The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-08-25


ersces in their Joint agreement BY
dividing the stale into fouro or iiye dis.
tricts; each idistrict has as near as
Il possible within Its boundary alike
natural conditions. and these condi,
lions are taken into considerable.
when they form scale Of wages for
the men employed therein. For SINH
lar reasons, natural conditions, such
as the depth OF The coal from the. sur
face, the character OF the strata over
lying IL, and also other important
things should all be taken into consid-
eration in making a law to govern the
manner and the number OF escapes to
be made in the mines of our state.
/ THE average depths of shafts in
1.-THE second inspection district will
probably not exceed ninety feet, and
the strata through which they have
been put down. is not difficult to pene-
trate. Very near the same conditions
prevail in a large portion of the first
and part of the third inspection dis
trict, and partly because of this fay
torable natural condition it gives me
great pleasure to report that in the
last two years, some of the operators,
having extensive mines, have con-
structed more than one escape shaft
to their mines. Some mines have two
land others have three escape ways
besides the hosting shaft. Not only
does this make their mines safer and
better ventilated, but they find it alsd
less expensive method than to keep in
repair long passages. / take no cred.
it for the existence of some of these
escape shafts, for they were the vol
Euntary acts of the operators them.
selves, and wish hereby to commend
them for their gooG example.
\ Necessary as escape ways are to
a mine, it Is we'll for both operators
land miners to remember that the
safety of men should not be left en-,
tirely to the efficiency of one or two
escape ways. Greater care should be
Exercised to arrange the mine both
below and on the surface for the safe
Ety of lives. Better fire-proof TOP
works and buildings should be erect
led, and these so placed as far as it is
practical, SO that one would not en-
danger the other in case of fire. With
an improvement along this line, as
well as better kept travelling way
leading to the escape ways, the de
mand nor the need of more escape
ways would not be as great.
Telephones.
Il wish to commend those opera
tors that have installed telephones in
their mines, and to recommend that
those that have not, operating mines
of similar size, be required to do so;
SO that in case OF danger, men could
be notified at once and be able to gel
out of the mine in the least possible
time, or, in case OF injury to any oil
the men below, physicians and aid
could be hurried to the place, or be
in readiness on the surface. Prompt
mess has often prevented serious re
suits, and our mine operators should
mot withhold fromeeur mines such
a swift and useful invention as the
10
and are entitled to them, as much as
our homes and offices. Every device
that can be put into practical use
should be adopted for the protection
of human lives, and the installation
of phones in our mines has proved
very efficient and a great saving in
more ways than one, and had the
scene of a mine disaster a few months
ago, been equipped with mine phones,
it is reasonable to presume that many
lives would have been saved.
Recommendations.
| "Other important additions and
changes are needed in our mining law
in order to keep up with the progress
of mining, to better protect lives and
property and to render the service OF
the mine inspector more efficient to
the state and the coal industry; such
as tho
| ~ The prohibition, or the regula,
ton of gasoline engines and gasoline
oil in mines. "
| 90 The admitting of acetylene
lamps with certain regulations as law,
full light in mines.
| CD That the state oil inspectors
be required to enter the different coal
mines of the state frequently, to in.
spect the oil used in them for illum,
mating purposes. E.
(4) The prohibition of thawing dy.
Mantle in the mine by any person
while men are at work in the mine.
t5) The location, the material to
be used in constructing, and the
equipment of underground stables, be
subject to the approval of the inspec-
tor before their installation.
(6) The places where road grade
necessitates sprays or brakes to be APP.
piled or removed should have clear
level width of not less than two and
one-half feet between the side of the
car and the rib or timber, to allow the
driver to pass his trip safely and keep
lclear of the cars at such places.
a. The maps OF mines to be made
by competent surveyors and to have
the certificate OF the person making
1.-THE survey acknowledged before no
Itary public or justice OF the peace,
that the map is correct and showing
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