Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-02-26
VENTILATION IN MINES.

The recent terrible mine explosion IN
the Connellsville district Of Pennsyl-
vania is another reminder OF the posi-
tive need Of good ventilation in mines.
It seems that men had been for some
days repairing wood work about the
nine and had closed up the air shaft
each night when they quit work to pre-
vent any one from falling in. Danger
Gus and death-desling gases were,
during the hours OF the night, thus al
lowed, or rather made, to collect in the
interior Of the mine. Several miners
who testified at the eoroner's inquest
said that they had noticed the bad air
tLra week, and had been obliged to quit
work part Of the time on account OF ex-
nsustion. One man refused to 60 to
work on the very morning of the dis
a>,er, on the ground that the air was
{, @ Tad for any Nan to breathe. The
explosion that came few hours after
wlrds charred the room where he would
have been worksng had he gone into
The mine.
The coroner's jury which investi.
gated the tragedy make a most thor
Ough and searching inquiry, and instead
of finding, in the old-fashioned way,
that no one was to blame, it brought in
q verdict that the company who owned
Tie mine had been crininally negli-
gent in that their mining boss had held
at nought the plain requirements Of the
laws of Pennsylvania; and it also found
that the mine inspector Of the district
had been gravely derelict in the dis
charge of his duties in that he had
never inspected the mine. 1t is to be
borne in mind that this latter official
receives very liberal salary for the
performance of the duties which he al
lowed to go uudischarged. Comment
ing upon the finding of the jury
the Pittsburgh Post says:
"In the present conflict OF testimony
it is difficult to tell where the response.
billty properly rests. One thing, how
ever, this dreadful accident makes
clear, and that is the Importance of a
thorough system of mine inspection by
men competent and fearless in the dis.
charge of the duty. Corporations, as q
rule, are more indifferent to the health
and safety of their miners than indi-
vidual employers, and there is but one
way to teach them their duty, and that
is through the pockets of shareholders.
They are net likely to be sent to Jail for
manslaughter, but where they are cul-
pable-and we do not Soy the Lessen
ring company was in this c.:se, for We
do not know-prosecutions for damages
should be pushed with energy. 1t is
the one way to hold tho.e impalpable
institutions, chartered corporations, to
the strict letter o: their duty"
And these remarks apply with as
much, if not more, force, to the mines
of West Virginia as they do to those Of
Pennsylvania. The Uniontown disas-
ter should arouse the Mine Inspector OF
this State to a more thorough discharge
of his duties. There are a number OF
mines which he has not yet examined,
and what now passes for mild form OF
carelessness in the future might become
criminal neglect. Human lives are
precious, indeed, far too precious to be
freely sacrificed because some one does
not do his duty. Let the mines Of
West Virginia be thoroughly and effect.
ually guarded against such scenes a.
were last week enacted in our sister
State.