Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-24
PURE AIR IN MINES
The Chief Subject Considered by the
Mining Institute.
OPERATORS PULLING TOGETHER
To Secure Notifications of the Proposed
Mining Law.
FIXING THE MI MUM OF FRESH AIR

More interest has been excited In mining
circles during the past two days than for
years past. Operators from all the regions
in Western Pennsylvania we're in the city,
and while not in consultation with the
mine Inspectors, bosses and miners, were in
private caucus trying to fix up the new pro-
posed mining law, so that it would not in
terfere so much with their interests. The
law, as drafted by the committee, contained
many Inconsistencies and clauses that were
not In harmony with the best interests of
the bltuuiinous coal regions
The Mining Institute of Western Penn
sylvania that closed two days session last
evening was the most largely attended
meeting that has ever been held. The line
between the miners and operators was
clearly drawn and they were constantly
contending for some vantage point At
times the discussion was very heated.
Every point was closely contended. The
law as drafted contained so many ambiguous
terms and meaningless sentences, that
every section had to be closely serutinized
and amended. the. WORK was very slowly
performed and when the two days work
was done only about half of the law had
been gone over and worded to the satisfac-
tion of both sides.
The Operators Pulled Together.
The operators acted in unison and were
much more successful in securing the con-
cessions desired than the miners, who were
divided on certain points raised and in
others did not know exactly what they did
want In the uncertainty that prevailed,
the operators generally pressed their point
with vigor and carried the day. This result
was the outcome of a perfect understanding.
The operators were not members of the
Mining Institute, but when they heard that
the new mining law was to be considered
about 80 of them came here to participate
in the proceedings Las; Wednesday night
they met at the Monongahela House aud
effected temporary organization by elect
ing Roger Hartley President and s. NJ.
Taylor Secretary. The law was Immediately
taken up and carefully considered
Such points as did not suit
them were amended and the plan outlined
whereby the amendments should be brought
before the institute when the law came up
for consideration. The session was con-
tinued far into the night, and as much of
the law gone over as it would be possible to
be disposed of by the institute until they
had time to arrange for their parts.
Another Meeting of Operators.
The operators met at the Monongahela
House again at 10 o'clock Wednesday
morning, and went to the opening session
of the Mining Institute in the Court House
They were cordially received, and allowed
to take part in the discussion. They took
an active interest in the days proceedings.
No point was allowed to pass by without
vinO noraful offanfiop ond rhap fha
first days work was done not as much of
the law had been gone over as had been
considered the night before in private eau
Gus
The operators again met in the evening.
and after discussing the law until 1880
o'clock, the matter was put into the hands
of committee that worked at the law until
1:3O o'clock Friday morning. and got over
as much as could be disposed of by the in
stitute at its regular sessions yesterday.
Discussing the Ventilation of Mines.
Almost the entire day was taken up in
discussing the section relating to the venti-
lation of mines. The section required that
the minimum amount of air in all mines
shall be $50 cubic feet for each and every
person employed therein. All of the op-
orators and many of the mine bosses, super
intendents, inspectors and miners opposed
the adoption of the section as read, and
argued that in many mines in mountainous
regions 100 cubic feet of air for each per-
son employed therein was all that was
required, and that it would be unjust as
we'll as unnecessary to compel operators of
such mines to 60 to the expense of building
ventilating apparatus to meet the require
ments of the section. Those who favored
the adoption of the section as read argued
that in every mine the minimum amount of
air should be $50 cubic feet per person en-
ployed therein, and sited the Hill Farm mine
disaster of June &c, 1890, as an instance
where the lives of 80 miners we're lost on
account of there not being sufficient
amount of air in the mine at the time the
explosion occurred.
A vote was taken on the amendment and
it passed by big majority. The section
was then adopted as amended and reads as
follows:
The Minimum Amount of Fresh Air.
The operator or superintendent of every
bituminous coal mine where shaft, slope or
drift is used shall provide and hereafter
maintain for every such mine adequate
means for ventilation, affording not less
than 100 cubic feet of air per minnie for
mines in which no explosive gases abound,
and not less than l5O cubic feet in mines
generating poisonous or noXious explosive
gases for each and every person employed
Bn6Teln, anu NJ uluCn aHOTo rs Two OF more
of the mine inspectors may deem requisite.
which shall be circulated through and
around the main entrance and the entries
to an extent that will dilute, carry of and
render harmless the noxious or dangerous
gases therein.
1t Is the opinion of many of those present
that the adoption of this section as amended
means the passage of the law at the ensuing
session of the Legislature.
Not more than one-third of the law had
been considered, and it was almost time to
adjourn. A resolution was then offered
requiring the Chairman to appoint COM
mittee of five to consider the other sections
of the law and to prepare them for submits
sion to the Legislature, and that their
work be final. This motion was. amended
by a motion that a committee of five
appointed by the operators meet jointly
with the committee appointed by the
Chairman, and after considerable discus
sion this was agreed to by an almost unani-
nous vote.
The Chairman of the committee appointed
by the operators is A.. Dempster, with W.