The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-03-08


teal vein spaces are closely filled with
waste in the Slopes. in addition to
being heavily timbered | seriously
doubt that there is a mine in the
Cnhed States that uses thicker or
stronger timber supports than does
this property, and to demand any
closer protection in this respect would
practically put the property out of
business under normal metal prices.
The principal trouble with. the
ground in this property is the fact
that ii is a closely sheared quart2ite
formation and ore gangue. Its stop
ing ground would be safer if it was
more intensely crushed or harder. 1t
carries an intermediate condition of
shabby walls and more or less crack
ed and blocky vein filling. The slopes
are worked in nine foot floors with
modified square set methods, using
cap timbers of choice red fir material
up to 30 inches in diameter, as the
side pressure of the walls affords the
heaviest strain on the timber. The
Slopes are kept filled with waste to
within one OF two floors of the back
all of the time. the filing seldom re-
manning lower than this excepting
hard safe conditions and then only
temporarily. The timbers are kept as
close to the stope face as possible,
and as soon as space is made by the
muckers for set. it is put in and the
back closely supported with heavy
cribs and posts from the top floor.
1t is barely possible that the ground
could be made more safely mined with
short shrinkage sub-levels, involving
very much less timbering but whe-
Their the extensive underground equip
ment and trackage involved in the
operation of the property would stand
such a method is questionable, and it
is hard to conceive how the company
can get away from or improve its
present close methods of handling the
operation with timber and waste fill
and stay in business. Below the No.
level the ground is heavy through
but the mine 1t is a ground condi
ton that does not involve any pros
pect of large mass falls, but a slow
creeping motion of the ground that
results in steady pressure and more
or less dribbling conditions before the
spaces can be protected by timbering.
Employers Liability Law.
The coming session of the Idaho
Legislature will doubtless be induced
to consider and pass an employers
liability and workmen's compensation
act. This is a law that is urgently
demanded by the mining and other !
hazardous industries of the state and /
am heartily in accord with its pur-
poses. 1t is a difficult piece of legis-
lation to create and be equitable to .
all interests concerned as there are
so many angles and influences and
to consider.
compensation law was passed at
the last session of the Montana legis-
lature: has been In full force and eff
feet for the past 20 months and, as
far as | can learn from discussing the {
measure and it's results with mine
employees and different interests con-
cerned in its operation. 1t has proven
decidedly satisfactory to the mining
feature Of the hazardous occupations .
In Montana These Montana condi-
tons of hazardous employment are
practically duplicated, but on a much
more limited scale, in mining in Ida
no, and ! think that the elaborate de-
tailed report of the operation of this
law for 20 months by the Montana
in charge of it's admins
ration could be very profitably stud
ed by the Idaho Legislature in franz
ng bill to fit the conditions precail-
ng in this state.
In connection with the mining in
lustry Of Idaho in framing such a
aw, regard should be had to the fact
hat more than SO per cent of the
mining enterprises of the state are
operated on development and nom
profit sharing basis. They pay good
wages as a partial tribute to the haZ-
lrds involved in the work, and any
.xacting demand made in this con-
lection would prove hardship on {
mall operators.
Appoint inspector.
If compensation law is passed it 8
viii probably involve putting the mine c
Inspection work under the control and d
perating cost of commission. and If q
mother proposed measure creating the G
flee Of state geologist for the more Il
cientific study and advertisement of
he states mineral resources-an in s
titution that has my unbiased en- a
orsement--is also created, there L
iould be no further use for the exist II
nee of this department after the f
resent term under its present form. {
he election ballot could be shortened a
D that extent and future mine in n
pectors appointed by the compensa- p
ion board. with the governors con-
emit $
If these suggested measures are a
OF passed and this department has e
D be carried on under the present il
oorly financed and mixed statutory y
blipat ionS I shall recommend that II