Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-01-14

u
sprung into existence without any solid ba
is, and as suddenly expired to the injury o
those whose confidence they obtained, anC
to the disbonor of the Commonwealth
In view Of these facts. earnestly repeat
the recommendation made 10 the Legisla-
ture at its last session, that AN insurance de.
i partment be established, and superiBten-
dent appointed BY law. who shall have su-
| pervision and control oyer all insurance COM
/ Danies allowed to transact business within
The State. The community is deeply inter
ested in this matter, and demsndslegislative
! prntectiOn
| Oar laws in relation to life insurance COM
| pauIes are defective and need revision and
| correction Without the protection referred
to these laws bear unequaliy upon our own
and foreign companies The latter, being
| protected by legislative enactment, are en-
| abled to transact an immense amount of
business within the limits Of this Common
wealth, whilst our companies, having no
such protection, can do but little 10 other
States. The consequence is, that foreign
| companies can readily afford to pay L.
/ eense Of Ifee hundred doiidrs to conduct
1 their extensive operations in PENNSYLVANIA.
! whist our companies would be sorely OPP
pressed by toe imposition Of the same II
| cense tax 10 States where their operations
are exceedingly limited And yet these
other States have retalia.ed upon our license
law, By adopting its provisions and demand
ing FROM our companies the same amount Of
license in each State that we demand If
their companies 10 ours. This is not on'y
oppressive to our own neglected companies.
but it fails to furnish Just and equitable
revenue from the various companies for the
amount of business transacted. The tax
should be made 20 bear equally upon all
companies, whether home on foreign, and
be adjusted prop0rtiouately to the extent of
their several operations. This arrangement
would be iustto oall-oppressive TO none. The
abolishment, therefore, Of the license law,
and the substitution in its place of reason
able and equitable tax, would meet the ap-
probation oF all companies. IN favor of equal
and exact justice whether belonging TO this
or any other State At the same time it
would insure a larger income tn the Treasu-
~. For instance, there are thirty-seDea life
insurance companies from other States do
iOg business in Pennsylvania, who each pay
q license of five hundred dollars, making the
sum Of eighteen thousand and FIVE hundred
dollars Not one Of the companies would
ehject 10 paying an equal lax Of say one half
OF one per cent upou the amount of their
business. This, in iEe aggregate of the
thIrry-seven companies, is more than FIVE
millions of dollars, on which a tax of one
half of one per cent WOald bn twenty. FIVE
Thousand dollars, increasing the revenue Of
the State from this source more than SIX
thousand dollars, and at the same time
equallzlng the tax IN accordance with the
business done and profits received. An eff
Gent law, establishing an Insurance Depart
ment, such as Is recommended, would meet
this and all matters connected with the SUB
ieet Of insurance, in all its branches
The Aronda;e Disaster
The recent disaster In the Avondale Coal
Mine, Luzerue county, is still fresh in the
minds of the people 1t caused thrill of
horror 10 spread throughout the country
an3 even in Europe it has been productive
Of the most painful emotiens and deepest
sorrow for the sufferers. Women and chill
dren who had been accustomed to regard
the occupation of the miner as one Of ordi-
nary character, now look upon it as fraught
--;tla >HssuEsct, ard ,s-rt with relaUves and
friends. when about to pursue their perilous
occupation, with fearful forebodings And
even the sturdy miner, himself frembles at
his dangerous calling, and demands greater
protection than has hitherto been afforded.
The history Of this terrible calamity seems
to be as follows: Early on the morning of
the 9th Of September last, one hundred and
eight men entered the Avondale Mine to
prosecut their avOcation None of them
anticipated danger as they descended the
fatal shaft; not one supposed that be was
entering tomb in which be was doomed 10
be buried alive. But the destroying angel
hovered over them, and the shaft, construct
ei principally Of combustible materials. hay-
ing become ignited from some cause, yet
undetermined, was soon sheet of fame,
and huge burning timbers came tumbling
from above, choking up with fire and smoke
the only avenue of escape. Sensible of their
peril, the unfortunate men sought a place
OF safety, but it was not to be found. They
cried for succor. but no earthly arm could
give them help hopeless they huddled to-
gether, and clasped in each others arms,
met death in one Of its most frightfal and
agonizing forms.
" hnsl thls fearful scene was transpiring
Lelo-~, tho isa ~vee1eH stv,sotsa-a above
the shaft took FIRE, and burning with fright
full rapidity, was soon reduced to a crumb-
hing mass. Thousands Of men, women and
children soon surrounded the place, and
being unable to afford the slightest reliefto
their suffering friends below, filed the air
with lameutation, appalling even to the
stoutest hearts Never before was a scene
more heart rendering witnessed within the
limits Of this Commonwealth, and it is trust
ed that through your prompt and efficient
Legislative &C loB. another such will never be
permitted TO occur.
The mines in many cases are constructed
al managed in the most selfish and parsi-
moDious manner, the owners exactiBg the
largest amount of profit from them, from
the least possible outlay consequently some
of them, ike that of Avondale, are nothing
but underground man traps, without any
other outlets than wooden chimnies, and
these constantly liable to become blazing
volcanoes, through which escape Is impossi-
bic. The lives uf so useful class OF men
as our miners should not. and must not be
permitted to be thus sacrificed upon the al
ter Of human cGpidity. Yet a repFehensi-
bic neglect to give them that protection by
law which their valuable services, at best
laborous and dangerous, unquestlonably de-
serves, renders cur mining system worse
than that of any other country, whilst our
mining interests are unequalled by those OF
any other part Of the word.
| The most appalling accidents on record
| have been traced to unsafe methods OF ven
| tilation, and more especially to the employ
1 ment of furnaces at or near the bottom Of
/ the shafts Where the furnace is used, and
the smoke is carried through a wooden
chimney, it seems almost certain that, soon
er or later, By the inevitable accumulation
OF SCOT or carbon upon the framework, it
mus ignite from the ascending sparks or
| from the heat Of the furnace, and confa-
grafton ensue. To guard against this, 1t
! should be made obligatory, if the ventlla-
ting furnace be still allowed, to build the
ehimnies, the sides of the shaft, and the
buildings surrounding it at the top with in
combustible materials. But even this pre-
caution is not a sure safeguard, for the fire
I is liable. at any moment, to communicate
with the Sire damp or other gaseous va
pors, that, despite OF all known means oi
prevention, will generate IN the best regula
ted mines. The pIoprieiy of dispensing en-
tirely. therefore, with the furnace, has re
ceived the serious consideration of scienti6i
miners aud engineers, and the fan IN tina
J ;,st,,ae has hepn substituted. which beinl