THE ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL. 238 THE DE BEERS DI3ASTER-REPOBT OF THE COMMISSION OP INQUIRY. This week has brought the Report of the Government Commission ap- pointed to inquire into the facts connected with the fire in the De Beers diamond mine, at Kimberley, which resulted in the loss of 250 lives, to which we have already referred in our issues of July 14th and 28th and August 25th. As we anticipated from the details we have already published, it constitutes a complete indictment of the respons‘ble man- agement of the company, and includes in its apportionment of blame the government mining inspector and _ sub-inspector of the district. The manager of the mine is clearly proved to have broken the mining regulations of the colony, necessary Evtered at the Post-Office of New York, N. Y., as Second-Class Matter. for the safe working of the mine; and the Commissioners are satisfied VoL. XLVI. SEPTEMBER 22. No. 12. that, even after the fire broke out, had the signaling of the imprisoned men being attended to promptly, the hives of all the Europeans in the RICHARD P. ROTHWELL, 0.E., M.E., Editors. mine would have been saved. ROSSITER W. RAYMOND, Ph.D., ME, The evidence further shows that, although the mine is extensively Cable Address: “ Rothwe!!,”” New York. Books for review and all communications for the JourNAL should be addressed, Man- timbered and is extremely dry, there was no provision of means for « x- agivg tk ditor, P.O. Box 1833. New York. vinguishing fires, and thisin face of the admission made by both the Communic :tions for Mr. RAYMOND should be addressed to RossirerR W. RaymonD. P.O. Box 1455, New York. Articles written by Mr. Raymond will be signed thus *: aod only manager and the Inspector of Mines, ‘‘that an outbreak of fire is one of for articles so sigaed is he responsible. The foll »wmg gentlemen are authorized to receive advertisements and subscriptions the dangers to be guarded against in mines,” and with the warning they for the ENGINEERING AND MINING JoUpNAL: had in the fact that twice, recently, fires have broken out in the under- Mr. J. Viennot. 4504 Walnut street, Philadelphia. Mr. C. David, Duluth, Minn. ground workings of the Kimberley mine, Mr. Morgan Kobertson, 195 Wabash avenue, Chicago. Mr. 0. J. Frost. care Boston & Cclorado Smelting Co., Clayton Block, Denver, Colo. The Inspector is strongly blamed for not learning of the accident in Mr Thom +: R. MceMechen, Red Cliff, Colo. time to give any assistance by his advice to the management, and the Mr. H. L. Va» Nostrand, M.E., Ked Mountain, Colo. Mr. L. P. Fisher, 21 Merchants Exchange, San Francisco, Cal. Commissioners state that ‘if the Inspector had examined the shaft as London Office: Finsbury Chambers, 76 Finsbury Pavement, London, E. C. he should have done, he should have been able to take such measures as Mr Thomas B Provis. Civil and Mining Engineer, Manager. Peru, South America: Mr. Juhn Newton, No 2 Calle Constitucion, Callao. would have prevented the sacrifice of so many lives.” RemitTaNces should always be made by Bank Drafts, Post-Office Orders. or Express On this report the natural conclusion of the sad business would be a Mouey Orders on New York, payable to THe ScientTiFIc PuBLIsHING COMPANY. criminal charge of manslaughter against the management and inspectors, Advertising Rates.—sSee page XIll. THE SCIENTIFIC PUBLISHING CO.. Publishers, but the newspapers froni the Cape do not state whether the government P.O. Box 1833. 27 Park Place, New York. will take action or not. The lesson is a sad one, and should be taken to CONTENTS, heart in this country as elsewhere, for the one thing clear is, we want no such mine management or rotten inspectorship where the lives of PaaeE. Paae. Pref. Maynard and the Osceola Gravel Large Hydraulic Press for Forgings. 239 men are at stake. Minivg Con pwy Proposea Itaiian Canal boc ebanenene "os 2: 3y The damage to the mine is calculated to be something under $500,000, De Beers Disaster—Report of the Com- ES SS error re 2.9 eS eee «++ 233 | Durability ot Gavister Bricks.......... 239 but this is a trifle to the shareholders, as the value of the company’s Waste of Anthracite and the Exhaus- Movtava Dividends...... ......-. 20.0 240 shares at the present market price represents a sum amounting to 20 Or Se I aes: ctor cae. cereus 233 | Artesian Well-Boring in Nevada....... 240 C st of Mining iv VC: rnwall and Dakota 234 | Chinese as Goldseekers in Australia... 240 $38,898,800, and we do not suppose the families of the pcor blacks who Mexico as a Field for American Euter- Fossils, Coal, and Natural Gas in As- Me's oon aited alana ae ho alee erent aa Sa 234 Sioiboia, Canada . lost their lives will recover much in the way of compensation. IIT EL LF OF Ny os x aos vee:. eenscccces 235 | Cro-elmue Ziue Process...........00.+- 240 Discrimiva ton Against Anthraciie in Coal Measures in Kansas .............. 240 bi f Rail.vad Tolls ....... Electric Transmissiun of Energy in the Cost cf Mioing in Cornwall .... SS eee Sutbury Cupper-Nickel Wines... ...... Mining and Metal:urgical Patents. Cowles Elecirre Furvace Plant at Stoke- Metallurgy of Stel .... ........- THE WASTE OF ANTHRACITE AND THE EXHAUSTION OF THE SUPPLY. on-Trent, Eogiand..... > aw eseesuen I IIIS 8 asks ce cccscacecvese esa 243 The Line ff Electric Tramwav. ... .... 23% | Industrial Notes .... .......0. ceeeeees 243 A Great Australian Gold Nugget... ,.. 238 | Contracting Nowes .. .........eeeeeeeee 243 The statistics of coal production, which we publish in our usual market New Michigan Gold Ficlds.. ........... 208 report, show that during the month of August theshipments of anthracite MINING NEws: FoRk&IGN MINING BUILDING MateE- ORE sor ess = from the Pennsylvania mines to market amounted to 4,097,563 gross N : ‘ ATIB. ...ccce+e 51 tons, which is the largest anthracite output ever made in one month, Alabama.... 243 a wil om = Francisco 203 Aloska....... 243| Canada... ... 246 , . OBtOn... ... 254 and is at the rate of 49,000,000 tons a year. Arizona....... 243] Mexic ........ 246 Iron: New York 249 During the eight months of the present year the shipments of anthra- oo pe = Scuth America 247 Pode deiptia — olorado...... 24 : cite to market have amounted to 23,619,291 tons, being 1,755,495 tons in Dakota. ...... 214 Pitisburg.... *49 | Preignts....... 248 excess of the shipments during the corresponding period in 1887. Dur- Indiana. .. 244 MARKETS: a Maree ee 245 . sania ile senidiiaiitiiaetiies FINANCIAL.... .. 250 ing the months of September, October, November and December, 1887, Michigan, assachusetis .. 245 | Coa: Buffalo...... New York 24% 2 y : MEETINGS........ 254 = the shipments amounted to 12,777,222 tons, and as we shall certainly Nevada. Montana...... ...... 2.5| 245 Pittsburg... OStOD....... 248] 24 New York..... 266 =, | DIVIDENDS ...... 204 = largely exceed that amount this year, it appears probable that we shall New Mexico... 246 Saumiechans.. ot ASSESSMENTS.... 254 send to market this year 37} or 38 million tons of anthracite. Orexzon........ WR aee 566: aS 246 246 | METALS......00. o4g| Pittsburgh.... ae 251} Pree Ling Cert. 254 i If we include the coal sold and used at the mines, say 6 per cent of Peu: sylvania 246 tes the shipments, the grand total output for the year will probably amount 4 Tennessee. .... 246 | CHEMICALS...... 248 | Advertisers’ Index........--.--...- xvii x to 40.000,000 gross tons. WE learn with much pleasure that Prof. GEORGE W. MAYNARD, of 35 The average waste of anthracite in miuing and preparation for market i Broadway, has secured nearly the whole of the necessary capital for the has been carefully estimated from many reliable data by the Geological completion of the ditches, etc., for the Osceola Gravel Mining Company, Survey o! Pennsylvania, as follows: oT RE of Nevada. CUR TAGE Bk MUNI OUR yas «kes idaiescws ous ccavscweees -.. 45 percent. This enterprise was referred to at some length by us in the ENGINEER- Cowl lost in miming by blasung, etc...............20. 0. eee 15 = Breaker waste 16 per cent of 40 per cent....... .......... oe * ING AND MINING JOURNAL, June 16th last, and more recently, August llth, we reported that the gold already obtained this season with the RS a Said atid 8 SP Caiecimierinenscndd bani edenedeuwvens 66°4 = very small amount of water at the command of the company amounted Or only about one third of the coal goes to market ; if therefore, we to $12,000, and, it is believed, will go to $25,000 during the season. produce 40,000,000 tons this year, it represents the exhaustion of 120,000,- This enterprise is, we believe, one of the best ever offered here, the in- 000 tons of our availiable supply, and this does not now much if it at ali vestment being based on well ascertained value and being free from the exceed 9,000,000.000 tons. usual heavy promotion charges. The money received is all to be devoted At the present rate of production and present percentage of waste in to the development of the property, chiefly in bringing in a large supply mining our entire supply of anthracite coal will last only 75 years of water, and the control of the property and all the This statement is not based on any mere guess, but is founded on ELD: AODAOS EE OE profits remain with the investors until their investment shall have been reliable data, and it is so startling in its significance that it should cer- fully repaid, when they still remain large stockholders. On the whole, tainly attract the attention of the managers of our great coal companies, the enterprise appears to us to be a good model for investors in mines to and even of the government of the State of Pennsylvania.