The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-04-24

We take the following editorial from the
columns Of the Colliery Engineer, published
at Scranton by T. j. Foster, formerly pro-
prietor of the HERALD:
"There are two bills before the Legislature
Of Pennsylvania providing for the formation
OF a Bureau Of Mines in the Department Of
Internal Affairs, and for the appointment of
a Commissioner of Mines who is to be Chief
of the Bureau One of these bills will prob
ably be passed and approved by the Governor.
when first introduced there was a marked
difference in the provisions Of the two bills.
The one first presented by Senator Coyle, Of
Schuylkill Co., was bill, which, if enacted
into a law, would serve no other purpose than
to provide good berth fora politician. 1t
would result in no benefit to the miners or
operators of the state, but on the contrary
would be likely to cause an infinite amount
of trouble by making it possible for an Off
cial ignorant of the tcchuicalities Of mining
to impose ON miners and operators burden
some and annoying regulations. The other
bill which was introduced in the House of
Representatives by Mr. Mansfield, was, in
the maiu a reasonable and sensible one. Mr..
Coyle's bin has, however, been SO amended
that it is now very similar to Mr.. Mausfeld's
and in one respect it is slightly butter as it
provides for more reasonable salary for the
the Commissioner of Mines. Mr. Coyle's
bill, though better than Mr.. Mansfeld's in
this respect, is also wrong. The man com
peteut to fiji the Office of Commissioner Of
Mines in the manner in which it should be
filled is worth more than 81, 800 per year, the
amount proposed in the bill. Mr.. Mansfeld's
bill provides for but s3, 900 salary
In Section s, of Mr.. Coyle's bill, as
amended, there is a serious mistake As
originally amended this section read, "the
supc rinteudeut or operator Of each and every
coal mine subject to inspection under the
mining laws Of this state, shall, within six
months after the final passage aud approval
Of this act, deposit in the Bureau Of Mines an
accurate map or plan Of each coal mine, etc ~
As finally amended this section is made to
read that the mine inspector Of each district
is required to deposit in the Bureau Of Mines
am accurate map or plan of each mine in his
district This is wrong The mine inspectors
have not the facilities to furnish these maps,
They receive. under the provisions Of the
general mine law tmcings or blue-prnts OF
each mine ia their district from the operators
or superintendent These maps are brought
up to date at stated times by the mining On
giueers employed by operators. They cannot
De originally made by the mine inspectors,
nor can they be amended from time 10 time
by these officials. The proposed law should
be worded the same as are the general min
ing laws of the state and the operators OF
supcrutcudeuts should be required to furnish
the maps for use in the office of the Commis.
si0ucr of Mines.
I'VE are at loss 10 understand how this
mistake was made in Section 8 Of Mr.. Coyle's
bin, as finally amended. We do not think
that the operators or superiutendonts asked
that such ana impmcticablc change he made,
aud il is doubtful 81 two per cent Of them
would object to having this portion Of the
proposed law made the same as it is in The
general mining law 1t is true that it will
entail on the operators a small extra expense
in furnishing the maps required for the pro,
posed Bureau. This expense, however, viii
be comparatively small, being greatest at the
start when complete tracings OF blue-prints
will be required. To amend these maps and
bring them PIP 10 date is matter Of tHAing
expense and no reasonable operator will OBJ
ject TO it, especially since the proposed act
has been so amended as to require the appoint
ment Of am official so equipped as to make
him Of real value To the mining population