The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-22
MINE INSPECTION.
THE STATE Law RELATING TO II.
Pro,i.iou, of.As Statute. In Regard to the Re.
saifsnsnts Of ysstilatiOn-ssp. to DO Made
eftAs ninss-SunS.r Of Inspections
be nade-sAfsru.rd. Required.

VtittMthu VI tenElAuok-nhpA 70 % maze
ftAe hinss-Numbsr OF Ia,psetionIto
be nade-sAfsrusrds Required.
In response to requests from the Kanawha
coal region, the pfoyisions OF the act reGu-
latirg the working, ventilation, drainage aud
inspection OF coal mines, passed at ihs lBs.
session Of the Legislature OF this State. are
given below. The act forms chapter 10 Of
the Acts Of 1883 Section provides that
the Governor shall, on or before the Il st dGy
OF July, 1888, and In every secobd year
thereafter, appoint an inspector Of mines for
this State, who shall, unless he be sooner re-
moved, continue In office until his successor
Is appointed and qualified. He must be q
resident OF this State AID mining engineer,
and posses q competent knowledge OF min.
ing aud working coal mines, and Of properly
draining and yentilating them, and the ma
ture and constituent parts OF noxions gases
and impure air OF mines, aud the various
methods Of expelling the same. Vacancies
in the said off ,e shall be filled By the Goyei-
nor for the unexpired term.
Section requires the Inspector to take an
oath that he will support the constitution OF
me United States and OF the State, and to
faithfully aud impaitially, and TO the btSt OF
his ability, discharge the duties OF his office
and file certificate OF bis having done SO in
| she Office OF the Secretary OF State, and give
bond In the penalty Of S2 900, approved by
the Governor, conditioned that he will faith
fully and impartially discharge the duties OF
his office. His salary shall be twelve hur-
dred dollars per annum, ana his necessary
travelling expenses, which shall not exceed
i've hnndrsd dollsrs pAr anrum. 10 be paid
quarterly out Of the State Treasury.
MAps or MINES IN RR M.nr
Section 8 requires the owner, lessee
which fifteen or more persons are
engaged ns miner', to make or cause to be
made an accurate map or plan Of the working
VI such mine, on n scale 70 be stated anu
shown thereon, which shall show the work
lngs Of such mine, the central inclination OF
the coal strata, and II the Tract or parcel Of
land on which taid mine 10 does not exceed
tye hundred acres, this boundary line tlere-
u, and the point thereon ut which said mine
Is located. A true copy OF every such map
or plan shalt be delivered ty such owner,
lessee or operator. to the inspector within SIX
months tsf the passage OF this act, to be
paeseryed among the records OF his office,
and open TO INSPECTION, and to be turned over
TO his successor in otace; aud another such
copy shall be kept by such owner. lessee
or operator a.. his principal office or
place OF business In the State for like purpc-
ses; and such owner, lessee or operator shnll
furnish to tho inspector on the
inst days Of January and July, or within
hye days thereafter, in every year, a slate
ment and map or plan OF the progress OF the
workings of snch coal mine during the SIX
months preceding, to enable the inspector 10
mark the same upon tbs map or plan of
uch coal mine furnished him ss aforesaid.
II such owner, lesses or operator shall fail or
refuse to furnish said statement and map or
plan for period OF one month after It be-
comes his duty to do So the inspect
)t Is authorized and ROUTED 10
make such abatement, map or plan,
or cause II to be msds, at the expense ofsuch
Iwner, lessee or operator; and II he refuse to
pay for the same, tho reasonable expenses SO
incurred may be recovered sgainSG him by
setion In any court or tribunal having iurls-
fiction in the case.
YEARLY INSPECTIONS.
Section prescribts that the Inspector
shall at least once every year, and oftsner II
| necessary, carel1lly examine every coal
mine where fifteen or more miners are en-
ployed, to see that every such mine Is we'll
and sufficiently drained, and well and prol-
erly ventilated, and that every reasonable
precaution 10 taken TO insure the safety OF all
persons working therein. %
Section makes It the duty OF every owner,
operator or lessee OF any minis, whether
worked by slope. shaft or drift, to cause the
,ame to be we'll drained, and to provide aud
establish, within six months from the passage
II this act o proper and sufficient system OF
pure air ventilation throughout entire
nine, sufficient 10 e1pel the nOxious gases or
impure a'r, 90 that the entire mine suall. SO
lar as used aud opened, b3 in healthiul
condition for the men and free from danger
10 their lives and health, arising from such
gases and impure air.
SAFEGUARDS REou1RED.
Section enacIs tIat the owner lessee or
operator OF every such coal mine shall
employ competent and practical oyerSeer,
Or mining boss, who duty il Ihall be 10
Keep CAT etul watch over all the yentilatisg
sppsratus placed In such mine, as well as
he air ways, travelling ways and supports OF
syery kind placed therein, and 10 see that all
oose csal and rocks In the entry overhead
,e removed or carefully secured so as to pie-
sent injury TO the persons working therein,
Unless such owner, lessee or operator, being
competent, perform such du,y himself. 1t
shall also be bis duty, whenever he shall dis
cover that the ventilation Of any mine under
his charge is insufficient, or that for any
Of the persons employed In said mine TO re.
he owner lessee or operator Of such mine hu
whom ho Ia so employed, and 1t shall there
upon be the duty Of such owner lessee or
.nd Necessary means at his commsnS ~
remedy and remove sroh dauSer Anl II
snail be- the duiy of every sneb oWnar ies.ss
ar onerator of any mine IN ksen ~ - -saoeo 49,
the main entrance thsrsto a snttloient
smount OF timber. of tbe nroner . ~ ard
Sind, 10 be. plaosd therein rhonsysr :, - rnsS HsS
be necessary to seonre anv loose yocL n. cnci
,yer.heaj In any part OF ssid mine wbS.h
nav he in rse. 40 as 10 preyent Inin,y W. he
awner Iessse ar onsrator whe an. II .,,sn,i.. sTu
f,r neelirentiv faif 10 do So shsII no i;sbia a.
tiue not les, Than slO nor more tban % Sioo