Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-03-26
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.
FREELANp PA. MARCH "a. 1891


EDITOR TRIBUNE:-For some time past
the "notables'' in and around the Fourth
Legislative district, have been paying con-
siderable attention to the welfare of the
mine workers, and the existing mine laws
by which they are governed. 1t is not
doubted but that their aims and objects
were of the highest order, although it
seems there was a little smattering of
Saw wood" to be attained in the end.
Taking it for granted that it was for the
welfare of the mine workers, and now
that the mine commission is at work, it
may not be out of place to point out
what appears to be one of the chief de-
fects i'll the mine laws as they now stand,
namely, the system of Coroner's jury
that is now in vogue for investigating
mine accidents. For years the mine
workers have been waiting to hear of
some new method that would lift the
mantle that covers all these supposed ac-
cidents, which are so frequent of late
years. But instead of getting, it is grow
ing worse, and for that reason there is
something needed in this direction that
will show the true cause of these acci-
dents, When mine accident happens
the first thing that is done is to empanel
a jury, to settle all matters of doubt that
may be in the minds OF the public, but
in reality it seems their sole object is to
eXonerate the coal company from all
blame, and to curry favor for any emer-
gency that may arise in the future. If
this system of Coroner's jury, for inves-
tigating mine accidents is to continue, it
appears to be useless for the mine com
mission to build anything substantial
upon rotten foundation, because the
rnphrI thot hnN b l,X,a lnFt
tigating the APPALLING mine disasters at
Nanticoke, South Wilkes-Barre, Dunbar,
or the HUI Farm mine, the Mammouth
mine near Scottdale, and the Jeanesvile
disaster, show too plainly that this sys-
TEN is only Il mockery on Justice and
should be abolished without further de-
lay All of the above accidents appears
to have been caused by negligence, and
many arguments could be brought forth
to substantiate this assertion, for any
miner who has given this subject any
consideration knows from experience
that such accidents can be avoided if the
proper precautionary measures are used.
Well might this be said of the Jeanes-
vile disaster, but a greed for gold, re-
gardless of the suffering and misery that
Is caused by 1t, seems to be their aim.
The lives of the miners are the last
thing taken into consideration and will
be the last as long as this rotten system
of Coroner's jury remains to shield them.
From the appearance of the verdict, it
is evident that the Jeanesville jury has
beaten the record i'll regard to telling the
public the true cause of the disaster that
happened at that place on the 4th of
February last. OF course any of the
English-speaking miners had an idea
what the verdict would be when they
heard Of the disaster. As 4 general rule
in such cases, the operator must be eX-
onerated from blame, also the general
perntendent, the mine inspector, and
last but not least, the gentleman who
has acquired his position by his iguor-
ance Of mining affairs, better known as
the ''School book bobby" must be
handled with care, for to have the dis
pleasure of any of the above named
gentlemen is equal to that of felon.
If we take the mine inspectors report
and look it over carefully, we can see in
our minds eye the pages of that report
are fairly crimson with the innocent
blood of the miners slaughtered in the
mine of Pennsylvania. And what has
the Coroners jury done to stop this
wholesale slaughter? Absolutely moth
rather than to eradicate, this wholesale
loss of life. The Jeanesvllle jury, it
seems, departed little from the usual
order of things when it did not blame it
on the men that made the hole into the
old workings, that let the water in
Here is where the workings of the Cor
oner's jury may be seen in its true light
the men that made the hole into the
old workings escaped, and for that rea-
sor they could not give us the old
Chestnut" negligence on the part of
the miners. Live men are in the habit
of defending themselves, and for that
reason Messrs. Coll and Boyle were not
blamed; yet the jury found means of
getting out of it by blaming it on the
survey. OF course, the party that made
the survey must be dead or they would
be looking around yet for some dead
man to blame it on. Such has been the
workings Of the Coroners jury in in
vestigating mine accidents, and until
this iniquitous system is abolished, it is
only waste of time and money making
new laws for to govern mines and mine
workers. A MINER.