Prices of powder and supplies for miners of the Cerrillos Coal Railroad Company. The Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, of Denver, Colo., started the Waldo ovens, at Waldo, N. Mex., on or about the 1st of September, 1898, and also started the Gardiner ovens, at Gardiner, N. Mex., on or about the 1st of November, 1898, and their production up to the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 1899, was 29,586 tons of coke. The coal used at these ovens came from the Starkville mine, Las Animas County, Colo. The coke made at the Waldo ovens runs from 85 to 87 per cent in fixed carbon, 11 to 13 per cent in ash, 1 per cent in moisture, and three-fourths per cent in volatile matter. It takes about 1.55 tons of coal to make 1 ton of coke. From the Blossburg mine 7,134 tons of coal was made into coke, but the company Names and addresses of superintendents or managers or pit bosses of the mines of the 11 AIR MEASUREMENTS. The following table shows the number of cubic feet of air entering the mines and returning per minute, measured at intake and outlet: THE COAL TRADE. The coal trade has been very brisk during the year, and the demand for the coal produced in the Territory has been much greater than the supply. At Madrid and Blossburg the companies could not fill more than two-thirds of orders received, partly on account of not having the mines developed, but mostly on account of scarcity of miners. Otherwise the production would have been many tons greater. GENERAL REMARKS. In my previous annual reports I have made mention, under the above heading, of such matters as I deemed of vital importance to the miner and the mining industry of the Territory, and feel it my duty so to do again, in face of the possible charge and criticism that the subject has heretofore been mentioned. The thickness of the veins in nearly all of the mines where fire damp is generated is favorable to their proper ventilation, and while gas can not be prevented from generating, it could undoubtedly be prevented in the entries and rooms by having proper ventilation, also by crosscuts being driven more closely together, thus sweeping the gas out as fast as it generates. Every superintendent and pit boss should make it his imperative duty to provide ventilation as the work advances, and he should not delay until he is compelled to make the proper provisions by allowing gas to form so as to cause severe and disastrous explosions. Proper care and provisions and the knowledge that “eternal vigilance is the price of safety" would be a safeguard to the investments of the owner, and security for the life and limbs of those employed in the mines. There are no Territorial laws governing the coal industries of this Territory, and when the importance of the subject is properly represented before the Territorial legislature, certain restrictions should be placed on the matter of handling powder, as well as to the ventilation and other matters, which would insure greater safety and protection to the miners and other persons connected with this growing industry. In all coal mines throughout the Territory the mine officials have expressed their willingness to comply with all requirements of the United States laws governing coal mining, and the main problem which confronts the mine inspector is to get the miners impressed with the necessity of looking out for themselves and use ordinary precaution in their own behalf. A coal miner of experience needs no promptings or hints that the roof of his entry or room is in bad condition, and he should not need to be compelled to put in the necessary props or timber to insure his protection, and carelessness in this respect often not only jeopardizes his life, but works to the injury of other miners and to the detriment of the management. There may be some of the workingmen or miners who would like to express their opinions relative to the ventilation or workings of the mine, and probably some would wish to accompany the mine inspector on his tour through the mines. This the inspector would heartily indorse, and would suggest that the miners select one of their number to accompany him through the mine while inspecting. A complaint may be made that the inspector on visiting the mine always asks for the superintendent or pit boss. There are two reasons why the inspector goes to the superintendent or pit boss. In the first place, the miner does not wish to lose a day or so of work; and the second reason is that the pit boss is a responsible party for all defects in the working of the mine and is the proper person for the inspector to give instructions and orders to relative to ventilation and timbering at any point that the inspector thinks needs regulating. But what would materially assist the inspector in the performance of his duty would be for the miners or workmen to adopt a system of reporting the condition of the mine to the inspector. This plan would probably result in a material benefit to the workingmen and could result in no injury to those concerned who intended to comply with the law, and would have a tendency to compel those who are careless to do their duty. Some of the workmen say that they are afraid to complain to the inspector for fear of being discharged; but this should not be allowed. The inspector has a right to question the workmen, and they should feel that they have a right to furnish information required by the inspector. In many instances the inspector has found the miners working in their rooms and other working places without having them well timbered, and when ordered to timber their places the miner invariably wants to load a car or two more of coal before timbering, and in many instances while loading the coal the roof falls upon him," either causing a fatal or non-fatal accident. This delay in timbering, in a large measure, accounts for the number of accidents of a fatal and non-fatal character. INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES. The following are the instructions and rules under which the Cerrillos Coal Railroad Company mines are to be governed, and all fire bosses will observe the same: First. Do not remain off of duty without giving the foreman due notice, so that he can put a man in your place. Second. On beginning your shift's work, your regular daily route will be: Commencing at mouth of slope, travel to face, and return from lower entry in slope to the upper entry in same, making a regular travel in all air courses, and examine all places, including abandoned as well as working places, in each entry, with Davy safety lamps, or such other improved lamps as may be in use at the time. Third. If you find the brattice or canvas shot down or damaged, repair it at once, so as to conduct the air to the face of the workings as soon as possible, and report in every instance where canvas is shot down to the foreman. Fourth. Report in writing all places where gas is found; also verbally to foreman. Fifth. If air courses are obstructed in any way by water or rock, etc., report same in writing and verbally to foreman, that he may remedy it at once. Sixth. Where roof of air course is bad, and looks dangerous and should be timbered or taken down, report same daily in writing and verbally to foreman. Seventh. Do not allow any man to go into his place with a naked light where standing gas is found or being generated freely. Give him a locked safety lamp and instruct him to use it instead of a naked light until further advised by you. Any person that you find disobeying this rule, report same to foreman at once, and the miner so disobeying will be discharged from the employment of the company. Eighth. If you should find a large quantity of gas at any time in the mine between shifts, report same at once to foreman, and do not allow the men to go forward on the slope farther down than lamp house, and the foreman will know from your report how to instruct further. Ninth. Quantities of gas found in places on account of brattice or canvas shot down should always be removed by the fire boss and not allow the men to enter the place under any consideration until the gas is removed. Tenth. Instruct men who are working with safety lamps to brush all gas from their places before firing shots. Eleventh. Any fire found in the mine from shot firing or otherwise must be put out promptly, and call for assistance from any point if you are unable to extinguish it yourself. Twelfth. Examine and clean all safety lamps thoroughly after each shift's use and do not allow any defective lamps to be taken from the lamp house. Thirteenth. Any lamps that are damaged by any person using them, or if they fail to return them after the expiration of each shift, report same to foreman and damages will be charged against them. Fourteenth. Report all places to foreman where you think there is not a sufficient flow of air traveling to prevent the accumulation of gases. Fifteenth. Travel the main return-air ways daily without fail, and see that same are in perfect condition. Sixteenth. Put the danger mark (X X) at the entrance of all places that contain any standing gas. RULES GOVERNING THE CERRILLOS COAL RAILROAD COMPANY MINE FANS. First. The fireman will attend to the fans when the engineers are off duty. Second. The engineer when on duty will have full charge of the fans and see that they are properly attended to. Third. On commencing the shift's work visit the fans and see whether they are in good order or not. Fourth. If you find any of the fans in bad order notify the master mechanic at once. Fifth. Do not stop the fan for any slight adjustment while men are in the mine. Sixth. If either fan should get out of order, so that it is necessary to stop it, close the trapdoor near the fan immediately after stopping the fan, and open trapdoor immediately when the fan is started up again. Seventh. Notify the foreman before you stop either or both of the fans. Eighth. Do not stop both fans at one time while men are in the mine unless you see that they will be totally destroyed by continuing to run them, and not then until you notify the foreman to get the men out of the mine. Ninth. If a sudden breakdown should take place, or you should find one of the fans stopped, notify the foreman at once; then close the trapdoor and notify the master mechanic. Tenth. In case of breakdown occurring to either of the fans and the master mechanic is not close at hand, the engineer and fireman must do everything within their power to get the fan in operation again as soon as possible. Eleventh. Fans are to be kept speeded as per verbal instructions given to you from time to time by the master mechanic or superintendent. Twelfth. Visit the fan every hour and notice if all the working parts are in good order. Thirteenth. Notice the speed of the fan every thirty minutes. Fourteenth. If anything occurs to the boilers or steam-pipe connections, or if a sufficient quantity of steam can not be kept up for both fans and hoisting plant, stop hoisting till such time as you can recover and maintain the usual pressure of steam. RECOMMENDATIONS. Deeming the present law governing the mining industry in the Territories as inadequate, especially in mines generating fire damp, I beg leave to offer a few suggestions in the way of amendments thereto, as I have suggested and recommended in my previous reports. First. That the owner or operator of each and every coal mine employing ten or more men should make, or cause to be made, an accurate map or plan of the workings of such coal mine on a scale not exceeding 100 feet to 1 inch, showing the bearings and distances of the workings and the general inclinations of the strata, or any material deflections in such workings, and the boundary lines of such coal mines, which shall be kept for the use of the inspector at the office of said mine in the county where such mine is located, and shall also furnish a true copy of such map or plan to the inspector of coal mines, to be filed in his office; and said owner or agent shall be caused to make, on or before the 10th day of January and July of each and every year, a statement showing the workings of the coal mine or mines. If the agent or owner of any coal mine shall neglect or refuse, or for any cause fail for the period of one month after the time described to furnish said map or plan as above required, or if the inspector should find or have reason to believe the map or plan was inadequate in any material part, he be authorized to cause a correct map or plan of the actual workings of such coal mine, said map or plan to be made at the expense of the owner thereof. Second. The owner or agent of any coal mine, whether shaft, slope, or drift, shall provide and maintain for every such mine an amount of ventilation not less than 150 cubic feet (where fire damp is known to exist) per minute for each and every person employed in said mine, also an amount of ventilation of not less than 500 cubic feet per minute for each mule or horse used in such mine, which shall be distributed throughout the mine in such a manner as to dilute and render harmless and expel the noxious and poisonous gases from each and every working place in the mine. Break throughs or air ways should be driven at least every 60 feet, or closer if deemed necessary by the inspector, and an air way or break through be made at the face of each and every abandoned room or entry. All break throughs, except those last named, near the working face of the mine, shall be closed up and made air-tight by brattice, trapdoor, or otherwise, so that the current of air in circulation in the mine may sweep to the interior of the mine, where the persons employed in such mine are at work. Third. Within twenty-four hours after abandonment of any working face in the mine all tracks, ties, and other material, if any, should be taken out, and all entrances and approaches to that particular place should be bratticed up or filled in with "goaf,' except openings for ingress and egress of air, and in these two openings, immediately in the openings and not in the room and working face, danger signals should be placed in such a manner that an intruder could not avoid seeing them. Fourth. All mines to be provided with artificial means of ventilation necessary to provide a sufficient quantity of air, such as fanning or suction fans, exhaust steam, furnaces, or other contrivances of such capacity and power as to produce and maintain an abundant supply of air; but in case a furnace shall be used for ventilating purposes it shall be built in such a manner as to prevent the communication of fire to any part of the works by lining the upcast with incombustible material for a sufficient distance up from said furnace. All mines generating fire damp shall be kept clear of standing gas, and every working place shall be carefully examined every morning with a safety lamp by a competent person or persons before any of the employees are allowed to enter the mine, and the persons making such examinations shall mark on the face of the workings the day of the month and report the condition of the mine at or near the pit top to the superintendent or pit boss; and in all the mines, whether they generate fire damp or not, the doors used in assisting or directing the ventilation of the mine shall be so hung and adjusted that they will shut up of their own accord and can not stand open. The owner or agent shall employ a practical and competent overseer, to be called a mining boss, who shall keep a careful watch over the ventilating apparatus and the air ways, traveling ways, pumps, timber, and drainage; also shall see that as the miners advance their excavations all loose coal, slate, and rock overhead are carefully secured against falling in on the traveling way, and that sufficient props and caps of suitable |