The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-04-20
MINE SAFETY BILL IS
PASSED BY THE Senate
Measure Adopted Finally In Upper
Branch After Beidleman Amends It
So as to Mako Certain Of Placing
Responsibility on Operators

The Catlin bill to provide for the
safety and health of persons employed
IN and about the anthracite coal mines
OF Pennsylvania passed thinf reading
in the Senate this morning, after that
body had amended 1t to make the own
er or operator of the mine the respon-
sible party in case Of accident and not
the mine foremen. This was done to
fix responsibility under the workmen g
liability law.
This is the bill that provoked the
scene in the Senate between Senators
McNichol and Thompson some time ago
| when the latter endeavored to have it
sent back to the Committee on Mines
and succeeded. Last night the bill
was re-reported from the Committee on
Mines, but it was, in the opinion Of the
miners, ambiguous and sought to place
responsibility on owners and operators
of mines only in case the workmen IS
compensation bill passed, otherwise
the mine foremen were again to be the
parties responsible in case of accident.
When the bill was reached this
morning Mr.. Beidleman, Dauphin, asked
to have it amended. To this Mr..
Thompson objected. By viva voce
vote the Senate then went into Com
mittee of the Whole, with Senator
Sproul in the chair. Beidleman at once
offered his amendments which cut out
the alleged ambiguous language and
fixed responsibility on mine owners and
operators under all circumstances.
In support of his amendments he
made a speech in which he maintained
that his action was for the purpose of
bringing the miners under the work
mems compensation act.
Thompson held that the bill as re-
ported by him protected the miner.
This was denied by Beidleman who
held that the bill as reported was not
mandatory but optional and did not
affond protection.
Senator McNichol held that the bill
should be so drawn as to leave no room
for doubt as to where the responsible
ity ought to be placed, and there should
be no evasion or undermeaning to de-
stroy its force.
The Senate then, by standing vote
of 81 to 10, in Committee Of the
Whole, adopted the Beidleman amend
ments, and later in open Senate the
bill as amended passed third reading.
Bills were introduced in the Senate
as follows:
Sproul-Appropriating $4,000 to
the Pennsylvania Historial Commits
sion for replica of the Houdin statue
of Washington.
Phipps-Directing the State Water
Supply Commission to improve the
channel of the Shenango river at
Sharon.
Burke-Forbidding railroad COM
panies from operating freight trains
more than one-half mile in length un-
der penalty of from 500 to $500;
also appropriating $4,000 to the First
Allegheny Day Nursery.
Bills recalled from the Governor
for amendment were passed finally as
follows:
Regulating the practice of optometry
in this State.
Regulating containers in which are
sold vegetables, grapes and fruits.
Among bills passed finally as fol-
lows:
Providing that bottles or jars for
milk or cream shall be measures within
the provisions Of the containers act of
1918.
Providing for the conversion OF CO.
operative banking associations into
banks of discount.
fixing penalties for the violation of
the weights and measures law of 1911.
Regulating through the Commission
er of Labor and Industry the business
of assisting employees to obtain en-
ployes
Providing for the payment on bonds
required of public officers.
The bill to place party names on the
ballot according to the vote cast at
the last geenral election instead of the
last Presidential election, which was
recalled from the House last night, was
reconsidered by the Senate and then
recommitted to the Committee on Elec-
tions.
At 1.50 p. m. the Senate adjourned
until tomorrow morning at 10 Clock,
after clearing its calendar of bills on
first and second reading.