Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-03-05
A Needless McSSa &c.

own and run mines are uniformly self
ish, greedy and inhuman. No matter
how good a man may be, let him be-
come the owner or operator Of coal
mine, and forthwith the law-making
power must take hold of and estab-
lish system of espionage over his
business.
The foregoing paragraph is melted
by the fact that on the 10th of Feb
ruary the President of the United
States sent to Congress the following
message:
There was passed by the last Congress an
act for the protection of the lives of the
miners in the Territories which was APP
proved by me on the Sd day of March, 1891.
That no appropriation was made me to carry
the act into effect resulted, | suppose, from
the fact that it was passed so late in the
session.
This law recognizes the necessity of a re-
sponsible public inspection and supervision
of the business of mining in the interest of
the miners, and is in line with the legislation
of the most of the States.
The work of the miner has its unavoidable
incidents of discomfort and danger and
should not he increased by the neglect Of the
owners to provide every practicable safety APP
plance. Economics which involve sacri-
flee of human life are intolerable.
transmit herewith memorials from sew
cral hundred miners working in the coal
mines of the Indian territory, seeking the
appointment of an inspector under the act
referred to- The recent frightful disaster at
krebs, IN that territory in which 81 miners
met horrible death, gives urgency to this
appeal, and | recommend that special APP
preparation be at once made for the salaries
and necessary expenses of the inspectors pro-
vided for in the law.
Eight days later the following press
dispatch was sent out from McAlester,
Indian territory:
Walton Rutlidge, c. C. Woodson and j. 7.
Stewart, State mine inspectors of Illinois,
Missouri and Kansas, who were appointed to
make an expert examination of the cause of
the disaster in shaft No. of the Usage coal
and mining company's mines at krebs,
January 7, have made their report. They
found the disaster due to the disobedence of
orders by three entrymen-Ed Kibble, j. b.
Williams and l.. Hunt-in firing shots before
$50 p. m. On the day of the explosion these
entrymen commenced firing at sos p M. be-
fore half the miners were out of the mine
The rule that powder should be kept at only
one place in the mine was also disobeyed.
Nobody objects to the humane senti-
ment which animates the President,
for he, like thousands of others, seems
to fancy there is but one side to the
case.
But sentiment, based upon a surface
plea of humanity, is one thing, and
duty, founded upon the facts in 90 of
100 instances, is another. There
should be no more sympathy in law for
the miner than his own obedience of
law entities him to, and no more pro-
scription of ownership and operating
privileges in mining laws than in laws
regulating any other business. The
miner is no more a priori a lamb than
any other worker, nor the mine owner
more roaring lion than any other
proprietor.
The JOURNAL has long held, there
fore, that laws regulating mines should
take hold of miner as well rs owner.
Each has undeniably constant duty
to perform, both looking to safety of
life, health and property. In fact,
each owes it to himself to maintain
with sleepless eye, and alert ear and
quick hand the surveillant protection
demanded by the nature of the work,
and as each is what he is by his own
choice, why should the law take one
by the throat and read the riot act,
and let the other goe
But, the President says, as this is
done ''in most of the States, he wants
the Act of March 3, 1891, put in force
in the Territories. That is, he wants
an Act which applies wholly and only
to operators and owners of mines
energized by special and speedy APP
preparation at the request of ''several
hundred Miners" but which contains
not line of regulation or prohibition
touching the miners themselves. In
further eXtenuation the President cites
as a reason for his extra haste in erect
ing governmental lnquisition over ter
ritorial mine-owners and operators the
terrible accident at Krebs.
But, unfortunately for his humane
object, the news comes that IAN expert
examination of the cause of the
disaster" developed the fact that it
was educ to the disturbance Of orders" by
three Of tie ,cOrhmen themselves!
What does 'disobedience of orders
imply! 1t means that there is law
already regulating those mines, and
that the lawmakers were not the law
breakers. 1t means that the owners
had done all they could to insure safe
ty, and that the government, with all
its money and power, can make them
do no more.
The money with which the President
wants to establish government super
vision for the purpose named will
be thrown away, especially if it should
e. IL