The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1874-02-26
COAL MIN -.

A bill has been introduced in the Legis-
is,ure, by Col. Anthony, entitled Gan act
providing for the health ard safety OF PER
sons employed in coal mines" The mos;
important section OF the Dill Il the following
providing facilities for escape from mines
in times Of danger
SEC. 9. In all coal E,ines or collieries that
are or have been In operation, prior TO The
fret day of July, in the year OF cur Lord
eighteen hundred aEd seventy-tbree, and
which are worked BY or through a shaft, and
in which more than fifteen miners are EN-
ployed, il there is not already an escapement
shaft to each and every said coal mime or
Gallery. or a communication bst~een each
and every coal mlne Or ooliiery, and some
other contiguous mine, there shall be an e.
capement shaft, making at least two distinct
means of ingress and egress for all persons
employed or permitted TO work in such coal
mine or coIliery. Such escspement shalt VI
other contiguous mine, a. aforesaid, shaii
be constructed in connection with every vein
or stratum of coal worked in such coal mines
or collieries; and the time TO be allowed for
such construction shall be one year. for each
three hundred feet in depth Of such escape
ment shaft SO IL be constructed, or fractional
part thereof And each ard every such es-
capemeut shaft shall be separated from The
MAR ebai, by such extent Of natural strata
ss shall secure safety TO the miners, such dis
t,Dc. TO be Lett to the discretion OF the In
spector or person acting IN that capacity. And
in all coal mines or collie
ries that shall go into opera
ton for the first tine after the fret day oil
July. in the wear OF our Lord eighteen Hmm
dred and seventy -four, such escapement shalt
or other communication with contiguous
mine as aforeraid, to be made for the Pur-
nose aforesaid, shall be constructed within
one YEA, after such mine shall have been put
into operation, where the depth OF such coal
mine or colliery does not exceed three hun
dred feet, And in coal mines that are OF
a greater depth than three hundred feet,
the, shall be allowed four months within
which to construct each hundred feet or trac.
tional part thereof of snch escspement sh1it
And IL sball not be lawful for the owner or
agent of zny such coal mine or cOtiiery, a.
Aforesaid, to employ any person to work
therein, or to permit any person TO go there.
in for the purpose of working, unless said
owner or agent shall have first complied with
the reauirmen,s of this section. Ard the
term .'owner" used in this act, shall mean
the immediate proprietor, lessee or ocoupier
of anv coal niue or ooiliery, or any part
thereof; and the term. "sgent" any person
having on behalf Of the owner, as Aforesaid,
the care and management Of any coal MIN.
or coIliery, or any part thereof.
The bill also makes it the duty OF the
county surveyor in each county TO act "a
inspector Of mires, add empowers said ex-
ofiicio inspector u employ practical miner
to assist in making t i. in pections required
by law.
Sections and Of the bill provide for
the ventilation of mines, and read as follows:
SIC. 4. The owner or agent OF each and
every coal mine or coliiery shall provide
therefor an adequate amount OF ventilation,
| BY forcing, when practicable, the circulation
of pure air through to the face OF each and
every working place in every such coal mine
or colliery 20 that every such coal mine or
colliery shall be Fl; for men TO WORK therein,
and free from standing gas and from danger
| to health and life by reason of any noxious
gas. The ventilation required by this sec
ton may he produced by any suitable aPPii-
ances, bat in case furnace shall be used for
| yentiiatipg purposes, it shall be built In such
| a manner Ms TO prevent the communication
OF fire 10 any part of the wOrks, by lining
the up.csst with incombustible material for
sufiicien, dist ince up from the said furnace
Other sections of the bill define the duties
of the inspector, prescribe rules for the safe
~ Of men employed in the mines, and pro-
| vide penalty for refusal or neg!ec; TO comply
| with the regulations OF the ACT.
The obiect Of the bill ia to afford safety to
miners and it seems TO us tina, it should pass.
|, may be argued tina. the expense of open
ing another Shalt would hinder the progress
of mining, but the argument could easily he
disputed by showing the benefits which
| would accrue TO the mining companies by
the adoption Of rules and regulations for the
pro,ec,;on of miners in their employ.
The owners of the Leavenworth coal mine
are among orr wealthiest men, and We un-
derstand that the mine pays them nearly
$50, OcO profit per annum. The total cost OF
mining and placing coal at the mouth OF the
shaft is only nine ceI Il per bushel, and they
seli il at l6 cents TO individual, and at from
ID I, Is cents TO railroad companies.
They mine on an average from 5000 10