The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-01-08
.caIle Ms mins foreman


called HIe was mine forenan
sas lstant nine gore II No =
fof Two years IL vas p ne mine
two days before the en- sion EIe
worked IN the mines for fitty years:
He had part 81 the mine to see over
81, and III. ne was not In the mines
on the sixth Of December because, he
was sick. He said that the mine hal
been watered two days before the ex-
plosion. He said that there was lit.
tie gas in the mine. Dust was not per-
mitted to accumulate where a shot
was to be put OF. He usually went
; into the mines at six-thirty o'clock. He
did not see any gas that had been 10.
Grated by falls. The witness said that
Tom Donlin told him that the mine
would have to be watered the night
OF December 9Th. The witness did
not know whether It was done or not
The witness knew of no animals be.
ing killed in No. by gas explosions
The witness thought 1t was model
mino the host that he had ever seen
Inexnerienced men were nut 10 WORT
with experienced men The witness
said that he mad not been in ever,
nook and corner hit TINT he had seen
enopob IN satisfy himself He was ask.
Ell in what wav he had satisfied him.
self tn tbis question Jimmy said
that ba had satisfied himself thst wher
tha mines onsned by araip that he
vented n Wort, IN them, The wit.
ness was t,irle hard of hearing anil
nrt the court room Il Isuchtsr when
no +o,5 cbier ar,ne Trsneotor i "
pan, ..vou VIM have to spea,, uttye
louder n mo rfa,-,ta" wban asse.l
az a the eyper;epee and c4nabirl,ie;
Of tho wsr,.ars in ne mines the Wit.
NOES s,id there wera three risgseg OF
men WORKING in ti,s mines. bis clagsI.
fc,ttor was qo,d had apl mildlinc
Tbasa ooo1 haj md Indifferent men
we're made IN or several nationaIitios
Americans Scotch. irish Greeks Fte1.
1oins sIavs md poles The witness
wae asked If he knew the causa Of the
e&pIosion. He RENTED that smarter
men then he were irving to solve that
Drobiep and he was willing to wait
for the solution. He know Of no ex.
nJos,on in the mine preyious to this
one If minor ala not know how ~
do tho vyor,, and he tDuId not under /
et,,d tho Witness tooIf him Inv the arm
and showed him Many need instruc.
+,on often
p 7 NcGraw, freboss at No. 8.
was tho newt witness Previous to be.
COMING Ere boss he worked on the
v,res He had worked in mines Nos.
. 2 g and & He went out of tn. |
,,,i,,o IN tbo n,cht Of the firm of he. |
oor,he, and had made nm examination
Of tbe nine Flo found no traces of
one tba+ niybt Tho FIRE boss record
book wss handed the witness which
cort,;ned HE renort Of the condition
oy mine M nm the morning of the
axr,osion Tho witness said that that
vas HE ranort and that IT was correct
70 tho hest NJ h,s knowledge. He
looked after the watering Of the mines.
The hoolt showed that the mine was
snrovod on November % The wit.
moss said that that was general wet
,tinp of the mine some parts of the
mine aid mot need So much water as
others when there was any gas Of
any consequence IT was reported to
the mine foreman The men kent theiy
nowder in tool boxes The men took
their nowder cams out when they want
cd nowder ANYTHING less than a Gu.
btc foot of gas was designated as a
trace over a cubic foot of gas was
recorded as the amount was estimat-
cd and the record was placed so the
men could see II He came out of the
mine on the morning Of the explosion
~ a,,o 4Li,.,, o,o1oo1r rbo era bossas