u,.:- • - Clpdigital.org

44 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
little worK is accomplished, and, worse, the min­
er's constitution is ruined. Men can work in
atmosphere containing 4 per cent, of carbon dioxide,
and frequently it is necessary to even sur­
pass that. However, ii cannot be continued in­
definitely.
In mining, two parties are concerned in an un­
derstanding where a contract is implicated, if nol
signed, sealed, acknowledged and recorded. By
this contract both the miner and the oiierator are
to refrain from doing or leaving undone those acts
which would work injury to the other. Under
this contract, there is both a moral and a legal
obligation to furnish miners good, pure air. irre­
spective of statutory law. How many mine foremen
can hold their heads up with pride and say
that they can show that 75 to SO per cent, of the
total quantity of air is reaching the face workings?
How many mine foremen must hang their
heads with shame, and say that only 45 to 50
per cent, reaches the face of the working places?
It may not seem to be of any value to save this.
as it is only air; but we must not lose sight of
the fact that any air that is set in motion b.v
mechanical energy is at considerable expense to
the company, and if this air be allowed to escape
and get away, through bad doors and bad stoppings,
it is robbing the men of part of the air
they should be getting to support life. It is also
a financial loss to the company. I should advise
that at the mine that does not show 75 to SO per
cent, of the total air at the working faces the superintendent
and the foreman get their heads to­
gether and see if they cannot devise ways and
means whereby not less than this amount can be
obtained. As much of the mine as possible should
be used as the intake, and as much as possible
on return, only confining the air at the working
face; have as few stoppings as possible. By
having plenty of room for air in the air ways
you take off the pressure on what stoppings you
do have, consequently your loss would not be so
great. For the same reason, you would force
more water through a small pipe with a high pressure
than you could with a low pressure. The
same reasoning holds good in regard lo air and
stoppings. The smaller your air ways the higher
the pressure- the larger your air ways the lower
your pressure, and a smaller amount leaks through
your stoppings.
A mine foreman must understand the princi­
ples of ventilation; the properties of mine gases;
the effect of atmospheric changes in pressure:
the construction and use of safety lamps; the
principles of timbering, pumping, drainage, air
compression, electricity and mine machinery, in­
cluding coal cutting, hoisting and haulage. Under
these heads are many questions a mine foreman
should be able to answer promptly, without re­
ferring to text-books. A practical man should
be able to learn himself how to use text-books.
Again, a mine foreman should be rated accord­
ing to his fitness to handle men. A fire boss
sliould be subjected to a sight test, to ascertain
correctly the percentage of gas indicated by its
height, or the action of the flame; but mine rules
are lightly regarded by workmen and bosses alike,
and are enforced only when places can be quickly
filled by other employes.
The scarcity of miners is one of the drawbacks
in this field. With enforcement of mine regula­
tion without an enforced penalty for violation of
mine rules, they soon come to be lightly regarded.
There is a good deal of talk relative to insurance
of miners in regard to accidents. I do not see
why operators should be liable for recklessness
and carelessness on the part of some miners;
besides, the operator has no right to be held
responsible for any carelessness of the mine foreman.
The foreman is in part an employe of the
state, and is examined by the state, and then certified
by the state, to be a capable and practical
man. whom the operator hires upon these recom­
mendations. Then why should the operator
suffer? The only way that I can see is for the
government to collect a royalty from all the
mines—that is, the land owner—and then the
government pay to an accident fund; that is,
when it is proved to be an accident; but when
due to carelessness on part of the foreman or
miners themselves, it ought to be a state case,
and not the operator's case, as it is at the pres­
ent time. In case the operator interferes with
the foreman in regard to his duties, the operator
should then become liable.
I have noticed since I have been in this state
that West Virginia is very short of labor, and
that our requirements must be furnished from
abroad. 1 would urge upon all the operators of
this state to perfect some plan for the importation
of mine labor to supply pressing needs. After
this is done the real work will begin, and success
will depend upon the skill and patience of the
mine foreman, under whose direction these men
should be placed.
This state must become a training school for
unskilled labor, and we must assume a moral
responsibility for their protection. I find by the
reports that we are short 15,000 miners, so something
should be done to supply these men, and
it is up to the operators to get together and get
these men into the state, which would not only be
helping themselves, but would help their mine
foremen in the performance of the duties which
are expected of him in making the mine a paying
proposition.
There is one thing more I would like to men-