get it in again, and although he was able to keep up with the bogie it moved faster than usual and caught deceased and
scraped his leg and struck his back. He was taken outbye in an empty tub, and was off work until 13th February. After
starting work again he met with another accident on the 29th March; he and two other men were putting a derailed loaded
tub on the rails, and he slipped while slewing it and was injured on the back and although he worked his shift out he
never resumed work, and was paid compensation up to his death. He was attended by doctors from the first accident, and
medical evidence was given at the inquest that this accident caused a somewhat obscure disease known as Addison's disease
which affects the kidneys, and the jury found in accordance with this evidence.

Died February 17. Deceased was employed in a landing into which the empty set of 20 tubs ran by gravity, drawing with it
a main rope which, hauled by engine power, the sets of loaded tubs outbye. The empty set had run to within about
150 yards of the landing, and was stopped there until signalled in, which was done as soon as the loaded set was made up.
When the signal was given it ran so far, when the ten leading tubs became uncoupled and left the last ten tubs standing,
as they were unable to drag in the rope. Deceased heard the runaway tubs coming into the landing and thought it was the
entire set coming in the ordinary way. He was caught and seriously injured. The two leading tubs of the ten tubs left
attached to the rope were found to be off the rails with all their wheels. The couplings consist of a link fastened to one
tub put into a shackle in the other, and secured by an iron bolt or pin about 8 inches long, and is considered a safe method.
The parts of the coupling were in good order, and why it failed to act was not ascertained. The road was in good order.
The Local Inspectors reported that they "are of opinion it is a pure accident."
Deceased, who had only been employed at the Colliery for a fortnight, was driving 4 loaded tubs from a flat to the landing, and was
sitting on the left side of the limbers. The road rises slightly outbye and was in good order. Another driver was walking a
few yards in front showing him the way as he was new to the work. This lad heard a noise behind, and looking round found
deceased's light was out; he went back and found the pony and tubs had come to a stand, he saw that the first two tubs
were off the way, and that deceased was lying partly under the first tub with one of its wheels against his neck, and his
head jammed against a prop. The iron bow of the limbers had broken on the side where deceased had sat. A blacksmith
at the inquest stated that the limbers appeared to be about 3 years old, that the iron was Waverley iron, a good brand, and
that the section of the metal at the fracture was 14 inches by inch. He further stated that there was no sign of burnt
metal at the fracture, but that all iron is apt to become brittle, and he thought the limbers may have been subject to a
sudden strain or blow. An examination of the fracture showed that the iron was partly crystalline. The Local Inspectors
reported that they had found way all right, and said "accident totally due to limbers breaking at the bow."

Died June 15. Deceased and another boy, who was slightly injured, were employed near the shaft in detaching the loaded
tubs from an endless rope, inch diameter. There were four lines of rails where they worked. Two lines branched off
into an east way and two continued straight to the south for 500 yards and then turned to the east for 800 yards to a
landing. A lad was stationed at the curve to see that the tubs were securely attached to the rope as the last 500 yards
inclined to the shaft at 1 in 32 to 1 in 16. About 23 yards from the shaft on the full way was a runaway switch worked
by a wire from the shaft; nearer the shaft a wooden chock was placed for the loaded tubs to rest against until they were
to be caged. The loaded tubs were attached in pairs to the rope, which ran below, by a box clip with a sliding iron ring
to fix the grip of the jaws to the rope; the clip connected the hinder end of the last tub to the rope. There were no
loaded tubs on the rope between the shaft and the curve when two loaded tubs passed the lad at the latter point, and he

Cramlington Coal
Co., Ltd.

Aug. 24

Aug. 31

Preston,

Northumberland.

Hylton,
Durham.

Isaac Davison,
37,
Wagonwayman.

stated he struck the ring of the clip in the usual way with an iron drag to tighten it. These tubs shortly afterwards
became detached from the rope, possibly, it was suggested, owing to surging of the rope due to its being only partially
loaded. They ran down the road to the shaft, but were not heard in time for the runaway switch to be used, and even if
they had been heard it is doubtful if any use could have been made of it, as it was found to be out of order after the accident.
Deceased and two other lads were in a recess next the full way; one ran on to the other lines of rails and escaped, but
deceased and the lad who was injured ran in front of the runaway tubs, and were caught by them. They broke the pin of
the chock and carried on nearly to the shaft, where deceased was found badly injured. The Local Inspectors reported:
"We are of opinion that it was purely accidental, but would recommend at least two refuge holes be provided as a measure
of safety for lads or men employed at that particular part, in case of tubs coming amain." The manager arranged to give
effect to this recommendation, and also to fix long skids on the inclined road to check the speed of runaway tubs, and until
this was done to fix a clip at both ends of the sets.

Deceased was walking with a lighted lamp up a road having an inclination of 6 inches per yard down which loaded tubs
descended in sets of three attached by a clip to an endless rope. The incline was laid with double way and had a travelling
way at one side and was provided with the statutory manholes. The tubs arrived at the top of the incline where the road
was nearly level, in sets of six; drags were inserted in the wheels of the last three and the first three were uncoupled and
ran forward to the endless rope where a lad attached a clip to them and the rope. These tubs appear to have run forward
quicker than usual at the time of the accident and got on to the inclined road and ran amainfand collided so far down with
the previous set of three loaded tubs; none of the six tubs were derailed and the clip held. It is supposed that deceased was
aware that some tubs had run amain and was in the act of using the electric signal wires to stop the rope, but had
miscalculated the time available for doing so with safety and had been caught. He was found nearly dead on the leading
runaway tub. There was no safety appliance provided to deal with an accident of this kind, but the manager arranged to
fit up horns, to be dropped from the top of the incline, so far down. The Local Inspectors reported, "We find that it was
accidentally received through the tubs running amain."

U. A. Ritson & Sons, John George Hall, Deceased, who had been a deputy up to a fortnight before the accident, was walking outbye, and came to a junction on an
Ltd.

Wearmouth
Co., Ltd.

Coal

38,

Stoneman.

William Finlay
Stephenson,
54,
Shifter.

endless rope road, where sets of three are attached to a rope under the tubs, travelling at a speed of 24 miles per hour, by a
clip. He jumped on to the front end of the first tub of a loaded set, and had not ridden more than 23 yards before he was
caught by the roof where it was only 9 inches clear of the tubs. He was knocked back and rolled over. His mate, who
was in front, noticed the rope jerk, and looking back saw that deceased was fast; he shouted back to the junction, and the
rope was stopped, and deceased was liberated and at once taken to the Infirmary, but he died on his arrival there. Riding
on the sets is not allowed, and is a breach of Special Rule 95, and a notice to this effect was posted up at the junction, The
Local Inspectors reported "In our opinion it is a pure accident."

Died September 1. Deceased and another shifter were instructed by the master shifter to follow the empty set inbye with an
iron plate, 3 feet by 4 feet, on a tub, and as they left they borrowed a drag from the run-rider. After going so far the tub
got off the rails; after putting it back one of them found he had lost his bait; he put the drag in the tub wheels and told deceased
to go on with it while he went back to find his bait; when he returned he found the full set had met deceased, the first
tubs were off the way; about ten tubs from the front of the set was the empty tub by the side of the road, nine tubs further
in was the flat sheet, and six tubs further in deceased was found badly injured. An offtake lad at a junction further in had
been specially told by the master shifter that the two shifters were coming in with a tub and sheet and that he had not to
allow the set to go outbye until they were safely past, and the run-rider was also told. The offtake lad admitted he had
neglected the instructions he had received and had allowed the set to go outbye. The Local Inspectors reported, after saying
that the road was in good order, "As to how he happened by his accident, we can't form any opinion.' The manager said he
would arrange in future, as far as possible, to have materials taken inbye after the plane had stopped.
Deceased was driving a quiet pony attached to three loaded tubs and was seen to leave the flat, put the chock into position and
follow his set out to a curve 12 yards distant. He had the usual two drags in the wheels of the first and last tubs as the
road inclined 2 inches per yard in favour of the load. The drivers usually got on to the limbers at the curve where there
is a space of 3 feet between the tubs and the props. As he was long in coming the driver of the empty set, waiting at a
siding outbye, went inbye and found the pony and set at a standstill only 34 yards from the flat. The limbers of the pony
were still connected to the tubs and deceased was under the centre tub which had all its wheels derailed. It is possible that
deceased had delayed getting on to the limbers until there was less room and the pony was going quicker and then in his
attempt had fallen through or off and the first tub had passed over him. The Local Inspectors reported, "Found everything
to be all right."

the curve.

A self-acting incline 475 yards long with gradients varying from 1 in 4 to 1 in 13 was laid in a curved road with meetings near
Two ropes, inch in diameter, were attached to the drum at the top. It ran with sets of 8, 9 cwt. tubs.
When a loaded set was about 15 yards from the top the three leading tubs became detached owing to a link in the coupling
chain between the 3rd and 4th tubs giving way at the weld. These tubs ran amain and were derailed and came to a stand-
still at the curve, knocking out some vertical drum sheaves there. The braker pinned down the brake so as to keep the

* All mines are coal mines unless otherwise specified.

List of Fatal Accidents-continued.

Name of
Person killed, Age,
and Occupation.

Cause of Accident and Remarks.

Clare,
37,
Set rider.

five loaded tubs, still on the rope, stationary, and then went with others to put matters right. The first of the three
runaways was dealt with and then the second was put on the rails, filled with the scattered coal, a wooden scutch put into
each of its pair of wheels, and it was handed over to three men and a boy to lower down the incline, which has here a
gradient of 1 in 13. Two of them let go and it got away from the others, and getting on to the single line of rails below
meetings ran into the empty set near the bottom, and the impact broke the rope attached to it and the five loaded tubs,
which were standing on the steepest part of the incline, no longer partly balanced by the empty set, overcame the brake
and moved down the incline dragging the rope to which they were attached after them. They were heard coming, and all
except deceased, who appeared to have become flurried, and ran down in front of them, escaped. There were refuge holes
close at hand in which he would have been safe or he could have stepped on to the other road.

Died December 24. Deceased was sitting in a bord, with his back against a chock and his legs extending over the tramway, getting
his bait. The bord dipped outbye about 3 inches per yard. Two men working further in brought out a kibble loaded with
old wood. They had put a drag into one pair of the wheels of the kibble, and while one carried the lamps the other held on to
the kibble, but allowing it to get away it ran forward and caught deceased. The men shouted before the kibble got away, as
although they did not see deceased they saw the reflection of his lamp, but as he was deaf he had probably not heard. He
was taken to the Ingham Infirmary at South Shields and treated for a broken thigh, and he then went to his son's house at
North Seaton, in Northumberland, where he died. A post-mortem examination revealed that in addition to the broken
thigh two of his ribs were fractured and pleurisy had supervened. The verdict of the Coroner's Jury was accidental death.
An engine plane dipping inbye at the rate of 3 inches per yard, is worked by a single rope taken in by the empty sets of 48 tubs,
which then draws out the loaded sets by engine power. A tram called a "bull," running on 18-inch wheels and weighing
altogether 15 cwt., is always attached to the rear of the loaded sets, and is fitted with two pointed horns which, while the
bull is travelling outbye are clear of the floor, but which, by suitable mechanism, drop on to the floor and either stops or
derails the set if it moves backwards. The bull does not act at all with the empty sets, but runs inbye with them as the
leading tram with its horns pinned up. Deceased and others were walking outbye on the engine plane, which is the
regular travelling way, while an empty set, with the bull leading, was being run inbye. In some way the chain attaching the
bull to the crook on the drawbar of the leading tub became free, and the bull ran amain, keeping the rails for 530 yards.
It was heard coming and recognised as a runaway, and all got clear into refuge holes except deceased, who would also have
probably escaped had not the bull jumped the rails at a junction near where they were and pinned him against a brick wall.
pure accident."
The Local Inspectors reported, "We find plenty of refuge holes within the specified distances, and in our opinion it is a
The manager said he would see if he could not devise some more secure mode of coupling the bull
to the set.

Deceased and another set rider were riding on a bogie which was attached by a screw clutch to an endless rope travelling at a
speed of 4 or 5 miles per hour; to the bogie were attached two full tubs by a chain a few feet long. At the place of
accident, a loose length of wire rope lay between the rails on which they were moving, and was used to draw loaded tubs
out of a dip road at right angles to the plane, being connected to the endless rope when in use. The clutch of the bogie
caught this rope and it became entangled with the endless rope and was being dragged along. Deceased jumped off
between the two pairs of rails either to signal for the rope to stop or to attempt to liberate the loose rope. He was seen to
strike the rope on the empty side, which was vibrating at the time, and he fell back between the bogie and loaded tubs, and
was caught by them and crushed across the chest and dragged several yards before the rope was stopped.
The seams here are highly inclined and many short self-acting inclines or dilleys are in use. At one of these inclines about
30 yards long the tubs were run in sets of two. The sets were made up against a wooden chock and about 6 feet below it
was an iron middle way chock placed as a safeguard and not intended to be pinned down until it was found, after
knocking out the wooden chock, that all was coupled. The middle way chock had been prematurely pinned down and at
the same time the two full tubs had not been coupled, and when they were set free the foremost ran amain down the
incline and coming in contact with the two empty tubs attached to the rope drove them back and caused the rope to pull

Durham.

Washington
Co., Ltd.

60, Coal Samuel Windmill, Пlewer.

Nov. 27

Washington,

Dec. 8

Walkmill,

Cumberland.

Moresby Coal Co.,
Ltd.

Thomas William

the last full tub, which remained at the top of the incline, violently back towards the incline wheel and deceased was
caught by it.
Deceased was last seen by another putter 10 minutes before he was found dead, when he appeared to be all right. He was going
outbye with his pony drawing a loaded tub and would ride on the limbers. The road was 6 feet wide and 4 feet high
inside the timber and dipped outbye about 1 inches per yard. One sprag was in the wheels of the tub. The putter who
had last seen him found him between one of the rails and the side of the road lying parallel to the pony, his cap was on his
head and his open lamp, still burning, was lying on its side between the rails and between the pony and tub. The pony, which
was said to be quiet, was standing with its limbers connected to the tub and the tub was not derailed. There was nothing
to indicate that any accident had happened. The doctor who saw the body could not afford much information at the inquest,
and it was adjourned for a post-mortem examination, which was made by himself and three other medical men, and at the
adjourned inquest he stated that all the organs were healthy, but there was a bruise between the dorsal and lumbar region
near the left kidney from which there had been considerable effusion of blood, and they concluded that death was due to
heart failure following shock caused by the blow that had caused the effusion of blood. How the blow had been received
could not be ascertained, but the presumption is that it was caused either by the pony or tub. The jury returned a verdict
to the effect that deceased met his death by syncope induced by shock as a result of a blow received while following his
employment in the pit. The Local Inspectors reported, "Hereby certify that everything is in order and there is no indication
of evidence of any accident."

Deceased was employed near the shaft taking forks from the loaded tubs as they arrived by the endless rope. Near where he
worked is a vertical shaft carrying 3 wheels; the top wheel, fixed to the shaft, receives the power from the engine by a
band rope; the two lower wheels, provided with clutches, drive endless ropes on two main roads. The lowest wheel is
about 3 feet from the floor and is 4 feet in diameter, and is fenced as far as is consistent with its use. The speed of the
rope is 34 miles per hour. No tubs were arriving at the shaft but the ropes were running, and deceased and another boy
were at these wheels and something had passed between them as to working the clutch. Deceased was between the rope
going on to and coming off the lower wheel and was caught and drawn in, displacing some of the fencing. The rope was
stopped at once and he was liberated. He was able to speak, and said the other boy had pushed him in; this the other boy
denied. The Local Inspectors reported, "In our opinion it has been a pure accident and that there is no blame attached to
anyone concerned.'
An endless rope above the tubs worked a straight road and a branch road at right angles; the rope bringing the empty tubs
inbye from the shaft on arrival at the junction passes round a sheave, crosses over the full way of the branch road, and then
takes the empty tubs into that road, and passing round a return wheel brings the full tubs out to the junction, then crosses
over to, and round a second sheave, and goes inbye on the straight road round a second return wheel, and then direct back
to the shaft. Deceased worked at the junction, which was lighted by electric lamps, and his duty was to attach the empty
tubs going into the branch road to the rope. On the full line of rails of the branch road near where he worked is a knock-
off to detach the rope from the V clips on the loaded sets; it consists of two angle irons 15 feet long placed horizontally 1
inches apart, in which space the rope travels, gradually rising to pass over a sheave placed above at the outer end of the
knock-off. The prongs of the clips are prevented rising by the angle-irons and the rope is drawn out and the tubs then run
by gravity across the empty road of the straight in road on to the full way. A set of two loaded tubs and an empty water
tub came out of the branch road, and at the same time deceased, in some manner not ascertained, got caught between the
rope and the knock-off, and his body was cut in two; the upper part being found jammed between the rope and knock-off
just above where the water tub was standing, and the lower part and legs were under the first loaded tub. He may have
been amusing himself by riding on the rope. The Local Inspectors reported, "Find no blame attached to anyone, and in our
opinion it was a pure accident."

Died November 6. Deceased, who had only worked a fortnight in the pit, brought out five loaded tubs with a quiet pony to the
shaft on a roomy road having an inclination of 1 inch per yard in favour of the load. When he arrived at the usual point
he attempted to detach the limbers, the bolt of which was of the loose cock type, from the tubs but was unable to do so;
he then attempted to drive the pony forward a little, but it crossed over and crushed him between the bow of the limbers and
the tub. He was at once attended to. If he had had a drag in one of the tub wheels he would have had less difficulty in
lifting the limbers free.

Deceased was moving forward a Diamond coal-cutting machine at right angles to its ordinary movement, so as to be in position
to start the next cut, and two rails were placed under it to slide on. At the end of the cut a place 8 yards wide had been
driven forward by picks 3 yards in order to make room for the machine, and in the corner of this place next the face to be
cut, a prop, suitably stayed, was fixed with a chain attached to its foot, and a small pulley with a hook was provided to
attach to this chain. Deceased pulled some rope from the drum on the coal-cutter, and instead of using the small pulley
All mines are coal mines unless otherwise specified.

MISCELLANEOUS UndergrOUND

continued.

By Machinery-continued.

Sundries.

Bedlington Coal Co.,
Ltd.

Bedlington,

Northumberland.

ON SURFACE

Cause of Accident and Remarks.

Thomas Brown,
45,
Rolleywayman.

threaded it through one of the links of the chain and then attached it to a stud about the centre of the frame of the coal-
cutter. He then stood between the coal-cutter and the corner of the coal face and turned on the compressed air, so that the
drum of the coal-cutter would pull it into position. The machine came forward with a jerk, probably owing to the resist-
ance of the rope round the link being suddenly overcome, and he was crushed by it against the coal. A Sylvester prop-
drawing apparatus is also provided for moving the machine forward, but did not appear to have been often used. The Local
Inspectors reported, "In our opinion it is a pure accident."

Died Feb. 10. About noon, a driver's pony fell down and lay on its side at a point 1 miles from the shaft. Deceased was near,
and he proceeded to lift it; the first attempt failed, but the second was successful. Deceased said nothing to the driver,
but went at once and put his clothes on and walked outbye. At the shaft he said to the back overman he had strained
himself while lifting the pony, and had felt pain and vomited since. He was seen by the Colliery doctor the same night
who found a small rupture on the right side. Next day, assisted by another doctor, he put deceased under chloroform and
manipulated the hernia, easing the pain. As deceased still suffered from sickness, he was sent to Newcastle Infirmary on
the 7th Feb., and at night was operated on, when an old hernia was found to be strangulated. He never picked up after the
operation, and died two days after. An inquest was held and a verdict of accidental death returned.

Deceased, son of the enginewright of the colliery, was employed picking stones from the coal as it was carried past him on a
travelling belt. One of the belts was standing, and he was asked by the screen engineman to start it. He did so, after
passing a fence, by means of a clutch, and then appears to have stepped on to the belt to ride back to his work, but was
caught by a jigger screen, which projected nearly right over the belt, and was jammed between them. The steam was
cut off at the engine immediately, but it took some time to liberate him. The belt, 4 feet wide, travelled at a speed of
about 50 feet per minute; it was fitted with angle irons placed 2 feet apart, projecting 1 incher. There was only 3 feet
between the end of the belt where deceased operated the clutch and the jigger screen, which was 5 feet wide, but was cut
away to a point at its termination, and deceased, after climbing on to the belt, probably proposed stepping over this pointed
end. Between the jigger screen and the belt there was only a few inches. The screen engineman was prosecuted and
fined for deputing his duties to another person without authority.

Deceased and others, one of whom was injured, were assisting in the fixing of the arms on a new drum on the shaft of the
winding engine. The new drum was made by Messrs. Markham & Co. and their foreman was present when the accident
happened. There was a boss for double arms in the centre and two outside bosses for single arms. Eight of the twelve sets
of arms had been fixed and in order to fix another set the drum required to be eased round. A plank 9 inches by 3 inches
and 12 feet 8 inches long was laid across some other planks between the drum and the engine for a set of the arms already
fixed to rest upon, and deceased stood on or near this plank; ten men lifted the drum at one side and deceased and another
pulled it to them, it was moved until one set of arms rested on the plank which was then withdrawn to receive the next set,
this time after it had been moved round until the arms were within 18 inches of the plank it moved away suddenly for