United labor bulletin., 1910-12-29

!. part of miners and operators. !:
Victor c.. Anderson. president of the
State School of Mines: John B. Ekeley
professor of chemistry at the State uni
versity: James Dalrymple, state coal
mine inspector, and Prof. R. d. George
state geologist. the commission recently
appointed by Goyernor Shafroth to look
into the conditions in the coal mines
and to recommend laws to correct the
existing evils, made preliminary re
port Saturday
The connn5ssioa< zexaad -npnn q. set oI
recommendations that. II followed by the
next legislature will result in a vasi
improvement in the condition of fsthe Goa
miners The findings reported by the
commission. backed as they are with the
authority of leaders in their respective
professions and specialties. will. it is eN
pected. carry a great deal OF weight witt
the public and with the lawmakers.
Personal inspection was made of II
mines located in Boulder Las Animas
Huerfano. El Psso. Fremont and coun
ties on the Western slope Correspond
ence was also had with the mine bureaus
of Eastern and Middle Western states
and with national authorities. Acknowl
edgment is made of many helpful sug
gestions from these sources.
Going to the root of the matter in de
termining the general cause of the acci
dents, the commission assigns careless
ness as the principal factor. The miners
themselves are in large part TO blame
but the operators share the condemna
ton by failing to maintain any kind OF
discipline condition noticeable in al
most every mine we visited
To remedy this condition the employ
ment of a company Inspector is urged to
act as "lifesaver' and economic
agent" for the men In one mine where
such precaution las been taken the ex
perience of one year showed that the
wages of the inspectors were more than
paid by the saving in reduction of acci
dents, which decreased from ia to 60
with no fatalities. as against six the pre-
vious year
The establishment of coal mining
commission TO have general supervision
of the coal mining industry is recon-
mended. and they should have authority
to close down any mine where condi
tions are dangerous to health or safety
of the men. This commission should have
discretionary power. the report reads, tc
compel installation of safeguards suit
able for the needs of any particular
mine.
Oficial notice IS taken of the number
OF different nationalities represented In
the mines of the state and the Difficult
ties attending Instruction to Italians
Greeks. Poles. Japanese. Slavs. Austrians
and Hungarians. To overcome this 1t is
recommended that Institutes be estab
lished and lectures be given in the ma
tive tongue of the foreign workmen.
The present force of coal mine inspec
tors is inadequate to the needs of the in
4. ~ ,N~-r,fcufrv, f7r,dc N fc
recommended that the state be divided
into seven districts. with deputy in
spector for each district. Rescue and
first aid stations to be established al
convenient places are urged by the com
mission.
Great stress Is laid upon the necessity
for sprinkling. either by water main and
hose or from sprinkling cars. or both
"If the roof. floor and walls are thor
oughly washed DOWN and the resulting
mud Is removed. a large element of dan
ger is obviatedr the report reads.
shooting of The solid" is held to be
n hichiy dangerous form Of mining and
should be prohibited by law. except
however. where showing Is made that
only by such method can the coal be
mined. Then the commission should
have power to enforce strict regulations
for the safety OF the miners.
Considerable SPACE is devoted to the
question OF ventilation. The split-ail
system is urged as the most effective.
Maps should be provided in all cases
for the guidance Of the commissioners
and permission should be secured before
any properties may be worked,
Shot firing should be done only by II
censed shot firers. All repositories fol
powder and other explosives. stables
storage rooms. harness shops. engine
room and oil houses should be construct