Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-27
COAL MINERS BALK.
Think Report on Explosions not
Sufficient.
THEY WANT TO co MUCH FURTHER
Reconnm endations in Full of the Com.
mission the Salient Points of Which
Were Given in the Courier Yester.
day-Report is Voluminous.

day-Report is Voluminous.
The report of the commission ap-
pointed by Governor Cummins to ex-
anime into the causes of mine explo-
s1ons in general, and the one which oc-
Cured at Lost Creek recently in par
tlcular, was made to Governor Cum
minis yesterday, and is voluminous
one. 1t is signed by all of the mem
bers OF the commission, with the ex-
ceptlon, of course, of James Campbell
of Ottumwa, who was unable to attend
the meetings of the body on account of
Illness. 1t sets forth at length the
causes OF mine explosions, especially
the so-called dust explosions, like the
one which caused so much loss of life
at Lost Creek. This part of the report,
however, is merely a preliminary to
the recommendations that follow, and
in which much interest is taken by ev-
eryone who is directly or indirectly
interested in mining.
Two Reports.
The operators on the commission, T.
j. Phillips and James Stout, and also
| the two mine inspectors, John Werner
and James Miller have expressed their
views as to the best way in which
mine explosions may be prevented in
the future. This recommendation is
concurred in by the two miners who
are members of the commission, John
+. Reese and John P. White, But they
go farther and submit supplement-
airy report, which recommends the en-
ploying of shot firers in the mines.
This they make not as a minority re-
port but as a supplementary one.
/ The Main Recommendations,
The recommendations which are
signed by the entire committee rec
ommends legislation as follows:
I'm all mines where coal is blasted
from the solid, competent persons
shall be employed to examine all shots,
before they are charged. Said examin-
ers to have the power to prohibit the
charging and firing of any shot which
in their judgment, is unsafe Before
entering upon the discharge of their
duties, said examiners shall give proof
of their competency to the state mine
inspector of the district in which the
mine where they are employed is To-
Gated. The state mine inspector to
have the power to refuse to give per-
mission to any person to act as said
examiner who, in his judgment, is not
sufficiently competent; or he may re-
woke the permission granted should it
appear that shot examiner is negli-
gent or careless in the performance
of his work. 1sa IL - E
THE miner shall keep his working
/ place and the operator the entries as
free from dust as practicable The
entries to be sprinkled as often as
necessary to keep them in damp con-
dition.
i "Only sand soil or clay shall be used
for tamping and the shot holes shall
be tamped solidly from the powder to
the mouth of the hole, whether the
squib or fuse is used to ignite the pow
der.
"Any shot having blown the tamping
at the first firing shall not be recharg-
ed and fired the second time
"In addition to the above such rules
regarding the use of powder, and the
preparing and placing of shots, shall
be adopted by the operators and min.
ers of each mine, so the blasting of
4 possible safety.
/ More than $4,000 persons are engag-
ed in the mining industry in Iowa. The
commission suggests that enough cop.
les of this report be ordered printed
so copy may be placed in the hands
OF every person connected with or in.
terested in the mining industry of this
state"
i The supplementary Report.
4 Messrs. Reese and White, in their
supplementary report, recommend leg
islation providing for the employment
of shot firers, and set forth their rea-
sons for such action. Their report
4 follows:
4 eve the undersigned members OF
the commission take pleasure in stat
ing that we agree to all that has been
said both as to the cause of explosions
and the recommendation made to pre-.
vent them. But we are satisfied that
the recommendations do not go far
enough, and in behalf of the eleven
!, thousand mine workers of the state
whom we have the honor to represent
on this commission we make the fol.
lowing recommendation, and ask that
the same be enacted into law, togeth.
er with the other recommendation OF
the commission.
Recommendation.
'"That all shots must be fired by men
employed for that purpose, and shots
shall only be fired when all employees
except the shot firers are out of the
mine. This recommendation was of,
\ fered by us in the meetings of the
commission, and was rejected by the
majority of said commission. And for
that reason we submit 1t in the present
form, and we desire to give the fol
lowing reasons why it should be
adopted:
"First-We believe that the intent
of those who created the commission
was to find some way if possible OF
saving the lives of our citizens who
daily enter the bowels Of Mother
Earth to produce the fuel that makes
| it possible to keep the wheels of com.
merce and industry moving, as well as
to find out the cause of explosions and