The age-herald., 1899-01-08
THE ACCIDENT AT ! ZENIDA MINES iailAsz.s. IL
 Chief Inspector Renders a Report on
 the Natter. WAS THE OPERATORS FAULT Had Been Notified to Remedy the De-
 fleets in Construction. ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF TIE STATE Notified to Look Up the Law in the Case and See if Any Action
 Against the Operators
 Can be Taken.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF TIE STATI

Montgomery, January 7.-(special.)-Gov- ernor Johnston today received the report of State Mine Inspector J. deB Hooper on the explosion in zenida mines near Helena on December in which seven men were se- riously injured The report shows that the owners of the mine had been constantly, since last July, warned of the bad condi- tion of the mine, and that the superinten- dent had not followed the instructions of the inspector.
 In his letter submitting the report, the inspector says:
 "On October Is I wrote R. Fell, superin- tendent, in regard to this report. Later, MT. Fell called to see me and after long conference, he said to me: You mean to say then, that l must shut down the mine or put in the second opening, escape way?' l replied, Yes, If there is any law to make you do it. On going into the office l found many mine bosses employed who did not possess certificates. In the other cases 1 gave them permission to continue ro act on their presenting to me satisfactory evidence of their ability and exI erience un- til they could stand examination in Jan uary, 1899, but in this I refused to do so, 1 considered this mine dangerous one. Mir. Fell promised to let me know what he would decide to do and asked for little mole time to consider. Not hearing from him, 1 wrote him on November 2, re- garding the matter"
 Ih1 Governors Action
 Upon the receipt of the inspectors report the governor transmitted it to the attorney general, with the following letter:
 l enclose you herewith report of the chief mine inspector and assistants in re- gard to the accident, accompanied by se- cember last.
 II beg to call your attention to the fact that in this case the mine was examined on October and g, last and a report made to the chief mine inspector showing it to be unsafe and operated in violation of law It seems from the report that the examination of the mine on July II showed the same facts, which were reported to Chief Mine Inspector Hillhouse who does not appear 10 nave taken any steps to enforce the law Upon the coming in of the report of October II appears that the chief mine inspector sent copy to the superintendent and de- manded compliance with the law This seems not 10 ha been done, and I desire Tor you to examine the act and inform me what proceedings can be had, and what penalties enforced in order to prevent the recurrence of such accidents in future Very respectfully,
 "JOS. F. JOHNSTON,
 Governor"
 Reports on wiIcox's Omci.ls
 State Examiner of Public Accounts Puri- foy this morning filed with the governor reports on the books of Probate Judge James T. Beck and Circuit Clerk J. Fleet Foster, of Wilcox county
 The books of Judge Beck were found in excellent condition, as shown by the fol- lowing extract from the report:
 with reference to his liability for moneys due the state, for license issued and lands redeemed l respectfully re- port that his reports to the auditor. and his payments into the treasury on account Of these matters agree with the records of his office, thus showing that he has dis charged his obligations on these accounts.
 When the act to require all corporations to pay fee or license for the use of the state before commencing business in this state, approved February IS, 1S93 reuuir- ing Judges of probate or other officers, is- suing commissions to corporations organ ized under the general laws of this state to collect certain fees for the use of the state. was called to his attention he ad- mitted that its provisions had entirely es- caped his attention. and informed me few minutes afterward that one such commits sion had been issued by him. to the Stuart Ginning Manufacturing company of Snow Hill, for which he should have collected and paid into the treasury a fee of $25. sudge Beck immediately remitted this sum- with the accrued interest, s669 to the treasurer"
 The Clerks Books
 The report on the clerks books is a very lengthy one, dealing principally with the causes of the shortages found, which was due in most cases to misnterpretations of the law. The introductory paragraph of the report sums up the whole as follows: "I have examined the books and accounts of Hon. J. Fleet Foster. clerk of the circuit court of Wilcox county, and ex-officio clerk of the county court, and respectfully report that I found the following sums due the state; and his account stands as shown:
 Dr.
 To unpaid solicitors fees as
 shown by exhibit A. hereto
 attached .... ...... ........... s5452 To interest on fee for Nose {. Clements, 5- years and 8
 months ..... .... ..... ........ 715 To jail board not taxed and
 collected, as per exhibit D,
 attached ........ .... ...... 75 so To jail board and removal
 fees, not taxed, exhibit c, at- tached ..... ...... ............ 100 45
 Or.
 By cash remitted for solicit