The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-10-23
"A WORD WITH THE MINERS.

A WORD WITH THE MINERS.
That the mining regions Of America are
likely to Be the scenes &C those heart-reD ding
caiamItes which, ever and anon, have hith-
erJo afflicted the mining community Of Great
Britain, and been the scourge, and dread,
and nightmare, which overla ng the homes
Of every miner there for many years, is
proved from The fact Of the fast increasing
ratio Of accidents occurring in our coal mines
here; some Of these assuming as gigantic
proportions es the most serious and extend
ed Of those 10 England Now, however, in
England the evil has been removed, and not
without a deal Of suffering, and the lxpen-
diture OF vast amount Of talent, great agi-
taton and years Of perseverance, was legis-
lation brought to bear upon the subject, and
the owners OF coal mines compelled to have
two shafts, if they had one, in order that the
coal miners interest, mis- life and safety
should be attended to, as well as that of the
owner. In England no such accident can
occur o. that which recently took place at
Avondale. Aud why Because the law
distinctly declares against the working of
any coal mine there without having All es-
escaPement shalt thereto. Why Was such a
Jaw made IN Great Britain, we would ask ?
Was Is not The necessity that the destruc-
ton Of human life light be lessened, or was
Il merely to crafty the whims Of the miners
and their friends who petitioned for such an
act. We think, surely, the former, as Eng
land is not want to make laws for the bene-
BIT Of her workers without being shown some
real necessity Tor such. Nor is this particu-
lar instance the only one upon which the
American miner needs legislation. No.
Every single evil which preyed upon the
miners Of the Wonderland, prc Vous to the in
reference Of parliament IN the matter the
American miner has to contend against.
Prcminent among these are the destructive
Influences of the lile-destroying gases that
everywhere infsst our mines and although
j. may not be announced By the fearful echo
Of an explosion to the public, yet it does its
work Though silently as surely and effec-
lively, as when declared in such tremendous
terms. These and an hundred other things
we could cite.
Does the coal miner require protection,
and from whom else than from Congress can
II be obtained? However liberal thouSh
might be the views Of Congress on this
question, it is not at all likely that they
themselves, unasked, will introduce a bill
or enact 1t, providing for the safety Of the
miners, nor can we say that it IS altogether
their duty. TIE coal miners-lhe parties
directly interested-and who alone are the
sufferers in those cases Of wholesale carnage,
must make manifest some desire Of escaping
the Perils which every hour and moment
threatens to overwhelm them in death, be-
fore the arguments which will be raised
against it could be swept away or legislators
justified in passing away. If they have these
desires, then they must take action thereon,
snd rise up unanimously, and with one voice
demand from the American people-through
OOuSleSo- PAOACSt vi tOl tueiI lives IN Inc
prosecution Of their labors, to which SO much
interest is attached.
We cannot, We will not think that the coal
miners Of America are so far behind the age
Is to be ruled BY The Will-o'the- Wisp idea
that such accidents as have occurred in the
older countries "will net happen here" or
that each one may be deceiving himself by
thinking "if such an occurrence does
take p'a ace, may escape;" or that it may
occur in some other section or shaft, than
the enc in which | work, &c. All this rea-
soning may be very good for moment, but
alas, It is this very confidence which always
oeIays you, and this false seasoning which
prevents yeur taking lie matter % il time,
and having precautionary measures adopted
TO work cut the proverb that "prevent,on i
better than cure" How many lessons do
ws get, yet how little do We learn. Avond.Is
Is monument attesting that all where tbera
IS no other means Of egress but one, are lia-
Die to be destroyed. In Virgins, a few years
ago, terrific explosion took place, whereby
twenty-five black men and three whites lost
their lives, bearing testimony that legislation
is necessary in the ventilation department.
at Gardner, the other day, as three men and
boy were descending the shaft, the rope