The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-04-02
WEIITEWASH
METHODS

Dl3On Discovers That de Could
Not Use Andrew Roy and the
Committee Dispense With His
Services.
Hditor Labor Argus:-I have
before me copy of the Charleston
Mail, in which I am quoted as
saying: "You have now upon the
state books the best mining law in
the United States, and have more
inspectors, man for man EMPLOYED
and ton for ton mined than any
coal producing state in the Union.
1t is therefore plain that it is not
for lack of necessary legislation.
The inspecting force last year was
increased nearly double in number
yet the accidents by explosion
nearly increased fourfold. Laws
exist to no purpose for those who
have not the ability to enforce
them" 1 am quoted correctly.
If you had no inspectors at all
the accidents would not be greater;
If you had an inspector at every
mine your accidents would not be
less. If you had mining law as
long as the constitution of the
United States it would avail you
nothing so long as the inspectors
have neither the will or the power
to enforce it. Governor Dawson in
a newspaper interview published
in your issue of March 10 explains
the reason why the laws are not en-
forced.
He blames the big operators for
the failure of the Prosecuting At,
torneys of the state not doing their
duty. He says further eff those
officials had been prosecuted and
sent to Jail the company would not
have continued to disregard the
law'
presume the Governor is re-
ferring to the Stuart explosion
My own personal experience as
mine expert in the investigation of
that terrible catastrophe corrober-
ates what the Governor states.
You ask in your paper:-'sWhy
did the mine investigating commit
tee dispense with the services of
Hon Andrew Roy, the mine ex-
pert, after he had viewed the
Stuart death trap. 81 will tell
you. 1t was because Sam Dixon
discovered that he could not use
me: The pretense of Senator
Gartlin was that was charging
too much for my services. I stat
ed to Mr.. Gartlin if that was the
cause of his dispending with my
services I would do the work for
nothing, other than my necessary
travelling expenses and rely on the
Legislature for compression, in
case it thought I was entitled to
compensation. Mr.. Gartlan wrote
me that he would lay the matter
before the first meeting of the Com
mlttee and let me know? He never
let me know, and never laid the
matter before the Committee, and
some of them, perhaps none of
them knew why I was not with the
Committee until after the Monon-
CHA Explosion.
L stated to the Committee in
Charleston few weeks ago that if
had been with the committee the
catastrophe would not have hap
pened, because I would have gone
in the Mines aud told them as !
told Sam Dixon "that l proposed
to make complete investigation
as to the cause of the explosion re-
gardless of whom it hurt or help
ed.' But enough of this at pre-
sent.
Now in inclusion I want to saw
that l have had occasion to know
we'll your chief mine inspector Mr..
Paul. He is one of the most COM
petent practical mining Engineers
ever met. I asked him WHY he
allowed the Stuart mines to run so
long without a second opening.
He answered that he had the case
in the hands of the Prosecuting
Attorney for eleven months, and
could not get him to act, Govern
or Dawson explains why Prosecu-
ting Attorney did not act.
| Ouce wrote to the Editor of the
Charleston Mail asking if he would
publish some letters from nv pen
on the Stuart explosion. He an
Swered that he would have to 600