The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-02-16
Also Some Of the inspectors
Are Incapable Say the
Investigators


az charlie seoolss smith.
CHA heb. \
po III the special mine Inv
ating oommltte e, apbotat 10y 4
speeial net III the egisiatlifs
A the last regular ses Sion, January
Il i9Q7 was unlimited today % bptil
branches OF the legisla tsire. The
commits lion IS composed Of Senator
Thomas Garland chairman senaS
tor Kidd, and Delegates A. y !. aIitrh=
en-, . a. strcRling and N. K, DUTY,
covering the Recommendations fpr
new legislation recommended by
i the commission accom- panied the re-
| port. The main features Of the ~
| port follow:
I'm investigating the mining de;
paafment Of the state We are forced
to the conclusion that 1t Is very In
1ieficient. We do not belieye thai
any protection can wen report from
an occasional inspection Of the
mines: say, every three or four
4 months, and from the report made
ito rs II IS decidedly unusual for 4
mime to be inspected more than once
eyesy three, orafopr months.
4 In the interval between these IN
spections the work may be done ii
l'ang way the operators hoping 70
correct any violations OF the law
I'm their present workings before
the time OF another visit from the
Inspector. Hence. in order for the
inspections to be made sufficiently
1 often to he a protection and hene-
lat to the mining industry and to
1.-THE saving Of lives of the miners, 1t
| will be necessary to add largely to
the present corps OF inspectors aud
| it would further be OF advantage II
that corps should be subject to such
examinations as viii prove their ca
pacity and efficiency TO fiji the post
lions to which they are appointed.
Whether the inefticiencyE Of the
corps at this time issdue to the want
OF number alone, we would not say
but from the representations Of the
chief of the department.. We believe
that there are a number OF inspectors
who are not capable Of exercising
that Judgment and ability which
should belong to one occupying such
an important position
The commission again refers TO
the inefttciency of the mine depart
ment and almost fixes the responsi-
bility of the recent Lick Branch ex-
plosion, upon members of the de-
partment, when 1t says:
''on the 2sth of December, 1908.
there was an explosion local in char
acter, attended with great loss OF
life. In what is known as the Lick
Branch mine of the Pocahontas Col
lion Company. situated in McDow-
/, ell county. Again, on the 18th
day of January, 1909, there occur
red another explosion in the same
mine {" !" From former reports
made by the deputy mine inspector,
as we'll as the testimony OF different
individuals. this mine has been con-
sidered very safe, and on the partic-
ular instance leading to this second
explosion. the men had been placed
to work in this mine under the perl
mission Of the state mine inspector
ard deputy Inspector who, having
complied their inspection on the 5th
day OF January preceding the explo-
sion, announced that the work could
be. resumed in it. !" Inasmuch
as the explosion on the 29th Of De-
cember had failed: to reach the work
ings known az ':new miner that 1t
abundant evidence that the condi-
tions had materially changed at the
time OF the second explosion on; the
18th of January, and should not
have been overlooked by those
whose duty It was to care for the
safety Of the men in the mines"
Explosions.
In dealing with the subject Of ex-
ploslons. the commission has mede a
strong argument in. which it shows
that the causes Of such disasters
are many, and that it Is not an easy
matter to determine without great
research. what the actual cause OF
an explosion may have been.
The commission reiterates its re-
port made as d preliminary last win
ter in regard to the Monongah ex-
/ nlnsinn n, fInn 1r.ir,r,.,,,t al