The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-12-20
SPARE SCHOOLS
PLEA OF SENATOR
Twenty-First District Senator Explains
Opposition to Aiken Measure
Institutional Needed.

Senator E. T. Sorrels( delegate to
the constitutional convention and
member of the state senate from the
twenty-first district since 1907. has an
nounced his opposition to the Akin
bill, particularly on account of the
school of mines at Wilburton, which
he says should remain in the mining
district Senator Sorrels said:
"The thousands of miners in the
coal fields ooked with longing eyes to
the time when the Indian territory
would be merged into statehood, when
they might have laws passed relative
to mining coal. Having been a men,
ber of the constitutional convention
and each succeeding legislature, and
having lived, myself, in the coal fields
for a quarter of century, | know
whereof 1 speak.
"When matters were pending in the
constitutional convention and in the
legislature affecting their interests,
the miners telephoned, wrote, resolved
and came in person to see me about
legislation concerning their conditions.
above all was plea for a law that
would produce the greatest safety to
life and limbs in their avocation. They
pointed to the fact that nearly two
thousand men have been killed in the
last fifteen years in mines OF that
which is now the eastern part OF OK
lahoma. and at least twice that mum
ber have been crippled and manned
for life. They pleaded for law that
demanded technical knowledge ol
mine managers, superintendents, phi
bosses, hosting engineers, fire bosses
and all others holding the safety OF life
and limb in their hands. Hence, hun
dreds of men in the great coal fields
Of our state must pass technical ex
aminations in order to hold their posi-
tions.
Work Of Examiners.
"a board of mine examiners wa
created. and they have turned dowI
hundreds of applicants for positions OF
account of their failure to pass the re
euired examinations; and yet, th'
board freely admits that if they ha'
forced hard and rigid examinations
very few would have passed, for tn
reason that the miners of Oklahom'
mad not heretofore had the benefit 0
a school of mines, like the other grea
mining states of the union.
"The miners used to have our stat
create school Of miners, and locate
ii the mining field, in order that the
might equip themselves to intelligent
follow their vocation, and to undel
stand the management Of gases, fir
damp. ventilation and proper constru'
tion OF mines, involving mine eng
neering. Out OF their earnings the
sent delegation after delegation, an
finally induced the legislature to Great
such school.
"The school is located in the heal
of the mining district, and | have pc
sonal knowledge that the miners, frol
their humble earnings, donated q
meager sum of ten cents and upward
to maintain d campaign to induce Il
legislature to pass the bill, and SO d
4.
lighted were they in having the scho
established, that instead of giving tt
forty acres as they promised, the
bought sixty acres which is well worl
ten. thousand dollars
.sThe man who tries TO strike dow
this school, or injure It by moving
out Of the mining district, is strikii
at humanity. The school is not col
plete: the equipment has not been
up 1t has neither water or Ign
From all over the coal district com
the inquiry, When are you going
get ready?' Yet, with this conditio
the miners are crowding into 7
school,
colorado, with population OF ie
than a million has school OF min
with an attendance of several hundrt
...;4l, x,oorIxr f,vo million M