud the water is extraordinary in quantity, requiring thc greu,test smartness on the part of the men engaged changing a bucket. The three men were accustomed to the work aud were properly supplied with the means for performing it. The inspector did not think any negligence could be imputed to the management.

The man was lowcring down a fille, which connected the surface with the chamber at the end of the tunnel, a bide bucket coutaining bricks. The bucket caught for a few seconds. u,llo,ving a certain amount of slack Tope to descclld, whcn the sudden jerk of the falling bucket dislocated both the sufferer's shoulders.

Verdict at inquiry :-" Deceased was accidentally killed by a fall of earth wbilst at work in a shallow mille nt Woady YallOfLk." Deceased (Chinaman) was working by bimself, and on being missed for two or three days, search was made for him, and his body was discovered underneat,h about 12 or 14 tons of earth and cement which had fallen on him. The constable who removed the body stated !1t the inquiry that there was no timber in the ground.

The inspector wu,s uno,blc to inspect the place where the accident occurred, owing to the ground having fallen in, but from the information he was able to gather it appeared that the sufferer was the managcr of the pu,rty, and that be went to clean up an old drive over a new one, leaving a lad beloW' to stow u,way the dirt. Tbe mnn went to the place unknown to the otber men who were working in the mine; he hail both arms, right shoulder-blade bone, and two ribs broken by tbe earth-fall. The inspector reported tbat there was but little timber about the place; and the injured man stated that wben he commenced driving the ground was very hard, so that he did not think it would full.

The drive was nbout 150 feet from the surface, and the man was at work 800 feet away from the mouth of the tunnel when thc slate fell, and he received a simplc frncture of one of the bones of the left leg abo"e the ankle. The inspector reported that the stone which fell wns immediately adjoining tbe cap-piece next to the face of the level. The drive was securely timbered, nnd he could not attribute any blame to the mannger.'

at inquest :-" Deceased was accidentally killed by a fall of earth in a drive. The jury nre of lion tbu,t it would have been better to have replaced tile 'false sets' of timber previous to touching leg." Deceased and his mate were putting a set of timber in its proper position, when the cap-piece

shifted and elLUsed the loose mnlloek to fall, killing deceased and sUghtly injuring his mate. The survivor stated thu,t false sets were used, the last of which was taken out as soon as the set which was knocked away was put in. He also deposed that the order for stronger timber bad been counter-manded by deceased. The. inspector considered ,that tbe l!1st three sets of timber were not of ~ufficient strength to bear the weight of the ground. Had the timbcr used been 'of larger dimensions, the set, the inspector thought, would not have been knocked away. .

~ o

cSandhurst ... J EagJehawk ... I Rose of Denmark G. M.Co.

18th July

. Maryborough Amherst ... I :-'1iner's Right claim 18th July

'Castlemaiue ... I Hepburn ••• I Miner's Right claim 23rd July

Ararat .. , ,Pleasant Prince Patrick Co .... 231'd July

Ballarat ... I Crcswick ... I Chinese sluicing par-I 24th July I ty of four men

.Sandhurst ... 1 Eaglchawk ... Duchess of. Edin-129th July I burgh G. M. Co.

. _,.Beechworth ... 1 Beechworth ... Shand and Co. ... lIst Aug. I

'Sandhurst Sandhurst ... 3rd Aug.

66

67

Fall down a shaft from the 400-foot to tWO· foot level

Fall of earth in a drivc

68 I Fall of a bank of earth at surface

69 I Cage accident

70 I Fall of earth at the surface

71 Fall of earth in a drive

72 I Fall of a bank of earth at surL'we

73 I Fail of a. piece of slate in a driv()

Verdict at inquest :-" Deceased was accidentally killed by falling down a shaft." Deceased left his work to look for a shovel, and in returning he fell down one of the compartments of the shaft and was killed. No Olle witnessed the accident. Provision was made for protecting the shaft at each compartment by strong horizontal iron bars, and as soon as the accident occurred it was discovered that the bor in the compartment from which the man fell away was not in its proper position. Tbere was no proof as to the removal of the bar. It was seen in position two hours and a half before the accident occurred. The inspector considered that the bar must have been down or the man could not have fallen down the shaft; if it had been in position he could not have knocked it away by falling against it .

Verdict of magistrate at inquiry :-" Deceased met his death by an accidental bll of earth," with a rider that" means should be t.'1ken to enforce the law compelling miners to adopt proper precautions, which in this case was not done, no timber being used in the drive." Deceased was working in a shallow drive, in from a hole about 5 feet deep, when suddenly about 5 cwL. of earth fell and smothered him. mate went for assistance and the body Was quite dead. His mate deposed, at the

that the process of excavation was risky, but that had often before worked similar ground

mfUnSt~;r1:11 inquiry :-" Deceased carne by his death by a fall of earth while mining." Deceased leI' experience, and would be to judge whether the bank was

in a dangerous or otherwise. The that it. is not the 'practice to usc timber in working sluicing claims of Lllis description, and method of working must generally be left to the judgment of the miners in charge in all like cases. He reported that if there were any blame attributable in connection with the accidcnt it must be to deceased.

The man was truckiug at the 1,344-foot level and was a truck off the cage, which had just been lowered, when the cage rose again, and the truck became jammed at the cap~piece. He waR cutting o.way some poles which were across the shaft below the cap-picce of the chamber to release the cage, when the weight of the truck forced the poles out o.nd knocked him down. In falling his wrist came in contact \vith a sharp piece of quartz in thc full truck wbich severely lacerated his haud. The engine-driver bad left his post for a moment in order to force the engine "off the centre," so as to enable the tank which was on the other rope to rise and become emptied, but before he could accomplish this the

of the tank had lifted the cage. The inspector was of opinion that the accident resulted, in the place, through the driver leaving his post before the cage had been signalled away; and in the

second through an error of judglllent on the man's own part, in cntting away the poles from the chamber than going on to a stage in the pump shaft, where he wonld have been perfectly safe, and knocking them out with a hammer .

Verdict at inquiry :-" Deceased's death was caused by a fall of earth in a Deceased threc othcrs (all Chiuamen) all embankment with the intention of afterwards pinehing it down with crowbars, owing to ground being soft from reeent rains, the

ped awtty and bnried men followed the usual practice of working such cuttings, but nfinn~~ntly not taken precautions in watching the surface.

The man was I back and groin . removed some mullock management in any way.

somc ground when" block of it fell, a part of it striking him and mnortpf] that the ground was quite safe to work in, butthe

; hence the accident. There was no blame

his

The man was uudennining a bank (9 feet higll) in the usual way-working backwards-when about 8 or 10 cwt. of heavy clay, gravel, &0 .• suddenly fell out and on to him, breaking two of the small bones of the left leg. The face had every appcamnce of solidity and no danger was anticipated, otherwise a watch would have been kept. The inspector did not consider any person to blame; the claim had been worked with remarkable immunity from accident for years pfLst. The" face" under which the men work was always to the inspector's knl)wlcdge kept well dressed and trimmed, with a good slope, and the accident could only be looked upon as one of those which are more or less attendant on sluicing operations.

The man was shifting a prop. when the slate fell from the foot-wall and struck him on the foot. He sub-sequently had a joint of the big toe amputated. The inspector considered there was no blame to be attributed to the management. He found everything in a safe condition, and the injured man stated that the accident was entirely due to his own fault.

t-,:) I-'

LIST of Accid811 ts ill ~hc :;Yrines of I,be' Colony of Yictoria-duringthe Yea.r ellded 31st December 1878-'-'Continued • ... -- ..

Ace

Ballarat

Ballarat

Sandhurst

Ballarat

... ' I Ballarat

, •• i BUShby 'sNo.1CIaim.!21stAUg 'j •• , \ Queen Q. M. Co, '.". 22ndAug.

, .. ,Heathcote ... Alison and Central G. and A. M. Co.

27th Aug.

C~~tlemaine .. : \ C~tlemaine R. H. Thomas . 29th Aug. (deceased)

Sandhurst •• ~ I Waranga. T. Drage and J. Mar~ I 29th Aug. North

SandllUrst Sandhurst

I shall , ; ... I New Chum Ulllted ISlst Aug.

. Co.

Sandhurst ..... I.Sandhurst .... I Royal Standard Co" I 2nd Sept. Sandhurst

Ballarat

'siih(fuuhit'

Eaglehawk ••• I Derry and Cumber- ~ srd Sept. land Co.

Ballarat ... I Deceased and another I Srd Sept.

.. /1 Sii'ndhurst ... Sandhurst claiill'(G. 15th' Sept. Lansell) : .

B~ec.h)'r:o,rth ,': kB.ee~~worth:"1 B~eak:;:>'-Day ••• ,4th Sept.

Maryborough I Avoca ... , Working Miners' G.lllth Sept. M. Co., Registered

81

82

Fall of clay from the . side of a dd ve

Fall of reef from the side of a drive

83 I Fall of earth in a drive

84 I Fall of a slab of slate 1'1 from the side of a shaft

85 1 Fall of earth in a cut-ting 40 feet from surface

86 I Fall of ground from the roof of a drive

87 I Fall of earth in a drive .

88 I Explosion of a blast (gunpowder)

89 I Caving in of a shaft

1 :

90 i Fall of' earth from the roof of a drive

91 I Fall of a bimk of earth at surface

92 I Fall of a lath in a drive

1·1 The ground which \vas bcing worked was stiff citty, and the place from which the clay fell was about 6 ' "feet ahead of the tiolber; The mau and his matc "'ere approaching old ground. and the injured man

dIad jllst becn advised to' clear away fo.· timber when the piece of cln.y'~rolled out'an,r fractured'his leg!' 2: I The inspcctoi' reported that the reef was very h:mhll1d· req uired· bhsting 'ult'thro ugh, buL' it oecuri'ed in

'. sheh it mmine'r that after being cxposed"f6r It time it was liable to slip·fnvay .. ~rhe arive was 'ubou~1O . feet ahead of the timber, and the men were in the act of cutting hiklles for·the timber \vholl the reef fell,

breaking ono man's leg, and bruising the other mati very'much: 'rile inspector lwas of ',minion 'tnat , tim her should have been put in sooner: The manager had given orders' for a new set to :be put in,but 'the

ordHr was not immediately obeyed, as the men wanted to get the hole3 they were drilling fired fi"st. I Tbe man and his nmte were working in the 345-foot level, when a piece of the hanging wall fell and

struck the sufferer, frltCtnring his arm 'Il little above the wrist .. The man seeing the ·grOund 'falling tried to pusn it on one side, but wa;s st'ruck by it. 'No' blame whatever to. the management: .. ' ' . ... I Verdict at inquest :-"Death was eau'sed by stuff falling from- tlfcside of the shaft on' the head' of ·de. ceased." The shaft was '5. feet 6 inches long·.by·3 feet. 3 inches wide, and abont 33 feet deep. The logs

), 'and brace'were' ahout· 2 feet 6 inches .above the surface, and'· beloW-the 'surface the shaft',vas sccll'i'ely timbercd1a depth of· 6 feet 6 inches; and thence to the bottom· it: was'un tirriliered·. ".rne shaft' nad beeu

'recentlY'sunk, and a small' slab·Of slate; which was probably dislodged by . the saturation of·:the water frOnl tlle' previous· day's ·heavy:hi.ins; appeared ·to have fallen'~fro'm 'Hie \ ... estern side: If the'Ydeceased had· carefully examined the shafihvhenAifseendiIfg ·he·would have·discoverea .. thattthe slab Of lslat'e 'was loosened through the rain having 'percolated by the cleavage .. '. ,... .. '.,

No'one witnessed 'tlic accident,. but assistance \vR.s''itivim inlInedhitCljr'after its occui'fence by'his '[natci; \vho "was' working 'in' the same cutting;·but was sereene(rfioin'vicw by:a ·log~·_ !The inan '(who ·had.'his neacl . severely.lacerated aiid body injifred),is-fn"telligehtand verysoberj iuid'hasliad~forirtecn years' experience ·as a miner.' He had taken evet.fprecaution lie thought neeessar'Y~ , . . :. .,. ,.' ':', 1 ~:"

VerdiCt 'at, inquest :...-:."Deceased· was' a'ccidentally 'killed· hy·a falh5f . stone." Deceased had' just' 'moved back·a little from the 'end of· the 520-f6ot 'level and sat down ,to rest when; '\l7ithout any. warning, about 4 cwt. of gronudfell ancl killed· him .. A'nHner \\'ho was' relieved by deceased deposed that he souiJded the ground before leiwing, und found it safe, and deceased's mate also sounded the ground just immediately before the . accident' with :11.- similar' resu.lt .. The inspector reported that tli'e accident occurred through the ground falling away from.a greasy or slippery back between the foot and hangiilg walls, a,nd that th!l,treacherous nntur(ofl the ground might not have been· detected !"ven hy soun.ding;

Tho'man wa,s engaged -iIi taking dowh som'e grouild, wheu it suddenly felJl away ahcl'struck nim; breaking , 'his left colhir-bone and' three ribs'. There ,vas flO blunt'c to, the mnnagement. '" .' '. ''':'''' The Inatl'was charging a hole, when, without any apparent canse (as he stated) it suddenly exploded, ancl

severely burned his face and one of his hands.' The inspector'believed a.Ii· iron tumping bar had"been used .. by·the Ill!tn (contrary to par. ~e)~ general·rule·if., section '6 of :Act No,: 583), biIt he could' not flild'()'ti(i'in

the mine \vhen making his'inspection! 'Oli' questioning the"sufferer at the 'hospital 'he stated 'to the ! I', iI'lspectorthat he waS'ltsillg an,irou bar at the time, but on 'discovering who' the"inspector wa:s"he~;'aaaed

there might; hnve been copper on' it. . . ". .'.' . .. , Verclict at magisterial inquiry :-,-': Deceased was accidentally killed .by 'the ~earth!falling upon' lllill wliilst

\vorking in :;t mining shaft." 'Decease(l M.d his mute were engaged in::drmvitig slal:is:outofan ord sh!ift j -deceased was ura\ving them and his 'mate' was at the surface: The hispeetor reported that '"from the position 'iil which the body \"a."s··found he ''ras of opinion that the man saw the ground caving in, and liad'pnt his foot in the bucket whim'hc ,,'as c::illght hy .. t;he falling earth. His mate w.as'deaf'arid·'a·little

. der'ang'cd; arid th