1898 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

No. 11. BUREAU OF MINES. ixhas been found that at many of the mines there were no instrumentswJth which to measure the air currents, and at many more they werein such bad repair as to be comparatively valueless. As soon as thiswas brought to notice, it was insisted that instruments be procured,and this has generally been done.While a large number of the accidents which have been reportedduring the year have been due to the carelessness of the injured, ther(,'Cords show that many of them could have been avoided if thosein authority had exercise the proper care and discipline in and aboutthe mines. As an illustration of this, at a coroner's inquest investigatingthe cause and circumstances connected with a fatal accidentfrom an explosion of gas, it was shown that coal oil and sometimesblack oil were used in safety lamps, notwithstanding that the minerules are that sperm oil should be used. It was also shown thatgas accumulated at the face because the brattice was defective.aiiSAver to a question, it was stated that the men who worked theplace were responsible. It is true that it was probably their dutyto carry the brattice along as their place advanced, but was it notmuch more the duty of the mine officials to- see that it was done,and done properly, especially when they knew the brattice was defective?Certainly it was. Other cases of a similar nature could becited. It appears from the reports sent to this office that 609 fataland 1,628 non-fatal accidents occured in and about the coal minesof this State during the year 1898. 250, or 41 per cent, of thefatal accidents were attributable to carelessness or violations ofthe mine laws, by the victims themselves. Of the 1,623 non-fatalaccidents, 700, or 43+ per cent, were attributable to carelessnessor violation of the mine laws by the injured. Judging from the reportsof the causes and circumstances connected with all the accidents,the number attributed to violations of the law is very conservativelystated. Can anyone study these figures and say that thelaw is all that could be desired? Does it not seem to be time that weshould refuse to allow selfishness or sentiment to further warp ourjudgment? Can we afford to stop at this critical point in the applicationof improvements? Restrictive measures, must be applied uponthe miners to stop their own suicidal attempts. If they are guiltyof a consummate contempt of danger, the owners cannot be "particepscriminis" inpermitting the risk.An article in the Mining Bulletin which to me appears in the lineof improvement, and which undoubtedly will tendInto minimize accidents,recommends that specific penalties be inflicted for each offence,which should be in the nature of fines imposed by simpleprocess of law, much as misdemeanors committed on the surface,are within the jurisdiction of a justice of the peace. If insteadof the general terms of punishment they may be made specific not