The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-12
INSTRUCTIONS FOR
 WORKING IN MINES Mine Inspector Sends Letter To
 United Mine Workers REGARDS GASEOUS MINES
All Violations of the Law Will Here after Be Prosecuted-lnspector Prescribes Method and Man.
 ner of Working Mines.

State Mine Inspector J. M. Gray yester- day sent the following communication to Edward Flynn, president of District No. 20, United Mine Workers of America, rel- ~ative to the working of gaseous mines, and the manner of working and proping the roof In all mines:
 Birmingham Ala. May s1. 1906. District No. 20, United Mine Workers Of
 America, Birmingham, Ala:
 Dear Sir-Section 20 of the mine laws makes it the duty of the chief mine in- spector of Alabama to give directions to the mine operators owners and general managers as to the method and manner of working gaseous mines, and the man ner of working and proping the roof In all mines.
 Among the general directions that the chief mine inspector expects to give, sub ject to the approval of the board of mine foremen examiners, section B. mine laws. are follows
 1. All coal to be mined or cut (either will answer) in rooms. crosscuts and nar- row work before it is shot.
 (a) The cutting of the room or cham Der on one side or the center of place, and working the place in steps, say slabs of three by five feet or four by six feet, will be considered cutting; in other words, in this way one side of the shot will have a loose side and one cutting in the face will give a row of slab shots across the place.
 (b) All holes to be tamped full with non-eombustible tamping
 ?. No dynamite to be used III the coal without written permission from the mine boss
 s. No shot must be fired where 1t de- bends on another shot for a show 10 do its work and when shooting on I'D the miner must notify the men in the room or place next to his shot before he lights his shot, not waiting until after he lights it to notify them.
 4 All augers for shooting coal to be cut off to six feet.
 5. Cutting shot. or crackers, as they are termed must not be fired under any conditions.
 G. In gaseous mines cross cuts to De made in rooms at such intervals as the n1ne inspector examining 1t thinks proper
 In non-gaseous mines at least one cross cut to the room and more if the inspector thinks 1t necessary.
 r Where gas Is found in a mine the fire boss must examine every workins place in the mine every morning tand old works every two weeks) before the men go in to work Said fire boss must put the date of the month on the coal III room with chalk to show that he has
 
 danger boards must be put up at mouth of room and in each cross cut to the room on both sides of the room, or places where the gas Is found. B. No man miner or anyone else)' must attempt to brush out the gas without a safety lamp to examine the place with, 1 to see if it Is all out. When brushing gas all open lamps must be blown out where gas Is liable to be brushed onto ! N... ,f.. nn This means blown out, not set back at the cross cut, but the light blown out.
 8. Miners must set props at regular inc tervals In all places as soon as room is made for them, whether he thinks there Is any danger or not. The distance apart will be governed by local conditions of the roof in different mines. If miner can not get props he must lay idle until he can get them. The companies be govern ed by section 12 of the mine law. To- Places that the mine inspector, mak- l ing the inspection, wants put through quick to save free turn, regardless of lo- cal rules at mine governing turn. II. The foreman or his assistant to visit each working place at least every other day. In gaseous mines fire boss must visit every day See rule '. Section 20 of the mine law makes it the duty of the chief mine Inspector to pre- scribe the method and manner of work ing coal mines in the state. and I am writing you this letter to put you on mo- tice that in making new contracts for the next year you will bear in mind that | any violations of the rules made by this l department. now or hereafter, will be | prosecuted.
 l See also sections 30. 37 and go of the mine law. Yours truly, J. M GRAY, Chief Mine Inspector