1873 - Old Forge Coal Mines

52 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
do any other act whereby the lives or the health of persons, or the security
of the mines or the machinery, is endangered ;
or any miner having charge
of a working place in any coal mine or colliery, who shall neglect or refuse
to keep the roof thereof properly propped and timbered, to prevent the
falling of coal, slate or rock, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment and fine at the discretion
of the court.
Live Stock Amendment.
That any engineer who leaves his work without giving due notice of the
same, thereby endangering the lives of the live stock in the mines, shall be
fined not less than fifty dollars, nor more than five hundred dollars, and
six months' imprisoment.
Section 20. It shall be lawful for any inspector to enter, inspect and examine
any coal mine or colliery of his district, and the works and machinery
belonging thereto, at all reasonable times, by day or night, but so as not to
impede or obstruct the working of the coal mine or colliery, and to make
inquiry into and touching the state and condition of such coal mine or
colliery, works and machinery, and the ventilation of such coal mine or colliery,
and the mode of lighting or using lights in the same, and into all
matters and things connected with or relating to the safety of the persons
employed in or about the same ; and especially to make inquiry whether
the provisions of this act are complied with, in relation to such coal mine
or colliery ; and the owner or agent of such coal mine or colliery is hereby
required to furnish the means necessary for such entry, inspection, examination
and inquiry, of which the said inspector shall make an entry in the
record of his office, noting the time and material circumstances of the inspection.
Section 21. No person who shall act or practice as a land agent, or as
a manager, viewer or agent of any coal mine or colliery, or as a mining
engineer, or be interested in operating any coal mine or colliery, shall act
as inspector of coal mines and collieries under this act.
Section 22. It shall be the duty of each inspector to make an annual
report of his proceedings to the Governor of the Commonwealth at the
close of every year, in which he shall fully enumerate all the accidents in
and about the coal mines and collieries of his district, making in tabular
form those accidents producing death or serious injury to persons, and the
state of the workings of said mines, with regard to the safety of the working
men therein, and to the ventilation thereof; and the result of his labors
generally shall be fully set forth.
Section 23. The salaries of the inspectors of coal mines and collieries,
and the expenses of carrying into execution the provisions of this act, shall
be paid by the State Treasurer out of the treasury of the Commonwealth,
upon the warrant of the president judge of the court of common pleas of
Luzerne count} r , for the salaries of the inspectors for Luzerne and Carbon
counties, and upon the warrant of the president judge of the courts of
common pleas of Schuylkill county, for the inspectors for the counties of
Schuylkill, Columbia, Northumberland and Dauphin; and all mspectors
under this act shall reside in the districts for which they were appointed.
Section 24. That for any injury to persons or property occasioned by
any violation of this act, or any wilful failure to comply with its provisions,
b}^ any owner, lessee or operator of any coal mine or opening, a right of
action shall accrue to the party injured for any direct damage he may have
sustained thereby ; and in any case of loss of life by reason of such wilful
neglect or failure aforesaid, a right of action shall accrue to the widow and