Maryland Bureau of Mines Annual Reports

In 1876, the Maryland General Assembly enacted the State's first mining law which included a provision that established a Mine Inspector of Allegany and Garrett Counties (Maryland) who would inspect mining operations and annually prepare a report on The Conditions of the Coal and Clay Mines within the State of Maryland. The report was to be sent directly to the Governor of the State of Maryland. Peter Cain was appointed as the first Mine Inspector under the new law and authored the First Annual Report dated, December 30, 1876. From: Maryland Geological Survey, Volume 1, 1897: "The position of Inspector of Mines was established by an act of the General Assembly in 1876, 'regulating the working and proper ventilation of coal mines in Allegany and Garrett Counties'. At the session of 1878 the original act was repealed and re-enacted with amendments, the duties of the Mine Inspector remaining substantially the same. Annual reports have been generally published by the Inspector of Mines, in which the volume of output, the condition of the mines and the number of workmen employed have been described. These reports are not intended to be of a geological nature, the information being in most instances restricted to statistical statements." 

In 1922, a new Mining Law was enacted which established the Maryland Bureau of Mines. The position of Maryland State Mining Inspector was replaced with the title, Chief Mine Engineer of the Bureau of Mines, and John J Rutledge was appointed as the first Chief Mine Engineer. Subsequent changes have modified the content of the Annual Reports and have changed the title of the position (Chief Mine Engineer of the Bureau of Mines) to Director of the Bureau of Mines.

For more information contact John Carey at John.Carey@maryland.gov, MDE Bureau of Mines, 160 South Water St, Frostburg, MD 21532, 301-689-1440. 

 The following is a listing of Annual Reports prepared since 1876, note that some are not available (N/A).