Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-02-12

tween the rib and the track where
the driver is compelled to run for the
purpose of attending his brakes. The
driver has no light but the little de-
rived from the small lamp upon his
head, and it is a miracle there are not
more accidents of this kind, especially
in mines where the grades are heavy,
whsn We take into consideration the
state of the road the driver has to
| travel.
There is another evil that ought to
be remedisd: There are few Of our
heading roads in which there are not
| some narrow places where the driver
cannot pass with freedom. A car or
two of coal ought to be taken off the
rib at such places, and the dirt made
from the coal that falls off the car
ought not to be piled up along the
side by the roadsmen, but loaded in
cars and slowed away in old workings
or sent outside.
1t is also q common practice ia
standing double timber in our head
ings whore the roof is bad. to place
one of the legs where the driver has to
prop. Such props often endanger his
life in passing when the cars are in
rapid motion. All timber in head
ing roads ought to be cut the thick
ness of itself into the RIBS and there
| by give the driver chance to attend
to his duties.
The mining law ought to be amended
so a. 10 cover these suggestions to
protect the lives of the drivers and
all other persons whose duties re-
quire them to pass cars while in mo-
ton.
| l intend to commence the inspection
of the headings roads Of all of our
mines at an early date and will report
the condition Of the same to The read.
ers of tho JOURNAL.
| In the case of Benjamin Bowen, in
the Eckhart Slope, it appears from
the evidence given by the brother Of
the deceased that thirteen cars ofcoal
nearly Thirty tons, had been mined
and only one prop stood up to support
the roof above. Every miner knows
that this was too much coal mined out
for only one prop. 1t appeared also
that they had to 60 q considerable
distance to hunt up this one prop
This was entirely wrong. The com.
pany ought to have had supply o.
timber at the place whore the Bower
brothers were working. 1t seems
also that the two props that were
laying close by we're only delivered
there short time previous to the &C
oident, and from the evidence hesro
l am led to believe that neither the
deceased or his brother knew any
thing about them, for Samuel Bowen
swore positively that there were nc
|, props lying in the place. and that he
believed SO no one will question
There is no doubt in my mind that il
they had known the props were there
they would have stood one or both o.
them when they were shown the dan
ger of working under such roof with
out props. But being under the i'm
preston that there were no props in
their place, and thinking they would
have to 60 the same distance they had
to 10 for the one they had stood, they
deter mined to load out their cars be.
fore going 10 hunt another prop.
There is one thing connected with
this case, however, that large mum
Der of my fellow-miners have often
heard my voice raised against; that
is, experience has taught me that it is
unsafe for miners to break place of
where the roof coal is down, unless il
is doubly timbersd and we'll covered
overhead where tho miners have ia
commence work. And if it is down
up to the rock, it ought to be stayed
with props placed in jugler style.
In the other case of George Rankin,
in the Hampshire mine, the unfortu-
nate young man had left the place
where he was employed to get car
OF loose coal off the corner of cross
cut down his room. He WAS warned
by his partner, Mr.. Fisher, not to do
80 as the place was not cafe. But he
persisted in going and thereby lost
his life-a clear case of recklessnsss
in violation of the rules of the COM
pany.
The question is-what means can
be adopted for the purpose of stop
ping this carelessness and recklessness
on the part of our miners =? If we
saw a man about to jump into water
for the purpose of drowning himself,
the laws of humanity would prompt
us to take hold of him to prevent him
from doing SO. Thsn why should
not the same laws prompt the boss
miner, when he sees miner working
where his life is not safe? It is his
duty if he refuses to stand timber for
his own protection to order him out
of the place at once.
The whole truth in nutshell is-we
want stricter discipline in our mines !;
the miner ought to understand that
if he will not stand timber to save
bis own head, he cannot work there.
know that some miners will object
to this and claim that they know just
as we'll as the boss where to place
| t;mbor have no doubt they do.