The Fremont County record., 1883-02-10
CoLoRADo's COAL INTERESTS.
Mr. RoclxafeiIow's Speech on His Ein
To Protect Coal Miners.

When Mr. Rockafellow's bill for the pro-
lection of coal miners cameup in the house
for final action the other day, our energetic
little representative explained its purposes
and advocated its passage in neat speech,
given below. The bill provides for the ap-
pointment of an Inspector of Coal Mines"
regulates modes of ventilation of mines,
and institutes other precautionary meas
ures for working them with safety. Mr..
Rockafe]low said p-z Y, -
Mn. SPEAKERSft is due to the Hon. G.
A Clark and r. G. Van yalkenburg, who
with myself. are the originators of the bill !;
also, to Hons. Trippe, Sopris, Bergh, Lee,
Perrin, Greene, McClosky, Ford, Kerr, Riv-
ers, Mcintyre, and the honorable gentlemen
of other coal producing counties, as also to
the honorable gentlemen from Lake and
the other counties, who are posted, by years
of experience in coal business. and who have
been promoters of this measure, which
combines the best features of the laws of
the older states, to say that in it Colorado
will not be behind any Of the states of the
Old or the New World in liberal laws for
the mutual protection of operators and
operatives. Notwithstanding the fact that
law on our statute books that in any man
ner applies to this great industry, we find
in this body of co-workers for the public
gold scarcely man but who comes boldly
to the front in assisting this needed legis-
lation. To-day more than 1900 voters, who
are, to 4 man, among our most industrious
citizens, working in the murky sphterran-
can chambers of our foothills, are waiting,
with hated breath. the action of this gen.
eral assembly on this bill, fraught with life
and health to them. Through the noxious
gases and foul air of imperfectly ventilated
and regulated mines already many of their
comrades have been sacrificed. and we come
none too soon with the tardy justice we
now propose to mete out to the laboreTs in
this industry, which has grown to produc-
tion of $4,000 tons in the northern coun-
tics, and l,211 FAB tons in the southern
counties, in the year Just passed, worth
=, 100000 at the mines, and this independ-
ent of the production of coke At the rate
of the output for the past month the grand
total for lSSS viii reach nearly 100000
tons. and yet few would have realized the
import of these telling figures but for the
statement of Pig Iron Kelley in his ex
position speech, when he startled us with
the assertion that "at no distant day the
value of the coal and iron product of this
state would exceed the yield of the gold
and silver mines Yet many of US are SO
sanguiue as TO believe that the product viii,
before the eighties are past, astonish even
that great enthusiast. In the states of Com
tfnenial Europe, even where the mines are
owned by the state, wholesome laws con-
cerning the ventilation of the mines, and
ingress and egress in case of accident, are
enacted, and in no country have any such
laws ever been repealed after being once in
force in perfected shape. The fact. in it
SELF, speaks volumes tor our guidance in
our efforts to put Colorado in the front
rank. In Colorado coal mines have never
been exempted from taxation, and coal
operators do not object TO liberal appropri-
alton bills. The pay rolls in the Caiion
City coal mines, in the county l have the
honor to represent, are already larger than
those of Grant and Hills works combined,
which so materially aid in the support of
this beautiful city, in which we hope soon
to see capitol building which will be an
honor TO the state as well as an ornament
and pride to Denver.
Mr. CT. Clark asked certain questions
as to the cost which the bill would entail,
and the revenue derived from the coal
mines, which were all satisfactorily an
swered by Mr.. Rockafellow, when, after
brief speech by Mr.. Van Nalkenburg, the
bill was passed unanimously.