The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-19
ON REPoRT or MINING COMMITS
MISSION SENT TO THE LEG.
lsLATuHE BY THE
GOVERNOR.

ltf.ls.
CHARLESTON. Jan. ls.7-In the
short session of the house Thursday
afternoon, general Boggs announced
to the House that Governor Dawson
desired to transmit to the House a
special message relating to the find
ings Of the mining commission, who
were appointed by the governor to
amend the mining laws Of the State.
Accompanying the governors remarks
,wefe the report Of the majority Of the
members Of the commission, and the
minority report submitted by presl-
dent John Nugent Of the mine work
ers. =.
Governor Dawson's message will
be printed in the journal and then
can be closely inspected by the dele.
gates. In several instances he does
not agree with the findings of the
commission and states his objections
to the mode of closing a mine when
the lives of the men are in danger.
The message follows:
To the Honorable Members Of the
Senate and the House Of Dele
gates:
herewith transmit the report OF
the commission appointed by me to
suggest amendments to the mining
laws of the State. which report l
have had printed. The membership
OF the commission is given on page
five of the report, and constituted
of two from the inspection depart.
ment. the chief inspector being the
chairmon of the Commission, fine on
the part of the miners and five on the
part of the operators.
The reasons for the appointment
of the commission are given on page
three of the report in my letter to
each member thereof. From Novem-
Der 4. 1905, to March 20, 1906.
there were five disastrous mine ex-
plosions in this State, and no less
than ninety-three men were killed
therein. These accidents occurred
with alarming frequency and gave
me great concern, because the APP
pointment of the officers to enforce
the law having been conferred upon
me, I was in sense responsible for
any dereliction of duty on their
part. I insert here memorandum
of these explosions:
| Az /. =.
Nov. 4, 1905, to March 20, 1905.
Nov. 4, 1905, Tidewater, (drift
mine), Mcdowell county: 2 killed:
ignited by blowout shot. agents.
powder, dust and gas.
Jan. 4. 1906, Coaldale, drift mine),
Mercer county; % killed; ignited by
key of powder exploding; agents, dust
and powder.
Jan. Is, 1906. Detroit, drift mine),
Kanawha county; IS killed; ignited
by blowout shot: agents. dust.
Feb. s. 1906, Parrall, tshaft mine),
Fayette county; 90 killed; ignited by
open lamp; agents, gas.
March %, 1906, Century, tshaft
mine). Barbour county; 20 killed;
ignited by blowout shot; agents,
dust.
1t was hoped that the report of
and sent to you individually some
time before your meeting here, in
order that you might have had more
time to give to It's consideration, but
the sittings of the commission oc-
cupied more time than was expected,
and 1t was not until the 18th of
December that final word was re-
ceived from one of the members who
desired to submit a minority report,
as will be seen by reference to page
twelve. The report OF the majority
on pages seven to nine state the con.
illusions arrived at and the princi.
pay questions in issue. think you
will find the discussions on pages
thirteen to fifty-six interesting and
instructive and alone worth any ex-
pense that the commission may be
to the State.
1t is admitted that good ventila-
ton is indispensable in mining. The
causes of accidents in mines. of
course, are many. In the table of
explosions given above It viii be
seen that dust explosions was the
principal agent. 1t was contendel
before the commission by the miners
that one great danger was the EN-.
ployment of inexperienced persons
as miners. especially foreigners who
could not speak the English Ian.
guage. By others it was contended
that more accidents were caused by
experienced miners becoming care
less of danger. than by the inexpe-
dienced; and that some men never
become what might determine ex.
perienced miners. think n will