, 1892-01-12
NINE INSPECTORS.
The State Board of Examiners
viii Meet Here.

Delayed Trains Prevent Some of
the Number from Arriving ON
Time---What the New Mining
Law Requires.
The board of examiners of candidates for
appointment to the office of coal mine in
spectors. are in the city, and as soon as the
others arrive they will organize for work.
Those already here are Oscar Huber, of
Spokane; Thomas Ismay, Of Bucoda;
Mitchell Loves, of New Castle; R. T. Da-
yies, of Carbonate, and Morgan Morgans,
Of Black Diamond. Alexander Ronald and
John w. Richards have not yet arrived be-
cause Of the delayed trains, but are ex-
pected this evening.
BY an act of the last legislature the state
of Washington was divided into two min
ing inspection districts. The first district
comprises the counties Of Whatcom, San
Juan, Skagit. Island, Snohomish, King,
Okanogan, Kittitas, Douglas, Stevens, Lin
coin, Spokane and Whitman. The second
district comprises the counties Of Clallam,
Jefferson, Kitsap, Chehalis, Mason, Thurs
ton, Pacific, Wahkiakum, Pierce, Lewis,
Cowlitz, skamania, Clarke, Yakima,
Klickitat, Franklin, Walla Walla, Column
bia, Garfield and Asotin-
The term of Office Of inspectors is for
four years, unless removed for cause. The
examining board is composed ofseven mem
bers, three of whom are practical coal
miners, three competent coal operators and
one mining engineer. They conduct not
only written, but an oral examination,
for the purpose of selecting for recOmmen-
dation to the governor, two persons thor
oughly fitted by practical experience to
discharge the duties of the office of inpeo-
tor.
The inspectors must be citizens of the
state, and must have at least two years.
practical experience in mining in the ter
have resided in the district for which they
are appointed for at least one year prior to
their appointment as inspector
Before assuming their duties they are
compelled to furnish bonds in the sum Of
IS 600.
Each of the inspectors is required to de.
vote the whole of his time to the duties of
his Office, and to examine each and every
mine in his district not less than once in
every three months, and as much oftener
as is necessary. He is also required to make
record of all examinations of mines,
showing the condition in which he finds
them, and especially in reference to venti-
lation and drainage, also the number of
mines IN his district, the number of per-
sons employed in each mine, the progress
made in Improvements for the safety of
mines and the number of faccidents and
deaths resulting from injuries received in
or about the mines with the causes of such
accidents or deaths. This record must be
completed up to the 3tst of December of
each year and will be filed and preserved
as record of the state. In order to keep
the public posted on the workings of the
mines, 1000 copies of each of the mine in
spectors report will be published biennially
by the state in pamphlet form for free dis
tribution.
The inspectors are empowered TO enter
and examine any and all coal mines within
their respective districts, at all reasonable
times, either by day or night, but they are
not permitted to obstruct the necessary
workings Of the mines. They must see
that all mines and machinery are con
structed for the safety of the miners, and
must take immediate steps to prohibit
the further working or operation Of any
mine in which persons are unsafely em-
ployed.
The law passed by the last legislature
makes many provisions for the safety Of
the miners and after March, S, 1892, it shall
not be lawful to use a furnace for the ven
tilation Of any coal mines in the state Of
Washington. Numerous other provisions
are made, which makes the law, in the
opinion of the members of the examining
board, one Of the most complete that could
he framed