The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-02-19
MINE DEP ARTMENT
NOT S R G ENOUGH

~ ~ ~ W
absointely broken up. The report
claims that tie two Lick Branch
explosions obcenFred in mine tlist
was being operated IN total dlsre-
gard ot the Law. When the expio-
sion occurred the men we're work.
ling from 80 70 $50 feet ahead Of
the air, which Is in violation Of the
law. Altar the explosion an inspec-
ton of the mine revealed the fact
that shooting off the solid was gem
orally practiced throughout the
whole mine. The company cannot
excuse itself by q plea Of ignorance,
says the report 1t was its duty 10
know that the law was being yio-
lated and that the miners were
shooting Of the solid. The report
says that the fan was stopped a
half hour before the explosion, but
the chief mine Inspector did not be
lleve this was contributory cause,
and the committee does not under
take TO say that the violation Of the
law in regard to working ahead Of
the air contributed to the explosion,
because the explosion took place
near a break through How far
or to what extent the disregard Of
the law in this mine contributed TO
the explosion and the loss of life.
this committee cannot now say The.
grossest negligence in the opinion Of
the committee that was practleed at
this mine by the department Of
mines and the operating company,
was to permit the men to gosin thGt
part OF the mine and begin work,
which was not affected by the .first
explosion. There cannot be any ex-
cuse on the part OF either the oper-
ator or the department for permit
ting the miners to enter this part Of
the mine that was not affected by
the first explosion until the mine
had been carefully examined and
found to be safe from latent dangers.
1t seems to the committee as proof
that neither the department nor
the operator are fully awake 10 the
dangers surrounding them.
"The chief Of the mine depart
ment and many Of the operating
companies have pteparedsa. billg and
submitted 1t to the legislature in
many instances modifying the pres
ent law. This l,tll is NOT approved or
disapproved by the committee.
There are somes features in the bill
which II enacted into law would
tend to minimize the dangers latent
In every mine. While there are 9TH
er provisions II the bill that seem
to the committee to awaken the de-
partment. The shot firing provided
for by the bill unquestionably would
be a good thing but unless mine
a =
foreman should prove himself to be
different than mine foremen have
been in the past, 1t seems to the
committee that 1t would be very
dangerous to allow him to permit
shooting off the solid instead of the
mine department. allowing ii. u
II greater responsibility were thrown
upon the operator then it would not
he necessary to Increase the depart
ment in numbers. The matter sug-
gested in the bill requiring mine fore
men to be examined and to be man
OF experience and skill in their reg
ular line is good provision, pro-
ytded that the responsibility be !
thrown upon them and provided fur |
Their that it Is guarded so as not to |
lessen the liability of the operator by
making them state officers. There
are other provisions of the bill that
do not appeal to the committee.
The committee closes its report
by declaring the problem great
one. but gives It as its opinion that
during times of shooting the men
must be removed from danger or the
operators must assume the risk. and
they should adopt such methods Of
safety as judgment and skill may
devise.
TWO MONTHS PAY
BEFORE WORK STARTS