Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-12-14
A HINING INSTITUTE.

EDITOR CHRoNICLE:-The question OF
legal enactments for the protection oil
life, health and limb, in the mines Of our
State, has been discussed at length by
practical miners and others, during the
last twelve months, and their necessity
fully demonstrated, not only as an act
OF justice to the imperiled su~bterraneau
men, but an advantage to the bank pro-
prietors in a pecuniary sense, as well,
and a benefit TO the State ; and il is graft
flying to witness the interest which the
press, yourself and other Legislators, and
also many mining operators, have mani
tested on the subject.
At the last Social Science Association.
at Philadelphia, Mr.. Eckley b. Coke. OF
DriftOn, Pa, n OF the prOprietors of
the Cross Creek Colliery, in the anthra-
cite mining region, read a very able
paper on Mining Legislation, which con-
tanned many valuable ideas on this SUBJ
ject, as well rs on the question OF the
necessity for Mining Schools, for the
education of master wOrkmen. Nj.
Coke discussed the question under three
heads, viz: Laws relating to the right to
AAAA@AA -@ANN1 1AaaAALA - ~ A-aNHN ~
miners; and Laws relating to mining
as a source of material wealth. Those
under the second head were treated with
most detail, Mr.. Coke c~Ontending that
precautions necessary to avoid danger
and disease while working under
ground, should be introduced into the
common school education in the mining
districts, etc.
Several OF the coal mining States will,
there, is good reason to believe, enact
laws, this winter, for the protection of
miners-Ilinois, Gt being a constitu-
tiOnal obligation with this State) Indiana,
Ohio and PennsylVania-which an alb
surd blunder in legislation len partly
unprovided last session, being among
the number.
In connection with the enactment of a
Mining Law, providing for the health
and safety OF the miners of u State,
the establishment Of a State Mining
Institute, designed to give thorough
instructions in mining and the natural
sciences connected Herewith, deserves
the serious consideration Of the Legisla-
ture. A bill was passed by Congress, on
the 18th Of June, 1862, and approved by
President Lincoln, on the ID Of July, to
establish At least one Industrial College
in every State of the Union. Most Of
the several States, in pursuance Of this
law, have established agricultural and
mechanical colleges within their respec-
tive limits. The State of California has
established an Agricultural, Mining and
Mechanical College. If an institute Of
mining, in connection with the Indus
trial College Of Ohio, was established,
where all colliery managers and mining
engineers should graduate, Of pass an
examination, and receive a certificate OF
competency previous to any men being
placed under their charge, millions Of
money would be annually saved, many
valuable lives preserved. and the health
and comfort OF all underground en-
plOyees secured. The statesman who
will read this question in the earnest
light which its importance demands,
viii deserve well of his country.
With respect to mining schools, for
the education of master miners, the
United States is far behind every coal
producing nation on the globe. And this
stigma should forthwith be removed.
There is not a single school Of this IA
ture in America Owing to our great
natural resources, and the unparalleled
energy Of our people, mining invest
ments have been eminently successful;
but that success has to frequently be
achieved at the expense OF the lives and
health Of the miners. And while it is
clearly the duty Of the State 70 provide
laws for the better regulation of
coal mines, and for the safety and COM
fort OF the miners, a higher standard Of
intelligence is required in the manage
ment Of the mines, to make such laws
effective. Several Mining Institutes
have been established in England, and
on the continent, those on the continent
being the most successful, as the greater
scientific development Of mining OF the
continent, over England, amply attest.
In SaXOny all the responsible maEag-
ers of miners must attend a Mining
School before any mines are placed IN
der their charge. The subjects OF study
in those schools, embrace mine survey
ing, mine book keeping, geography,
geology, mining, elementary mathe-
mates, mineralogy and drawing: The
schools T Of two grades, the higher
5rade being fof the superior managers
while the lower is intended for the in
struction of under-bOsses and working
miners.
Perhaps the best Mining School in
Europe is that at YarnowitZ, in southern
SiIesiA Education at this institute is
free. the conditions Of admittance being
that all students must have previously
wrought for one year in a coal mine and
can bring a recommendation from their
employers as regards good character, and
be able, in addition, 70 read and write
correctly. The school is situated in the
heart of a mining country, the students
work in the neighboring mines during
the forenoon and attend the institute in
the afternoon and evening. Surveying,
dialling, plating from notes, writing,
composition, book keeping, mine ac-
counts and the elements Of mathematics
are taught, while g portion of the time ia
given to hearing lectures upon practical
geology, mineralogy and mining. There
are no AYondale disasters in that cOun-
try and it is the success in mining
there which induced England to estab-
lish mining schools.
We Americans are justly proud Of
our educational privileges and Of the
general intelligence of our people; but
as q science has been most
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS with us. Take farm
and mining, for example, our two
most important industries. The United
States to-day excels all other nations in
the excellence and variety Of her sgri-
machinery. During the last
years, perhaps, not less than two
thousand patents have been granted for
improvements in farming implements.
have not only made no correspond
ing progress in mining, but no progress
all. The miner digs with the same
colts which his great-grsndfather used,
the same noxious and poisonous
airs are allowed to pollute our miners,
exhsusting the powers and destroying
the functions Of life and force Of our
which Q few generations ago
the priests Of Germany were wont 70
with impotent exorcisms and
pious frauds. I was much amused at
hearing q miner relate, not long ago,
that when he asked for work of a bank
boss, near Coal Port, on the Ohio river,
the latter asked If he had good lungs.
The miner, who was a man Of sense and
intelligence, replied that his lungs
were good, but he was in no wise dis
posed to waste them in that bank, and
travel further From Just such
banks-and they are neither few nor far
between-s majority OF our miners
have their origin,
ANDREW Roy.
Church Hill, o., Nov. 30, 1870.
For 1871.