Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-04-30

w men tne COInInlSSlOl, W TeflSe dn'
amend the mine and ventilation laws O
the Anthracite coal fields, was appointed
by the Governor few months ago
was expected by every miner in the re
gion that something should be done b,
that body to improve the laws, which
are at present of some benefit to miner
and others employed in and about tn,
mines, and that the most defective part
of the laws, as they now stand, would b,
amended in such manner as to render
them of some value to those whom they
governed. This, however. has not beer
realized, but, instead, has been just the
reverse in some respects. Through the
utter disregard of the interests of theil
fellow-workers, and their inability (?) tc
live for few weeks without the couple oi
dollars they had earned by their labor
four members of the Commission, namely
P. F. Brennan, p H. Devers, j :. S. Dow.
ling and Edward Williams, have brought
about very complicated condition OF
affairs and necessitated the issuing of
two reports.
At meeting of the Commission two
weeks ago a report was drawn up which
was presented to them for their approval.
1t was signed by all the members of the
Commission except the two operators,
who refused to approve of it, claiming it
would be detrimental to their interests
Among other minor amendments this re-
port recommended the following
First-One making the office of mine
inspector elective.
Second-One requiring the delivery of
powder to the miners at the face of their
chambers, as timbers are now delivered.
Third-one requiring the enforcement
of the penalty clause.
These were the main points to which
the two operator-members objected.
A couple of days after the report had
been accepted by the Commission the
four men named above presented their
certificates of attendance, on which they
were to receive their pay, to Mr.. Connell,
of Scranton, who was Chairman of the
Board land also one of the operators who
refused to sign the report), for his sigma.
ture. 1t was here Mr.. Connell got in his
work of bulldozing on behalf of himself
and the many other operators in the
Anthracite region. He stated most en-
phatically that the report did not suit
the operators, and while it remained so
he would not sign their certificates to re-
ceive their pay. He asked them if they
would sign another report with the OBJ
jectionable clauses left out, which was
signed and approved by himself and his
colleague, and after some coaxing they
consented. AS the matter now stands
two reports are in the hands of the
Legislature, one containing a few amend
ments which may be of some little bene-
fit to the miners, and the other contain
ing nothing at all that will make the
laws any better than they are at present.
AS whole the Commission recon-
mends the repeal of the act to provide
for the examination of miners in the
Anthracite region and thereby removes
all objections as to the employment of
incompetent persons as miners.
District Assembly 16, Knights of La
Dor, held very interesting session at
Scranton on Friday and Saturday, at
which the principal business transacted
was a discussion of the work of the
Mine Commission and their reports. A
petition was adopted, to be presented to
the Legislature, praying that the min:
ority, or original report be accepted and
setting forth the reasons therefor. The
petition is as follows:
To the Honorables the Members of the Sen
ate and House Of Representatives of the
Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania:
The members of District Assembly No.
16, Knights of Labor of Luzerne and
Lackawanna counties, do most respect
fully set forth that at their district meet
ing held at Scranton, on the oath and
25th days of April, 1891, it was unani-
mously adopted to petition your honor
able bodies to adopt the minority report
of the Anthracite Mine Commission, and
we assign the following reasons therefor.
That the Commission at its first meetings
unanimously agreed that after the fina
adoption of any section, any changes oi
alterations in any section of the old law
that the same could not afterwards bt
changed. Notwithstanding this, aftel
adopting the section as set forth in the
minority report and after the adoption
of the bill as whole with instructions
to print and sign the same and after tn,
same was completed and printed tn,
section as set forth in the minority repor
was stricken from the bill and Section
of Article XVII as set forth in the ma
jority report adopted in its stead. Thi
was done at Scranton after interviewin
the chairman who is local operator; tn
report as signed by the coal operators
mine inspectors, mining engineers ant
four of the miners, namely, Edwar,
" iilaLio, DiCuhdh, DCNCin anu LoWlluE
The bill contrary to the vote adopted b.
the Commission is not the bill as legal
adopted by the Mine Commission. TIL
report of the minority is the bill a
adopted properly by majority of tn
Mine Commission.
The most essential feature of the Min
law for the protection of the miners
that incorporated in the minority repor
and in behalf of the thousands of miner
of the Anthracite coal fields, we petition
your honorable bodies to pass tn
recommendation of the minority of tn
Commission and we will ever pray, etc
The document is signed by d. J
Campbell, M. W. d. A. 16 and com
mittee consisting of A. +. McAnulty
j. j. Brislin and J. j. Hart.