Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2019 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Fourth Annual Report of Chief State Mine Inspector Ed Boyle to Governor (extracted from The Guthrie Daily Leader January 6, 1912) Following is the fourth annual report of Ed Boyle, Chief Mine Inspector of Oklahoma, to Governor Lee Cruce. This report covers the period from July 1st, 1910, to June 30th, 1911, and is a cracking good one. There was produced in the above named period 2,569,869 tons of coal, requiring the services of 4,667 miners, 2,330 inside, or day men, 1,194 outside men, making a total of 8,191 men employed in and around the mines. To produce this coal it required the use of 124,227 kegs of black powder, 1,575 cases of dyamite, 58,500 lbs of carbonite, 33,724 lbs of masurite, and 7,850 lbs of monobell. The cost of black powder to the miners being $2.00 per keg, makes a total cost of that grade of explosives $248,454. The total cost of other explosives used to produce the above tonnage at 16 cents per pound would make a total of $28,611.84, making a grand total of all explosives used $277,065.84. There was 19.19 tons of coal produced to every keg of powder. This estimate is made on calculating the other explosives at the rate of 16 cents per pound and allowing every $2.00 worth to be equal to one keg of powder. There were 29 fatal accidents and 102 non-fatal accidents in the mines in the above period, only 12 fatal accidents and 40 non- fatal accidents occuring since I assumed the duties of this office, January 9, 1911. There were 14 women left widows and 29 children left fatherless as a result of the accidents occurring. There was one man killed for every 88,616 tons of coal produced, showing a mortality decrease of .00054 per cent over the preceding year. There was approximately 551 tons of coal produced to each miner in the year beginning July 1st, 1910, and ending June 30, 1911. Making an average over the entire state at 80 cents per ton paid to the miner for producing the above named tonnage, shows the earning capacity of each miner $440.80, for the above named period. Basing this estimate on the basis of 9 cents for explosives and approximately 3 cents per ton for oil, fuse, and blasting paper and other incidental expenses. Deducting 12 cents per ton as the cost of production to the miner, would leave a net balance of $374.68 for the year ending June 30, 1911. The total of the coal produced in the State of Oklahoma in the preceding year is worth, approximately, $6,424,672.50, at an as- sumed price of $2.50 per ton on board the car. There were 8,638 tons of lead and zinc produced in the state, requiring the services of 148 men. There was one fatal accident and two non-fatal accidents in the lead and zinc mines. One widow and two fatherless children as a result of the above fatal accident. There were also 111,013 tons of gypsum produced requiring the services of 45 men. The total production of oil for the preceding year ending June 30, 1911, was 47,450,000 barrels or an average of 130,000 barrels per day, from 14,259 producing oil wells. The total gas production is about 1,400,000,000 cubic feet per day. RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS Statement showing the quantity of refined oil and gasoline inspected, the amount of fees collected, and disposition thereof: Barrels, 141,974 at 10 cents per barrel ..........$14,197.40 Barrels, 1,404 at 15 cents per barrel .......... 229.60 Barrels, 106,092 at 10 cents per barrel .......... 10,609.20 Barrels, 1,402 at 15 cents per barrel .......... 219.20 ---------- Total ..................................$25,245.50 Disbursements Paid to State Treasurer ...........................$20,046.15 Paid to State Deputies ........................... 5,199.35 ---------- Total .................................$25,245.50 Respectfully Submitted, ED BOYLE, Chief Mine Inspector. Oklahoma City, Okla., Jan. 28th, 1911 To All Mine Bosses and Superintendents: Gentlemen: This letter is to inform you that I assumed the responsible office of chief mine inspector of the State of Oklahoma on January 9th, for a term of four years, and trust that our associations during my term of office will be pleasant and it surely will, providing you comply with the mining laws of this state, which I trust you will, not only do for the protection of life but for the protection of property which you have in charge. The great mine disasters of the past few years have been ap- palling, and have aroused the public, which they should. Now, in the best of feeling I am goind to demand that you keep, the mine which is under your supervision properly sprayed, and if you find you cannot comply with the law by spraying or sprinkling, you must remove the dust to the surface, for past experience has taught us that the most explosions are caused by allowing this great accumulation of dust. One other cause to which we attribute some of our explosions is gas, which you must see is not allowed to remain standing in any quantities. We should use our best efforts to protect the lives of our workers, and money nor time should not be spared in doing so. I shall issue an order to all shot firers that no shots be fired unless this is complied with. It is time to call a halt on the slaughter that has been going on for the past few years, and having taken an oath to do my duty, and that means to strictly enforce the laws, insofar as they per- tain to this department, and I will not violate that oath, and trust that I will not have to close a mine in this state on ac- count of the failure of any company to comply with our laws, but so sure as the law is not obeyed, I shall have to resort to this method, but trust it will not become necessary. You should realize that it is better for the Coal Companies that this be done, as the loss of property is great from an explosion, but that is only a secondary consideration, when we think of the lives that are snuf- fed out annualy, through this carelessness. Though the deed has only paid the debt we all owe, look at the many who are left help- less who were dependent on the dead for their support. Now measure this with the small sum it will cost to remedy the conditions which I have mentioned, and you will find that there is no compar- ison. Now I ask you to work in harmony with this department and help to bring about a condition that will make this class of labor less hazardous, and the world will applaud us all. I wish also to call your attention to the law in regard to men traveling on slopes or inclines where coal is hauled by machinery, as this must not be allowed, while the machinery is in motion. Yours very truly, ED BOYLE Chief Mine Inspector, Lehigh, Oklahoma, July 1st, 1911. =========================================================================== *Transcriber's Note: We are missing the Guthrie Daily Leader for January 7th, 1912. The mining reports should be found on page 6. If anyone has access to this page, and would be willing to transcribe it, we would be happy to have it in order to complete this report. Reports for individual mines / accidents will be found within their own county as we complete transcribing them.