The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-21
Mining Laws Of the State Are
Being Grossly2 Violated
Daily Says President Ben
Davis of the West Virginia
Miners.

The following interview with
President Ben Davis tof the Nv est
Virginia miners appeared in a re-
cent issue of the Charleston
GaZette:
''Ihe Lick Branch mine in Nc.
DOwell county exploded on
december 2Sth, 1908, in which
fifty miners were killed. The
mining department has made no
report, SO far as | can ascertain, as
to the cause of this explosion.
"Miners were permitted to crawl
into this death trap and have thei1
lives snuf1cd out by another ex-
plosion in the same mine on the
Eth Of this month. The owners
OF this mine as well us the mining
department know that the mining
laws of this state are not being
complied with at the Lick Branch
mine.
Section IL, Of the present min
ing laws, reads as follows:
Ventilation.
The operator, agent or mine
foreman Of every coal mine, wheth-
er worked by shaft, slope or drift,
shall provide and hereafter main
tain for every such mine ample
means of ventilation, atfording no
less than one hundred cubic feet of
air per minute for each any every
person employed in such mine, and
as such more rs the district mine
Inspector may require, which shall
be circulated around the main
headings and cross heading and
working places, to an extent that
will dilute, render harmless and
carry off the nONions and danger
Gus gases generated therein; and
as the working places shall ad.
vance break -throughs for air shall
he made not to exceed eighty feet
apart in pillars, or brattice shall
hs. used, so to properly yentilate
the face, and all the break
throughs between the intake and
return airways not required for
the passage Of air shall be closed
with Stoppings substantially built
with suitable material, which shall
be approved by the district mine
Inspector, so us to keep the work
ing places well ventilated.
"Aftcr six months from the pas
sage Of this act, not more than
sixty persons shall be permitted to
work in the same air current; pro-
Nidcd. that a large number, not
exceeding eighty persons may be
allowed by the district mine in
>pector where in his Judgment,
it is impracticable to comply with
the foregoing requirement.
"No operator, agent are mine
foreman shall permit any person
I" work where they are unable to
maintain at least one hundred
cubic feet of air per minute, but
this shall not be construed to pro
hlhit the operator from employing
lncn to make the place of employ
ment safe and to comply with the
Iaw, no person or persons shall be
permitted to enter that part of the
mine affected except those actually y
employed in doug the necessary
repair work.
In all mines accumulation oi
tine dry coal dust, shall as far as
practical. be prevented and such
dust shall be kept properly water
ed down
For violation of the foregoing
provisions of this section the
operator. agent or mine foreman
shall upon convictions. be fined no
less than five hundred dollars. O.
br imprisoned in the county jail
not less than ten nor more thai
ninety days, in the discretion o
The court
NO miner or other employ
shall take into any mine in thl
state any large quantity OF powde
or other explosive than he ma
I"aNonably expect to use IN an
"nc shaft, and all power shall D
carried into the mines in inetalll
rammi>terS OF Il capacity not to eH
~"cd five pounds, any person VIC