The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-03-16

General Assembly, against the passage of
that bill Of which the following is q copy:
To the Members ofMe Geaeral Asse,tbly ofthe
State Of Illinois.
At meeting of the Proprietors Of Coal
Mines of Illinois, held at Springfield, on the
ninth Of January, 1872, the following resolu-
lions were unanimously adopted, viz:
Rcsoired, That VIC earnestly protest against
the passage of House Bill No. 694, pertaining
to Coal Lines, now pending in the House of
Representatives believing the said bill to be
destructive of the Coal Mining interest of the
State, and that the practical effect of the PASS
age Of this bill Will be to impose upon the pro-
prietors of Coal Mines, such burdens and re-
strictions as effectually to cripple, if not dc.
stroy that important interest throughout the
State.
ResOirrd, That the provisions of this bill.
especially that providing for the appointment
Of an inspector of mines, and the further pro-
vision requiring the sinking Of escapement
shafts within two years, are so unjust and Oh
pressive that we earnestly appeal to the Gen
eral Assembly not to pass this bill, as its pass
age must inevitably prove n severe blow to
coal mining interest, and work financial ruin
= the owners Of mines in many portions Of the
State.
Resoired, That copy of these resolutions
be placed in the hands Of each member OF the
Senate and House of Representatives.
SIGNED:
NJ r. Soorr, Pros Mclean Co Coal Co
A. r BUNKER, Gen. Agt Bartlett Coal Mining Co
T. j. CRANpALL. Pres. Abby Coal Mining "a
JAMS GARTsIpE, Pres Alma & Carbonate Coal Co
A. J. BEAN. Supt. Western Coal Mining Co
&, o. GODFREY, Pres. Neamiliop, c. & W. Coal Co.
H. s. Porter, Pres Oglesby CoafCo.
c. r. kINGsEURY Supt kngsbury Coal & Mining Co
{. &. MiCKER, Pres. Illinois Valley Coal Co.
Z. B. srEERE Pres. bloomington Coal Mining Co.
H. ". BULLOCK, Pres Pontiac Coal Co.
J. W. Urr Pres. Virdn Coal Co
II. l.. MARSH Co, Proprietors Of Fairbury Coal Co.
D. Ii. HARrs, Secretary Lincoln Coal Co.
A. RArEaEBzR, Proprietor Of Girard Coal Co.
That is curious document, and strange
" contrasts with similar document issued
in January 1871, by the same body of mine
owners, Of which the following is copy:
At aconvention of coal operators, held in
Springfield, Illinois, January 18th and 10th,
1871, the following resolution was adopted as
i OASIS of action on all bills now pending be-
fore or hereafter introduced into the Legisla-
ture of the State Of Illinois, with regard to
providing for the health and safety Of persons
employed in coal mines"
Resoired That we approve Of the appoint
ment by the Governor OF three competent men,
whose duty it shall be to inspect everything
that pertains to the safety Of miners in opera
ting any mine in the State Of Illinois.
II said inspector or inspectors, or either of
them, after examination OF any mine or ma
chinery pertaining thereto, shall. in their
Judgment, find the same to be unsafe, he or
they shall notify the proprietor or lessee Of
said mine of such defect, ordering him to rem
edy 1t within a reasonable time.
That in case Of disagreement in regard to
such unsafety or defect, between said inspec-
tor or inspectors, and said proprietor or lessee
of said mine, the whole subject matter in con
troversy shall be referred to the Judge of the
judicial circuit in which said mine is situated.
for judicial investigation, reserving to either
party the right Of trial BY jury.
In the remonstrance presented in Janu-
airy last, the proprietors Of coal mines Of
Illinois, with the presumption peculiar to
graspng corporations, undertake to speak,
without authority, for all the proprietors Of
coal mines Of Illinois, in number, more
than five hundred, when they say, THAT
the provisions of this BILL especially that
providing for the appointment Of an inspec-
tor Of mines. and the further provision re-
quiring the sinking of escapement shafts
within two years, are SO unjust and oppres-
sive that We earnestly appeal to the gener-
al assembly not TO pass this bill, as it's pass
age must inevitably prove severe blow to
the coal mining interests, and work fnan-
clal ruin to the owners of mines in many
portions of the State"
Where is their consistency Have they
forgotten that at the convention held BY
them about one year ago, the same gentle
men
Resotred, That they approved of the appoint
msnt by the Governor Of three competent men
whose duty it should be to inspect everything
that appertains to the safety OF miners in OPP
Grating any mine in the State Of Illinois.
In their eager desire to defeat any and all
legislation on this subject, and to induce
members to ignore their sworn duty under
the constitution, they strike out wildly right
and left, with frantic indifference to eth
er truth or consistency, needless or forgetful
of the fact that the record they are making
will not bear inspection. They came as vol
unteer witnesses on the opposite side Of our
cause, and testified in favor Of the appoint
ment OF three inspectors of mines, and in
dictated, in a very elaborate manner, what
duties they should perform. Now, that
being the testimony Of adverse
ly-witnesses, we have right to attach more
to it than if it had been given
by our friends. And when these unfriend-
ly witnesses afterwards contradict or stulti-
fy themselvs on that point, We have a right
to look with suspicion on that attempt, and
to question their motives in thus seeking
to contradict their former deliberate state
ment in our favor, without assigning any
reason for the change. And right here, let
me also remark, that the owners of deep
mines Of Illinois, such as that notorious
at Bloomington, are not required
to sink escapement shafts in less than three
years from the date when this bill will go
into effect, if passed. Was their statement
in reference to the bill requiring the sink
ing of such shafts for the deep mines, in
tended to deceive the members of this leg
la,