Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-03-31
FROSTBURG, MD, SATURDAY, MARCH 81, 1888.

mo, but 0ur brothers WERE" replied
he imperturhab Conlon. Laughter I
Jethro Jeffrics said there were pro
'islonS in this bill not as good as those
t the existing law and none any bet
"r. Objected to the miAe map pro
'lsion, and expressed his sincere re-
Eret that the representatives of Allie
:any county in the Legislature do not
,ppear to understand what they are
here for.
Mr.. Broderck gave Mr.. Jeffries to
understand that the Allegany delega
lon very nearly If not quite despist.d
us regret.
Without appearing to recognize
hat Mr.. Broderick had said ANYTHING.
!lr. .Ieffrles, addressing his remarks to
Mr.. Schonfarber. Informed that gen
'Icman that he, too, was Knight of
labor. and that the principles Of thai
Drder proposed no injustice to any
nan that they protected corporations
Is well as individuals. The Order
'ad, however, drIfted away from lis
principles. AS to the bill under dis
'uSsion he deemed it an undesirable
measure on account of the increased
expense that would be incurred by the
companies under its operation DID
not know how or where bill originated,
but believed it would as law work
to the disadvantage of the region and
ITS people. He was aStouuded to find
that our representatives did not seem
to know what they were doing.
Mr.. James A. Cunningham, the
House champion of the bill, arose and
oppressed in Shrill tones his surprise
Ut the presence of Il body of men driven
down here to oppose tins bill who
didn't know anything about its pro-
visions, or about what they were op-
posing. He had been around great
deal. but the condition of the mines of
the Georges Creek region is the worst
he had ever seen. About this time
Mr.. Cunningham voice had reached
that part Of the gamut known among
orthodox musicians as Sc" \ COM
mitteeman moved from the north end
of the table. where Cunningham was
standing. and got where "diStance
lent emchantmen," to the sound. and
the hall outside began to fiji with an
audience Of eavesdroppers. He APP
pear"d to proceed upon the misappre-
hension that the human race is deaf,
must pour Il storm of whistling ad-
jectiveS and explosive invective upon
the enemies of his favorite measure.
He would not" he howled, "advo.
cate this bill did he not believe it
necessary" Knew what bad ventila
ton. bad roads, etc, were.
Nh. Lee interrupted to ask whether
he ever heard any complaint from
Swanton.
CMniagham No. But had heard of
Boyce'S mine.
Mr. Lee referred to certain meetings
between employers and employees in
which there had been free inter.
changes, but had never heard of any
loss Of transportation between rooms
and scales until quite recently. This
bill, however, will compel me to put
in two scales and two weighmasters-a
compuision as unnecessary as the fifth
wheel to a coach.
Mr.. Cunningham recalled the charge
of man named Murphy, of Hoffman,
against Mr.. Mayer ut one OF the meet
ings referred 20 by Mr., Lee, that the
miners at Hoffman were being robbed
and cheated. The miners of the
region demanded the passage of this
bill and insist upon it. He impeached
the character of the men driven down
here to do the work OF the corpora
tionS. Spoke of them as an uncertain
class, and ascribed all the evils OF the
region to such as they. He contended
that three feet between track and rib
were essential Detailed how loss to
the miner occurred over bad roads, etc.
Mr.. Bannatyne asked ''why. then,
didn't you provide against bad roads
in this bill
This WAS 1t stumper, hut Mr. Gun
nmgham couldn't dwell" saith the
preacher. He went on aud reiterated
his opinion that the mines of this
region are in worse order than any
where. Among his comparisons he
cited the superiority of West Virginia
mining law to ours. This brought H.
G. Black to his feet and Cunningham
was challenged to show West Nir-
ginia law that provided for even
weighing the miners coal.
Mr.. Mayer exposed Cunningham
misStatcment as TO weight at Hoffman.
The superintendent. hearing of the
charge, had the mine inspector go and
examine the Hoffman scales. This
was done and the inspector tested the
scales and found that instead of the
miners being cheated AID robbed, the