The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-18

The desire of the miners to get out
early, carelessness and misjudgment, he
declared, were responsible for fifty per
cent. of the accidents. He suggested
once as a preventive of accidents that
the miner stay with his laborer until
at least, noon. and received letters from
Stephen Reap and John =. Kearney,
district officers of the United Mine
Workers, complaining against his sug-
geston. Some companies have Il rule
requiring the miner to stay in his place
until noon. but 1T Is not religiously OBJ
served. Miners complain very gener-
ally about their inability to get cars.
He declared the miners do not CO.
operate with the inspectors as they
should, in his efforts to enforce the law
lie cited the instance of the necessity
of getting an injunction to prevent the
working of the Richmond colliery at
priceburg, after he had condemned it
as dangerous. He only knew of two
miners who were affected with asth
ma.
Mr. Roderick admitted that he was a
mine foreman before he was appointed
inspector and said he knew of only one
inspector. Patrick Blewitt, who had not
been a foreman or mine official of some
kind before becoming an inspector. He
added incidentally that the two new
inspectors the first to be elected under
the provisions of the miners own law
the Garner act, are mine foremen. He
only knew of one instance of a COM
pany refusing to obey his directions
That was the Richmond colliery Incl
dent.
Henry Owen Prytherich. inspector of
the Second district and Hugh McDOn-
aid, inspector of the Third district. gave
testimony along the same general line.
Mr.. Prytherich read IL lengthy answer
to the question, as to why he took
mine boss with him in making inspec-
tions. One of the main reasons, he said,
was because the boss could know what
suggestions he made to miners and
thereby be checked from giving con-
tlicting orders.
T.. T.. Reynolds inspector of the
Fourth district also takes the foreman
with him on his tours of inspection.
Prior to his appointment as inspector
he was a mine superintendent.
EXMine Inspector William II. Davies.
of the Fifth district, who is now sup
erintendent for the Lehigh Valley Coal
company. was next called. He was in
spector for six years, resigning three
months ago to accept his present posi-
ton. There are 123 openings in the
Fifth district. The foreman accompan-
led him sometimes, but quite as often
he went about alone. He did not en-
anime all the working places. 1t was
physical impossibility. He examined
the places he thought needed inspection
most visiting as many as he possibly
nnI,
or four times IL year in this manner
The miners We're not deferred from talk
ing freely to him. because of the fore
man being with him. He received fire.
quent complaints and always invest-
gated them. Mr.. Davies. too, was a
mine foreman before becoming an in
spector.
1t was absolutely impossible, the wit
ness declared, to observe the new in
spection law-the Garner act--requrng
an inspection of every working place.
Wilbur Stein, OF Shenandoah, inspect
or Of the Sixth district. also declared it
was impossible to visit all the breasts
on an inspection tour. Some collieries
require inspection fifteen times a year
and some only once. 1t depends on his
own judgment as to- the necessity for
inspection. The boss always accompan-
les him on his tour of inspection. He
sees miners going home from work at
or 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and
others at $50 o'clock. He knew that
miners complain generally about the
companies failing to give them a full
supply of cars.
John Mcclure, eN-inspector of the
Seventh district, resigned last May to
become division superintendent of a
coal company. He was foreman prior
to becoming Inspector. The foreman
usually accompanied him when he
made an inspection of a mine. 1t was
impossible to examine all the workings
in a mine. Some contained fifty miles
of roads He received few complaints
orally from the miners. He often. how
ever, received letters containing COM