Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-02-03
MINORS AND MINERS.
SEVERAL IMPORTANT BILLS IN THE HANDS
OF LEGISLATORS

Reform School For BOys-Prscauiuns For Safety IN
Mlnss-Oo-EducatOr N the STATE University
Interstate C0mmses-Against the Trusts
Monthly Pay Days
special Correspondence Of The Sunday ReGtSer.
CHARLESTON, February 1.-The West
Virginia legislative mountain hes now heen
in labor for over three weeks, and has not
yet brought forth even a mouse. The pub
lie is well informed of the work that las
been dore in the fed of politics, but OF
the great amount that has bsen left uudont
in the fields of legislation little has bssn
said. Simple jucice demands the confes-
SIGN thst the Democratic members in both
houses have resOrted TO all lawful exped-
tents TO facilitate business, bat they have
been met at every step by the declaration
from their opponents that hey will not
permit shy wcrk to be done until the joint
assembly canvassed the returns Of the
elec lion, and to this declaration another
has bean expended that the oint assembly
could no. meet until the Democratic lead
ers had given pledge TO declare Gen.
Geffs election.
PROGRESS OF BUSINESS.
In spite 0! Instructions, however, both
Houses have gone forward as fast IS pcs
sible in the business hefore than. This Is
/ especially true Of the House of Del5gate:
where nearly one hundred and fifty bills
have been introduced, and considerable
committee work done. Ia the Senate
progress has been less rapid, but one OF
/ two measures are in shape 10 be pushed
into laWs, while Others are in various
stages Of completion
Senate bill No. %, introduced By Mr.
/ Piice end favorably reported from the
Committee on Public Buildings and HUI
name Ius;itaticns, is one Of the most i'm
pcr,ant before either Of the Houses. l.
provides in brief Tor the establishment oil
en- institution 70 be called The West Vir-
ginia Reform School" ard the erection OF
suitable buildings for the purpose. The
school will be under the control of Board
of Directors composed of six members,
who shall be nominated by the Governor.
PURPOSES OF THE SCHOOL.
Male minors no. under sixteen years Of
age may be committed 10 this institution
for a length of tine vsryiag with their
offenses. The purpose of such measure
/ is evident. II is almost a crime against
the youth Of West Virginia that breaches
OF law and order, however trivial in ma
/ tuIe, if punished at all, must be punished
/ by confinement with hardened and life
| long criminals. A few months experience
OF this kind IS sufficient to graduate the
average boy into a professional thief or
burglar, when with proper care he might
become worthy citizen.
The people of The State have not teen
/ fully educated TO The necessity Of such a
schoOl, ard the Legislature may not
authorize it now, bat the time c3npot be
long delayed when it will be established
and will prove one of the ms. valuable OF
cur public institutions
INSPECTION OF MINES.
The lator bills in the Hju7e Rave te,n
already mentioned at some length, bot
they are sufficiently important to justify q
more extended notice.
Mr.. Harris bill to provide a complete
and secure system Of miGe inspection is a
piece Of legislation that will be especially
grateful 20 q large class of workingmen.
Two mire inspectors for the State are re-
quiled to examine each mine at least
twice every year and oftener if called up
on by twenty miners engaged in any one
mine. They ere particularly required 20
examine the condition of mines as 10 ven
tilstion, drainage and general sifety, and
shall make q record of all such exsmina-
tions.
PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFETY.
Other provisions of the bill make it i'm.
perA,ive upon mine operators to provide
and maintain ample means Of ventilation,
affording not less than one hundred cable
fest of air per minute for each psIson en-
ployed.
All mines generating fre-dsmp shall he
kept ftea of standing gas in the worked
ont or abandoned pArts; entrances shall be
properly closed and csutionary notices
pcs.ed to warn PERSONS Of their danger.
Parts Of the mine in which men are at work
shall be carefully examined by some com
petent person, appointed for that purpose
to he known as the fire toss," immedi
ately before each shift with safety lamp
aud the fire boss is required 10 leave
some mark in such places to in
dictate that he has made thil
examination. Before this is done, nj
workman shall be allowed 10 enter any par
of the mine or engage in any work excep
for the purpose Of making it secure or saw
ing life.
DRAFTED BY AN OLD MINER.
The measure was drafted by an old ani
experienced miner, and is said to cover al
the points that should be expected in such
a bill. Messrs. HaIr and Kirk are boil
working for it actively, and they are con.
fdent that it will become part of TIT
State law before the Legislature adjourns
Mr.. Corcoran also has 8 bill covering
part of the same ground. 1t provides fo
the appointment of two nine INSPECTORS
who must possess competent and pracica
knowledge of mining and properly ventilat
ing and draining mines The duties o
these inspectors are farther defoed, and i
is made mandatory upon them TO look af
ter tie general safety and welfare Of miu
employees.
WEIGHING AND SCREENING OF COAL.
There is ano her mine bill before th
House, and to the people who ara more di
rectly interested it IS probably the most i'm
portsnt of all. The miners in tie north
J ern districts of the State have never hat
eny serious trouble concerning the weig h
ing and screening of their coal. But thi
has always been source of trouble t
, operators aad employees in the Kanawh
Valley. The bill in question was intro
duced by Delegate Kirk, of Putnam, ant
completely covers the points at issue. Tn
, first section makes it unlawful to use an.
screen larger than onehalf inch betweel
7 the bars, or more than six feet wide or six
: teen feet long. The weighman ct the min
Or bank mouth shall take oath to weigl
and ascertain the amount of coal correctly
and heavy penalty is provided for the vic
lation of this oath. The remaining sec
! tions of the bill are designed to secure tn
more thorough apple alton Of these clauses
J Tbe ara hos haan GENERAL and lonO continued