The state herald., 1899-04-28
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To Prevent Mine Accidents,

Among the bills that have become
laws since the adjournment OF the
Twelfth General Assembly is one of
great Importance to the mining inter
csts of the state. Under the title. An
act TO amend an act entitled An act
to create state bureau of mines and
to define the duties OF the commission
er of mincs.'" Representative Ryan
introduced and secured the passage OF
bill that not only does ns the title
implies. but also goes into the subject
OF mining In the state. filing new reg
ulations of very comprehensive char
acter for the gov' nmcnt OF the indus
try. Most OF these were framed with
view TO better protect the lives of
men employed In and about the mines
OF the state.
After briefly touching upon the du-
ties OF the commissioner and his depu-
Ties the bill goes Into the question Of
the storage aud use OF explosives re-
qniring all powder To b, Kept In Il mag
azine prepared for that purpose exclu-
sirely at n safe distance from any
mine. Only a sufficient quantity to per-
form the work of one shift is To be
taken from the magazine nj one time.
OILS and other combusiiblc substances
must be stored separately. and mine
owners must provide suitable and safe
devices for the warming or thnwlng
OF giant powder.
The commissioner of mines Is au.
thorlzcd 10 regulate ard limit the
amount OF nltro.powdcr kept or stored
In general supply stores In towns or
camps where there Is no municipal
law governing the same.
Miners are prohibited the use OF met.
nj bars OF any kind FOR tamplng
charges OF powder Into drill holes.
All old tlmbcrs shall he removed as
soon MS practicable and shall not be
permitted 10 decay underground.
No person addicted to the use OF In.
loNlcating liquors or under the age Of
eighteen years shall be employed ns
holstlnf engineer.
One provision makes II compulsory
TO have all hoisting machinery equip
ped with nm Indicator showing plainly
the position Of the bucket or cage nj
all times. one man to be known ms
"cngcr' must he employed for the OK.
elusive labor of loading and un,oad.
Ing the cage at different levels aud OF
giving all signals to the holsting On.
glnccr.
The commissioner Of mines Is TO cs.
inbllsh u code OF signals for the hoist.
Ing and lowering OF cages. the same To-
he adopted 10y all mines making use of
holsting machinery.
Provision Is made for tho protection
OF all surface workings from FIR, hy
requiring n sufficient quantity Of hose
In properties where wnicr IL available
unI rsanIiIgInH .all.naI.sul t.. 4.
crH In other properties.
No person shall ride upon any cnrc,
bucket or skip londcd with tools. tim.
her. powder or other mnicrln, rxccp,
10 assist In passing the load through
shaft or incline ana then only upon
special signal.
To give or cause 10 hc given false
signals TO nny engineer renders snch
offender guilty Of miSdcmcnnor un.
der the new net. ana the same penalty
II to apply 10 any person riding upon
n cage or bucket under false slgnnls
Indicating 10 the engineer that nobody
N aboard
All SHIFTS more ihnn nifty feet In
depth must bo pnrttloncd on Into two
compartments. onc for the cnge mud
the other for n ladder. which il 10 bo
Kept In good repair for emergencies.
| The Underway must he securely bulk.
h"nIcd NJ least twenty-five feet below
the surface, connecting with the open
MIR by n separate drift. thus nffordlnr
mn cnHy channel for escape In cnar of
Ute or Incident, the lndicrwnyH cutting
tie surface nj u safe distance from nil
lnilnmmnble buildings.
All stations or levels shall be- pro.
vldod enrh with rnninRrwny nrnnnil
the working shaft Hu ilni passing over
the working compartment mny ba
avoided uunrd rnila Ia prevent oeru.
pntiH of the different levels from fail.
lnR Into the SHAFT shnll bc provided ai
rncli station
Any prraon destroying ur removing
nny fencing ~ covering from nhuu, tbr
opening NJ u Hhnfi alinll hc liable io "A
iinc ~ Slno nr sls months imprlapu,
mrni, or both,