The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-11-15

quoted in the papers, and were find
ing much fault. The Imagination of
man is great; he imagines many
things can happen. For instance,
like the Irishman and his wife--l
heard this story yesterday, / don't
know who told IT to me---she was
'suffocatfng for want of air, and she
says Pat. for Gods sake get up and
open the window and give me some
air. Pat got. up to open the win
dow. and the first thing he found
was the mirror, and "biff' and out
it went. She heard the glass break
and says, THANK God, Pat, L am re-
ieved" and she went back to sleep
and when they woke in the morning
they found it had not been the win
dow that was broken. He had just
broken the mirror. That is the
paper-sinply broke the glass but
got no ventilation.
| heard q remark this morning
that u man would go up the hill ia
the morning TO the mine and take
five-pou can OF powder and go in
and light the hole and leave and
have a blow out shot or dust ex-
plosion. ! think Mr.. Nugent said
that hope l am not misquoting
him. There is not anything like that
happens in real life in the coal mines
when a man does anything like that.
one shot scarcely ever is sufficient TO
throw down his run of coal. He
might Just as well say that he could
shoot as much coal by shooting 1t Off
the solid as he could by underwriting
with a machine. l heard somebody
said that. too. There is not any use,
gentlemen. in anybody making state
ments here to you that won't hold
water, because | believe when they
do that, when they make those kind
OF statements that they are joking;
they know that you men won't take
any stock in it. Another thing, those
are not the kind of shots that make
the blowout shots We could stand
here, gentlemen, the Chief Mine In
sDector the District Mine Inspectors.
the miners, and argue dust eXplos-
ion from now until tomorrow morn
.ng, and that would be like the min
lister and the lawyer and the doctor
we won't agree. There Is not any
two lawyers that can agree, no two
doctors can agree, nor can any two
ministers agree. The doctor sees Il
different way to kill you; the lawyer
sees a different way to prosecute
you, and the minister sees Il differ
emit way to send you to--Heaven. So
it Is with mine men. They disagree
have in the past and will in the
future, and the only thing, gentle
men, that can be done Is to frame
n
umes OF laws that will never be read.
but a few laws that will actually pro-
tcct the life. limb, and property of
the mines in the State OF West Vir-
GINA, and you cannot do it by MAX
ing a practical law that will make q
practical miner" in one year.
l believe that is all 1 have to say
in this matter. l thank you kindly
i am through.
(By mutual consent. the remarks
Of Mr.. WEIGH, Mr.. Roam and Mr..
Nugent were expunged from the re-
pOrt.)
MIR. LANG spoke as follows:
Mr.. Chairman, l think this matter
has been very ably discussed on both
;ides, and 1T becoming tiresome; /
think we have heard enough, and
under these conditions I move that
we now adjourn. Which motion
was seconded by Mr.. Springer.
THE CHAIRMAN:
The motion made by Mr.. Laipg
and seconded by Mr.. Springer, hav-
ing been made by represe tative,
not a member of the Com mission
which is now in session, the Chair
will not be disposed to entertain the
notion just at this time for the rea-
son that I understand that another
statement is wished to be made by
VIZ. Littlepage.
MR.. LITTL EPAGE spoke as follows:
MIR, Chairman, in addition to what
Nr. Nugent has said in reference to
the operation of the Sunday Creek
Coal Company's mines, and its man
ngement by Mr.. Roam, l will say if
Ill mines and concerns operating
mines in the State of West Vir ginia
we're conducted as Systematically and
With as much pains-taking as my in
formation is that MIR. Roam conducts
his mines, and I would say the same
| about my friend, Mr.. Gillie. over
! here, there would never have been
| any necessity on the part of the Gov
eInor for calling this Commission.
We all think a great deal of Mr.
Roam and also of Mr.. Gillie, and tn cir
| management of the mining proper
| les in this State, and particularly in
| his section of the State. The min
! ars come in. and we know Mr.. Roam
! 5 brOadminded and liberal; every
| body has their grievances, the Goa!
! operators have their grievances-we
! I'll don't understand sometimes thar
| his is the identical place to present
| iNeciitc grievances. but for general
! discussion here.
Now, ! have talked with the men.
| and in justice to Mr.. Roam and the
| way he may feel with reference TO
| what has taken place, it is true that
! he men not only like Mr.. Roam, bur
hey like to work for his companies