Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-09-23
A COAL MINER TALKS.
Readable interview with John 4.
spears. L. =. Mine Inspector
for New Mexico.
What He Found at Gallup and Boss
burg-A Big Mine-A Tour
of Inspection

Hon. John G. Spears. member OF the
legislative house from western Bernalillo
four years ago, and recently appointed
U. S. mine inspector for New Mexico,
was a visitor in the city this forenoon. In
the course of little talk he told the NEW
MEXICAN many things Of interest relative
to his new position and the coal industry
OF the territory.
Mr.. Spears holds office by appointment
of the president under an act OF congress-
| March 8, 1891, entitled IAN act Tor the
protection OF the lives OF miners in the
territories" The office carries with 1t
salary of 50 900 per annum, and the ap.
pointee must give a bond in the penal
sum of So 900 for the faithful discharge OF
his duties. These duties are OF most
responsible nature for it is made his
business to visit and inspect all coal pits
in the territory and examine their condl-
ton, with reference to the appliances fE
the safety of the miners, the number OF
air and ventilating shafts, the number OF
shafts or slopes for ingress, the character
and condition of the machinery for ven
tilating such mines, and the quantity
of air supplied 10 same, to see that no
child under u years Of age is employed IN
any mine, etc., etc. Practically che in
spector is by this law made the custodian
of the lives OF the coal miners, and the
law provides amply for the enforcement
OF his instructions, and also for the pun
lshment IN the courts OF those mine
operators Who neglect or refuse to con-
| form with the requirements of the law
after the inspector shall have called atten-
ton to them.
Mr.. Spears home is at Gallup. There
seven mines are in operation generally,
but only three are working now, owing
to the sharp competition which the
British Columbia mines have Instituted
to capture the Pacific coast trade.
BY the way, Mr.. Spears ID a
good Republican, and he says in
this connection that reasonable protec'
ton on coal would shut out foreign
competition and help New Mexico very
materially. The average capacity OF the
Gallup mines when running full force is
l2O cars per day.
Inspector Spears returned last night
from trip to Ration and Blosshurg where
he examined the mines. The coal deposits
there are "fat veins" and are worked
through drifts. At Bossburg the Ration
Coal & Coke company employs 24l
miners and fifty-one ebay hands, anc
their output is 1900 tons daily. Supt
Henry Wilson, a most competent man
was very obllging and showed the in
spector all through the property. Tit
fresh air apparatus and the workings wer'
found in perfect order, and the miner
had no complaint to make. In the prin
cipal mine there are about ont
and half miles of drifts ant
an underground locomotive haul
out twenty-six mine cars at time
delivering fifty tons of coal at the moutf
of the pit on to the A., T. & S. F. Goa
cars.
Inspector Spears is himself practica
coal miner and is evidently much inter
ested in his new position. He left thu
morning via the narrow gauge Tor TIL
to the Monero and Amargo coal pits, AM
IN few days be returns to inspect tn
Cerrllos anthracite and bituminou
mines, thence going to Carthage AM
White Oaks.