New-York tribune., 1870-01-06

lows Early the morning OF the 9th Of September last
avocation: None Of them anticipated danger as they
descended the fatal shaft not supposed that he was
buried alive, But the destroying angel hoyered
them and the shaft, constructed principally Of com
some cause yet undeter@ined, was soon sheet Of aDe
choking up with fire and smoke the only avenue Of
escape Sensible Of their peril the unfortunate men
sought place Of safety but IL not To be found They
| cried for succor, but no earthly could give them
help; hopeless they hudded together, and casped In
each others arms met death IN one OF Its most ghnul
and agonizng forms The mines in many are con.
strueled and managed in the most selfish an, and
tGe largest amount Of profit from them from
them the like ike that are nothing
man-traps, without any other outlets than wooden
volcanoes through which escape impossible The lives
OF so useful class Of men as our miners should not and
altar Of human cupidy Yet reprehensibe neglect to
give them that protection by law, which their valuable
deserves mining system worse than that CT
any other country, while our mining interests are IN
The most appalling accidents record been traced
to unsafe methods OF ventilation and more especially 70
the employment Of furnaces at or near the bottom OF te
shafts. Where the furnace Is used, and the smoke IS
carried through wooden chimney, it seems almost Ger.
tain that or later by the inevitable accumulation
SCOT or carbon upon the framework, IL must ignite
from the ascending sparks from the heat of the fur
it should be made obligatory, II the yentilatng furnace
be still allowed to build the ehnneys the sues OF tue
SHAFT, and the buildings surrounding u at the oP
with incombustibe materials. But even tins
| u
If liable at any moment to communicate with the nie,
damp" other vapors that despteOf all known
means of prevention Will generate IN the best regulated
mines The proprety Of dispensing entirely. therefore,
with the furnace, has received the serious consideration
OF scientific miners and engineers and the fan IN many
instances has been substituted which being worked by
machinery at the surface produces more constant cur
ways chambers, and III all respects, accomplishes
the object desired with better effect; and when the
shafts and surface buildings are hrepfOof without
the possibility Of danger This System oI ven
tiiation, with advantages 30 palpably obvious
nature OF mining operations subjects them TO other dan
gers The walls aud roofing OF the mines from the effects
Of blasting and other causes, frequently give way and m
the gangways TO render them impassabe as III the
calamity at Stockton, which resulted IN the
and should be nperatvcy demanded, that every mine
should have more than single avenue OF lngIess ,nd
u'.s' tSiss 10 bis surest promise Of safety What
ever system Of ventilation may be approved, or safety
lamps adopted, the means OF escape from the mines
when danger occurs, VIII depend very materially upon
mode Of constructing, yentllatlng, ana WORKING the
adopted rdly enforced. The inquiry, therefore, into
the causes which produced this shocking catastrophe,
various theories that have been PROMULGATED concerning
it, remedies for the prevention Of similar occurrences
hereafter the construction and ventilation OF eohenes
and e modes of conducting their operations that the
operatives may prosecute their labor without mperng
their lives proper subjects for legislative considera
such laws as you may enact most certainly be en-
forced by competent inspectors IA the mining districts
who should be chosen with strict regard to character
integrity capabtS aud scientific know ledge and whose
duties sbOuld be specifically defined that they cannot
earnestly that this whole subject receive the
attention It's Importance demands ana tht law WIZ ~ DC
ped so general In character and 50 stringent IN ls
provisions that inc people Of this commonwealth WIZ
never again be- appalled, by calamity WITHIN her i's
SO sad as that OF Ayondac.
W PRISONS AND PRISON DISCIPLINE.
MahISn H. Dickinson eco of Philadelphia, was ap-
pointed "tO visit for philanthropc purposes the prsos
aud amsbOuses in the various counties OF the Common
wealth" The Commissioner, in regard to some OF these
describes them as beng unsafe where prisoners could
were not separated, where there no discipline, or
any effort made toward the moral or re-
tally unit for the purposes of prison; and where tue
prisoners become schooed in vice. and eventually gfada M
prisons the cells represented as contracted
Into of sunshine or daf or pure All
can enter and in which human being could not poss
bly, live through lengthy term OF sentence AND IN s
others I'm consequence OF the want OF proper accommoda
tions all classes criminals from the most hardened
and aged TO the youth OF tender years are permitted to
almost every species Of immortality aud crime. Under
such circumstances reformation which is the grand OBJ
iect OF divine and should be OF all huhah laws ana pun
ishments, is rendered Impossible -
The Commissioners appointed 10 inquire lnto INC
various systems Of prison discipline as pracuced IN
other States and Countries, as compared with what IL
known as the Pennsyyana system WI" In submit @ thon i
report early day. from Whlch you VIII learn lldI
The cauacty Of our penitenares is at present conpe
tent for the safekeepng ana proper inishnent OF an
offenders higher grades ana tat wOrkhOuses ana
bouse OF correction needed for those whose crimes
are OF more trivial character and whose reformation
and future usefulness may De aGconpnshed Oy humane
system OF discipline, such rs will be recommended
Ii mas grown into the custom TO regard an application
for Executive ccmeDcy az an indispensable part O the
machinery Of criminal justice Because the Executive
posed he has not only the right, but hat 1t is ms
favorable response to every application; and hence
petitions pardon arc becoming 80 numerous that tue
nereiexamnation OF thems exhaustive oi a large amount
Of valuable te at least hour IN each case exclusive
the occupied in correspondence with the Judges
District Attorneys and other parties.
For some reason, easily understood 1t seems that
leo ~ DDt
shonid be- kept within these reasonable limits and not
be made instrument to defeat the execution OF the
laws and tho administration OF public justice All ord-
nct with the principle which Executive clemency
should be based and none such should be presented for
consideration. IL Is earnestly hoped the public VIII I'M
dersand and act accordance with this view OF the
subject due alike TO the Executive and proper re-
gard for the execution Of the laws.
NATIONAL MATTERs-FREE.TRADE
There is one subject Of national Importance claiming
operatons in which Pennsylvania largely Interested
Movements, characterized with the greatest energy are
duce Congress take such action will permit the free
introduction OF steel, iron, and iron materials for ship
building and many other notifications OF the tariff laws
Should such efforts be successful the result prove
the great coal rOn and other interests Of
manufactured articles and consequently tho consump
rIon Of coal, aud be destructive TO our valuable
home markets II would also prove disastrous 70
many Of capitalists aud working people do
prying them Of all reasonable prospects OF future
activity and rcmunoratDg wages-and bring our pro
ducers INTO ruinous competition wth pauPer laoOr
from abroad So far the present system Affords pro-
lection TO the manufactures labor aud products OF
PENNSYLVANIA, IL Is obligatory upon us 10 use all favor'
able to prevent any reduction OF existing duties
Our miners labOrers and manufacturers should not DO
thrown out OF employment by the proposed change OF
duties foreign imports, which has always heretofore
resuted In the OF every department Of trade
labor and business and entsed upon us the manifold
evils OF National state and individual bankruptcy We
owe IL as a duty 10 constituents to instruct our
SENATORS and request Representatives In Con-
gress TO oppose all such attempts For the same
reasons we should oppose any reciprocity treaties
by which abe people OF Canada gain advantages over
our own umbermen, farmers and other producers
within our lmits -
NATIONAL BAsEs-RxPLHsIoN- -REsUMPTIos.