The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1910-09-21
Is a Problem of Most Sc
2 rious Import
AFFECTING LIVES OF PEOPLE
Neglect of Proper Safeguards
In Mining Causes Many
Untimely Deaths.
A. MATTER ABLY DISCUSSED


Editors Herald:-fhe immense
loss of life in the coal mines of the
United States is so stupendous as to
excite the States where the business
prevails, to efforts seeking to AFFORD
some degree of efficient protection for
the underground worker, and II
seems time that Kentucky, with its
thousands OF coal miners, should take
some steps to prevent a recurrence OF
such horrible disasters as the one at
Browder last year, in which 35 min
ers were killed in as many seconds.
Notwithstanding the fact that
more men were killed and crippled
fl the mines OF the United States iast
year than were killed or wounded in
all the battles of the U. S. Army in
Cuba, the State of Kentucky has
made practically no provision for the
protection of its miners. Our min
ing laws are wholly inadequate and
ineffective. Under them the owner
of a mine may, and sometimes does,
expose the lives of hundreds of help
less workers to deadly damage, be-
cause it is cheaper to pay for a dead
coal miner than to fix up the mine
more profitable to settle for human
life than to protect the worker while
performing his work.
The Browder disaster is an illus
tration of the fact stated above.
quote from a certified copy Of the
report of the Inspector of Mines made
January 7th, 1908, concerning Brow
der mine:
81 want to call your special atten-
ton again to the fact that your mine
generates fire damp and also to the
dangerous condition in which the
mine is, by being very dry and
dusty"
Again on February 26, 1909, and
Just IL months before the fatal ex-
plosion, the State Inspector of Mines
notified the owners of Browder mine
as follows:
"No.9 is making some gas now and
It must be watched carefully. Must
be examined every day also. as all
the gas made by No. comes back
through the workings of No. IL, and
as you already had gas in No. IL, you
have more now.
OF course the unfortunate men
who worked in this mine did not
have such information and trusted to
the coal company for protection from
such danger,
After their trust was abused and
their lives sacrificed, their widows
and children were compelled to and
did accept $500 for each death claim
and half of that evidenced by
note of the Company.
So long as the proper protection
of the coal miners Of this State re-
mains so neglected and flesh and
blood so cheap. We may expect re-
currence of these disasters.
We are not unmindful of the fact
that many of the operators of Ken
tucky-in fact most of them-volun-
tarily safeguard their mines and pro-
tect their miners. The shame of 1t
is that some do not, and that an
alarming death rate results.
The writer has Just returned from
the investigation OF death claim
against an Illinois coal mining COM
pany, and found that In Illinois the
owner of mine is required to in
spect the air, roof and walls of each
and every room entry or other work
ing place, daily, and to placard the
room with danger signals, warning
the miner to keep out, II the roof is
bad or air dangerous. If the miner
is not so warned and an explosion
follows or the roof falls, the coal COM
pany is liable for the damages result
ing, without regard to the law of
assumed risk or contributory negli-
gence on the part OF the miner him
self.
Virtually the statute makes the
owner Of the mine pay for every in
jury resulting from unsafe place, pro-
vided the person injured had wife.
child or other person dependent upon
him.
AS result of this law, every miAe |
keeps competent Inspector or exam
liner who inspects each working place