The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-09-03
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WOULD REVISE NINE LAWS.

OkIanOnd iOllN, Ohld., StI'l'
Revision of the state mining laws so
that district mine inspectors may be
appointed by the chief mine inspect
or, the official directly responsible for
the conduct of the department. in
place of their being elected by the
people is among the recommendation
by Chief Mine Inspector Boyle in his
annual report to Gov. Cruce. The
Inspector says the C0ns,l'1'iOn MAX
ers very wisely provided that mis- 10
stion should be filled by election n
the state at large, but that he should
have authority to remove for or with
out cause all district deputies, there
by nabling him to enforce the laws
without hindrance and to placa The
department upon a basis similar to
modern business enterprise
AS the department is constituted it
has three heads, but one of whi2h the
inspector says he controls. District
inspectors are not responsible to the
departmental chief. neither is the
examining board through which GER
tificates of competency are issued.
The state board is appointed by the
governor, two members of which shall
be coal miners, one hosting eng
neer, one civil engineer and one a
coal operator. They issue certif!-
/ Gates to mine superintendents, mine
foremen, fire bosses and hosting en-
gineers, and in order that he may
| better protect these employees as well
/ as those miners working under the
ground, the chief inspector recon-
mends that the board be placed un-
der his control. 1t should be within
the Inspectors authority, he says,
to remove any superintendent that
! fails to compel his foreman to keep
the mine in a lawful condition. The
| chief inspector should be chairman
of the board, and another member
/ should be one of the district depu-
ties.
The report says there are qualifi-
| cations that should govern the grant
/ ing of certificates to foremen, super
intendents, bosses and engineers, be-
side that of possessing technical AMI
practical knowledge. The main thing,
| he says, should be the applicant 5
general habits. which is a rule usual
/ ly invoked by successful business
concerns
II think that to better the mine
conditions in Oklahoma" says the re-
port. tine line should be drawn SO
that a man would not be allowed to
take charge of a mine as fire boss,
foreman or general superintendent
| unless he has a thorough knowledge
of the mining industry, and is familiar
with the unusual danger Oklahoma
mines offer; also that he should be a
man of high moral standard and of
the best of habits. No man through
friendship or relationship should be
allowed TO fill these responsible po-
sitions without having the qualifica-
tions mentioned, and he should be a
man with courage to do his duty un-
der the law. But how is this condi-
tiCn to be remedied with the board
appointed by the governor and the
board "a times cut of harmony with
| thee hief inspector, with no respOn-
sihility resting upon the board at any
stage of bad enforcement of the law.
The report charges that had fire
/ boss done his duty theNcCurtain dis
| aster would not have occurred. Ere
ouently the chief inspector receives
requests either from individual min
| ers or miners local unions for an in
vestigation of the condition of min
| ing property. He states that he makes
the examination and often finds the
mine not up to the legal standard for
safety. air, etc, and directs the mine
officials OF remedy the defects. These
instructions are sometimes disregard
| ed as soon as the chief inspector
| leaves town It is a fire boss duty
when he finds a property in danger
Gus condition to post notice to that
| effect "on top" a term miners use
for denoting the entrance Of the mine,
bat it is frequently the case that a
] superintendent will threaten the boss
with discharge If he does so.