The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-25
THOUSAND MINERS
KILLED ANNUALLY
Chief 81 State Department 81 Mines
Advocates Tax on Coal to Provide
Pensions For the Manned and For
Dependent Widows and Orphans.

Advocates Tax on Coal 70 Provide
Pensions For the Manned and 70,
Dependent Widows and Orphans.
I'VE fail utterly to agree with the
jury says James Il. Roderick, chief
Of the state department Of mines, In
his annual report in connection with
the Darr mine disaster which oe-
Cured Dec. 10 last. in which $50
miners lost their lives. Sin that part Of
the verdict which reads as follows.
we and the bituminious laws OF Penn.
sylvania were fully obeyed by all
those having charge of the Darr
mime
On the contrary, CHIEF Roderlck
charges that "had the wen known
safeguards, such as ample ventilation.
the use OF safety explosives. the thor
ough wetting and laying OF dust, the
use Of locked safety lamps. the en-
ployment OF competent shot firers and
the maintenance Of rigid discipline.
been employed In the Darr mine this
calamity would not have occurred
The chief warmly defends the In.
spectors. After quoting from the re-
ports Of both the company's men and
the state inspectors Mr.. Roderick goes
into the Darr mine disaster as follows:
1T seems 70 be very evident that II
the Gre bosses aud mine foremen had
performed their duty the employees
would not have been allowed TO enter
the mine whey conditions were mani
festly unsafe. The law is very plain
as TO the duties OF the fire boss and the
mine foreman, but It is not new
thing to have II violated. It is. more
over, hardly probable that the super
intendent OF this mine was ignorant
Of the fact that the employees were
allowed 10 90 TO work before the mine
was reported safe by the fire bosses.
"On account OF the change Of In
spectors II is probable that the new
inspector Of the district was not aware
OF the fact that employees were al
lowed to enter the mine before II was
reported safe by the fire bosses
Whether the manager or assistant
manager Of the Darr mine knew Of
this violation | cannot say. but they
could not have known of 1t unless In
formed by the superintendent or fore
man."
Mr.. Roderick recommends a small
tax upon the coal operators for each
ton Of coal mined. the proceeds to be
devoted to mid the dependents Of men
who are killed IN the mines.
In his report Chief Roderick refers
In laudatory terms 10 the bill intro
duced in the national congress having
in view this arrangement. but says
that better plan would be for the |
state legislature to levy tax on all |
bituminous coal mined and q tax OF IL
cents a ton on all anthracite coal sent |
to market.
BY such tax n fund of $4,000 |
would be raised In the bituminous re-
gion and $4,000 In the anthracite re-
gion. The report continues:
1.-THE loss Of life In the bituminous
mines averages about Ats year, leav-
Ing about 252 widows and GAG orphans.
Each widow should receive 500 to de- |
fray the funeral expenses and week
iy benefit OF So during widowhood, and
each child under fourteen years OF /
age should receive weekly benefit |
of So. The loss Of life In the anthra-
cite mines averages about 6T3 a year,
leaving about 322 widows ana ITO or
phans.
ITO care for the persons injured IN
the mines a portion Of the fund, APP
100000, could be dlstrib-
uted annually. During disabiement
each person should receive an amount
equal to one half his daily or weekly
earnings, the benefit not TO become
operative until one week from the date
of injury and to continue until be IL
able to resume work, but in no case
shall the benefit continue for more
than one year.
"The tax on coal could be RENTED
by the operators to the state through
some one designated by an act of the
to receive the funds. The
money then could be turned into the
state treasury and be subject to dis
on properly drawn war
'ants or psyrolls. Investment Of any
excess funds should be made by the
governor and state treasurer and the
person who shall have charge Of the
OF the fund
I'm estimating the amount to be paid ,
injured workmen the number injured
IN 1907 is taken as a basis. The mum
Der is 1900 The average wages ia |
1900 year, and during disability the
injured are to receive one-half pay.
Practically all Of the 100 win receive
he benefit for one week. and after
hat the number will diminish gradual :
y for almost year. when all but the
disabled will have to be :
1t Is difficult to state !
wen approximately what amount !
would be required each year for this
purpose, but 100000 would no doubt {
,e an ample fund"
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