The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-02-26

virtually killed all the miners who
were working in the mines at the time.
The duties of the Office OF the mine
Inspector, as we'll as the call OF hui
manlty. summoned the chief mine In.
spector with all his force to the mines.
as soon as the explosions were known,
for the purpose of rescuing tic liv-
ing. If any could be found, and recov-
ering the dead. To this call the chief
and all his department answered and
the work of rescue and of the recovery
of the dead was undertaken by tie
chief OF the mine department, who
was strongly supported by his depu-
ties. with yigor and perseverance. and
this work was done while they were
surrounded daily by The many dangers
that are lurking in mines after great
explosion.
The work of rescue and of tle' ex-
ploration of the various mines that
have exploded has taken many weeks
and in the aggregate about two
months of the time of the mine de-
partment-and while at this work, the
deputy inspectors were compelled to
leave their regular work undone.
Your committee is of tao opinion
that the work Of the chief mine in
spector in these perilous undertakings
Of the recovery of the dead and the
exploration OF the mines, was done
by him with great hazard to himself,
and with skill, and his reports Of Els
Investigations within these mines
show such ability and knowledge us
can only be acquired by long anl care
full study and observation.
AS mentioned in this report ule
chief mine inspector OF the State OF
Ohio made personal investigation OF
the explosion at Monongah during the
time of the recovery OF the dead, ard
Inspectors from the State of PennsyE-
vanfa also made IN Investigation. The
reports of the chief inspector of Ohio.
as well as OF the inspectors from
Pennsylvania, and of our own chief
Inspector, are found IN the records Of
this investigation, 10 which we re-
spectfully call the attention of the les
islature for the purpose Of showing
the respective abilities OF the parties
making the same.
The work of rescue and o: exploring
mines after an explosion like the one
at Monongah, is one of great peril
and requires judgment and skill. In
this work your committee finds that
the chief of the mine department has
not only shown zeal. but great ability
At the coroner's inquest that was held
ut Fairmont, the chief mine inspector
conducted all the hearings upon the
1art of the State, and developed many
valuable facts in relation 10 the eX;lo-
sion. Your committee further desires
to mention the fact that in its labors
throughout the State, the chief OF the
mine department and Deputy Inspector
Earl Henry, have been of great ser
vice, and have Afforded your comm It.
tee much valuable information, Gnl
secured for 1t many facts in relation
to the matters to be Investigate |; and,
In addition to this, your committee L.
sires to mention the fact that in all
matters pertaining to the Investigation
OF the department of mines, the chief
of that department has promptly and
cheerfully furnished your committee
with any and all Information asked of
him by it.
It appears from the evidence adduc
ed in this investigation .thst the mine
in certain sections of the
State, has not met with the t1.opera-
ton of the operators that it should
have met with; that many companies
in the state have failed to respond
to the law and obey the directions of
the department, and in some instanc'
os prosecutions have been begun, hut
on account of local conditions they
have failed. and the decisions Of the
court have been adverse to the de-
partment. This particularly was the
fact in the attempt of the department
to remove from mines the steam loco
motives that are used in some por-
lions of the State.
While your committee has hereto
fore said in it's report that in It's opIn-
ion the mine department hos lacked
vlgor, yet your committee is aware
from its investigation that the dcmrt-
ment for the last year has been work.
ing under great difficulties as named
above, and the new law required so
many changes-many Of wt:eh, us IN
pears from the evidence, mean al ex-
pendIture of several thousand dollars
that in many instances 1t became
tina in many instances it became a
physical impossibnity for the COM
panies to make those changes in re-