Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-09-19
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

EDITOR TRIBUNE.-In your issue of the
18th inst. the attention of the miners
examining board for this district is called
to the complaints made by certain par
ties concerning the action of said board
In granting certificates to parties who
are supposed to be not entitled to such
and as you kindly request that an expla-
nation be given, we as the examining
board for this end of the district, will
avail ourselves of the opportunity Of
fered.
We desire to state that at no time, and
under no other conditions, has there
been certificate given to any person
other than by the rules laid down for
our guidance. To ascertain who was
and who was not entitled to receive GER
tlficates certain rules were laid down.
In many cases it did not seem prudent
to take the verbal statement of the par
ties interested, as to the time they were
employed as miners previous to the pas
sage of this act, and in such cases we
had to have recourse to the mine fore
man to verify their assertions. To those
who had not been actually engaged as
miners at the time, owing to being en-
gagged at other occupations, such as
drivers, etc., and whom we had any
reason to doubt, the service of the mine
foreman was again brought into requisi-
ton, and upon his recommendation or
rejection we acted. Whenever any
doubts existed in the minds of the mem
bers of the board, the applicant was
compelled to undergo an examination,
and we invariably found such men
(drivers) ranking above the average
miner in practice.
At the Upper Lehigh colliery gentle
man made application to be registered,
and in order to get his name properly
one of the board suggested that he 90
home and bring his pay envelope, SO
that his name could be properly placed
on his certificate. Upon returning he
brought his tax receipt and pay envel-
ope. On the envelope he was rated as a
laborer and on the tax receipt he was
placed as miner Seeing how matters
stood the board decided to register him
as miner, but the mine foreman beina
present gave the following explanation
as to how he came to be rated as labor
eer. For some years back the gentleman
in question had been working as miner
but previous to the passage of the act ot
May 8, 1889, he had finished his breast
and as is often the case he had to wal
until new openings were made, and thai
as soon as a place would be ready fol
him he was to start again as a miner
This information, coming from the mine
foreman, who had every opportunity o.
knowing the facts in the case, caused
the board 10 grant him a certificate.
AT the same colliery there are severa
miners who have sons working with
them, who have not yet attained theil
majority, and who are working for theil
fathers, and could not be classed as
miners. The board was asked what
action would be taken in their case
The parents of these young men youch
ed, as did also the mine foreman, tha
they were as good, and some even bette
miners than their fathers, and as con
sequence certificates were granted t,
them.
That some who have received certifi
Gates are not entitled to them may b,
true, but when the manner in which th,
: facts were to got at as to their qualifica
tions it can readily be seen that tn,
board is not to blame. With very few
exceptions, the fourteen hundred VIII,
made application for certificates, eithe
as practical miners or laborers desirin,
to be examined, were strangers to us ant
, as consequence we had to take thei
word or the words of the mine foreman
Indl tney Hau Deen employed as miner
before the passage of the act.
, The number of applicants for exami
, nation has been over one hundred, ant
we can say that nearly seventy-five pc
cent. of that number failed to pass. w,
: expected that if any person was so meal
: as to get certificate by false represen
tation there would be some man homes
enough to expose him, but up to the pre-
sent time no person has come forward t.
prove that any unlawful means were
used to procure certificates.
We desire to call the attention of all
who have not availed themselves of the
opportunity to get registered, that we
will be at the Woodside school house in
Foster township all day on Saturday,
September 81, for the purpose of regis
tering, and examining those who may
desire to enter the class for examination.
We would be pleased to hear COM
plants from any person who knows of
parties receiving certificate who was
not entitled to it, and we will have the
same annulled upon proof being shown
that it was obtained by false representa-
tions. Hoping that this statement may
be satisfactory, we remain,
JAMES HARKINs,
THOMAS SMITH, Examiners
THEoP. GIBBoN,
Freeland, Sept. II, 1889.