The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-01-04
REST TR|CT
EXPLOSIVES
IN MINES
GOVERNMENT WILL SAFEGUARD
LIVES or MINERS - ORDERS
GOVERNING MINING ON seq
RE6ATEp LANDS.

Washington, Jan. 3. Recommends
tions of the commissioner of In
dian affairs and the director of tn
bureau of mines, requiring the use o
permissible explosives in the Goa
and asphalt mines on the segregate,
coal and asphalt lands belonging t
the Choctaw and Chickasaw nation!
| In Oklahoma, or, in lieu thereof, tn,
use OF an electric shot firing system
operated from outside the mine. be
came effective Jan. l, under approva
OF Secretary Lane OF the interior de
partment. The order was origi-
nally made effective Aug. / last, but
suspended until Jan. to permit
demonstration of permissible explos
ives in Oklahoma by engineers OF
the bureau of mines, and for investi-
cation of the use of electrical shot
firing system, with especial reference
TO Oklahoma conditions. A state
ment issued by the department de-
clares the order has in view in
creasing the health and safety OF
miners and protecting the property
interests of Indian lessons against
damage by mine explosions or fires
Conducted Many Experiments.
During the fall the bureau of mines
conducted experiments in twelve typ
teal coal mining operations out OF
the forty four coal mines on segre-
gated lands and made exhaustive
study of electrical shot firing sys-
tens. A statement from the de-
partment says:
After thorough consideration Of
this order in all its bearings, both as
regards the miners. operators and
Indian lessons, IL is ordered that the
same be made effective Jan I, and
that the representatives of both the
operators and the miners be ad-
vised that the bureau of mines, !
through its local representative at |
Nc Alester, Okla, will receive and |
act upon individual applications from
the operators for an extension OF |
time within which to take steps TO |
comply with the terms of such order |
A liberal time will be allowed for
this purpose, so that no undue hard |
ship will be imposed
This recommendation is based |
upon the following considerations:
"First-The depressed financial |
which makes it difficult |
'or the coal companies TO raise any |
extensive amount of money at the
present time in order to install min
ng machinery. which should be done
n order to use permissible eXplos
YES to the best advantage.
Second - The fact that electric
power is not available at present 10
| considerable number of the oper-
ltors and that it will necessarily take
ome time before suitable arrange
nents to this end can be made
Under Keen Competition.
"Third-The operators on segre-
,ated lands are subjected to a very
,een competition with the coal pro-
luced in the non-union mines of Ar
,ansas and Colorado. where mining
osts are lower and also with the
oal mines in Oklahoma on the non
egregated lands. which are peculi-
rly favored with respect 10 absence
# gas and better working conditions.
he market for the coal produced
rom the segregated land is also very
much restricted by means of great
Increases in the production OF oil
nd natural gas in Oklahoma, with
which, on the score of cheapness and
Efficiency in use, coal can not com
ete
"FOurth-The change in explosives
iill probably compel readjustment
f the understanding with the miners
Nth reference 10 working conditions,
nd reasonable time should be al
owed for the working out of sat
'factory arrangement, without caus-
lg undue hardships to either side
r reducing the royalty returns TO
he Indians