Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-01-30
WHOLE NO. TAT.

the percentage of the merit of each
applicant. The bill sets out pretty
fully on what lines the examination
shall be conducted.
The governor shall by August ! every
two years appoint as inspector from
among the names submitted the person
certified by the examiners as having
been awarded the highest percentage
of merit, and in case of tie, the older
man to have the preference. In case
Of a vacancy the person standing in
the most recent certificate next to the
one appointed shall succeed him.
The inspector shall inspect the mines
once a month, attend inquests in case
of accidental death, etc. He shall not
be in the employ of any mining COM
pany.
Every company. owner, lessee or
agent working mine shall make a
map of each mine and furnish dupli-
cate to the inspector, and shall provide
effectual natural or artificial ventila-
ton within six months. They shall
provide an overseer to watch the ven-
tilating apparatus and see that all loose
coal or rocks are carefully secured
against falling, etc. They shall pro-
vide props and shall timber all old
headings. rooms, pillars, or other ex-
cavations not recently worked, before
starting miners to work therein. The
inspector shall examine the ventilating
apparatus and in case impure air
exists, shall so report to the company;
if they do not remedy the fault in ten
days they shall be deemed guilty Of
neglect.
Any company using locomotive
underground shall cut off the engine
way from other parts of the mine by
doors and brattices and provide inde-
pendent ventilation for the engine
way.
The mine inspector shall also be an
inspector of weights and measure, with
power to weigh all coal and test the
accuracy of the scales. There is also
a provision as to the oath and duties
of the weighmasters at the mines.
The weighmasters shall allow 2,240
pounds to the ton and all fractions in
hundred weights, but only when the
odd pouds in any mining Car in excess
of the whole number of hundred
weights therein shall equal or exceed
Sc pounds, he shall credit such miner
with q whole hundred weight.
The weighmaster shall keep list Of
the number of mining cars, with the
weight of coal and the persons Mining
it, each day, and keep it where the
miners can see it at all times through
the same day and at least thirty days
after.
The companies are required to pre-
vide accurate scales not over 500 feet
from the mouth Of the mine, on which
the coal shall be weighed before being
taken from the mine cars. The com.
panies shall allow checkwelghmen at
the miners expense.
1t shall be the duty of all employees
to observe all practicable care and
prudence in their work and the duty
of the miners to carefully prop and
timber all rooms, headings and other
excavations as close up to the work as
may be reasonably practicable, SO as
to guard against accidents, and any
miner or other employee guilty of
wilful neglect in this respect, whereby
lives are endangered, or property
destroyed, injured, or unnecessarily
jeopardized, shall be liable to indict-
ment, etc.. and when the inspector
| finds such to he the case he shall order
the person to take immediate steps to
secure safety, and on refusal, have the
offender punished.
Grand juries are empowered to ex-
anime into the conduct of the mine
inspector and in case of neglect or in.
competency may recommend his re-
moval by the governor, who shall
thereupon remove him.
At any mine in which not more than
ten men are employed the company
can contract with the employees by
the day, week or month.
The penalty clause provides that
any owner, lessee, agent, operator,
mine boss, roadsman, overseer or mi
ner violating any provision of the act
shall be fined $25 to $500; mine in
spector or weighmaster, $50 to $500.
Nothing in the act shall deprive courts
of jurisdiction to take cognizance Of
any offence specified of which they
have jurisdiction at common law.
The most important features of the
new bill are:
The manner of theinspector's appointment
Privilege Of the miners to employ check
weighmen.
Provision to locate scales within 500 feet
| from the mouth of the mine.
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