1898 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

xli ANNUAL REPORT OP THE Off. Doc.lieve would, to a greater extent if it were not for the fact that themine foremen are under men who give them their orders and sharenone of their responsibilities. In times such as the present in thecoal business, with ruinous competition, small margins of profit andoften no margin at all,do things and take chances inmen who are not responsible are tempted toorder that they may make a profit,which, if they were held equally responsible with the mine foremen,they would not think of doing, and while there is no doubt that thisis done more frequently than it should be, those who do so are thelosers in the end. In the report of the Umpire mine disaster, toGovernor Hastings, it was said that it should be impossible for anyothers than those who had passed a satisfactory examination inthe science and practice of mining to hold positions as mine managersor superintendents. By some, this expression has not beenreceived with favor, notwithstanding the fact that countries wherecoal has been mined longer than it has here, have, by experience,rt'cognized the necessity of allowing none but men educated in the scienceand j)ractice of mining to hold positions as mine managers. Thisappears to be right, and it is true that the large companies are fromnecessity employing experienced and practical men to look aftertheir mining interests. A recent writer in the ^'Mining and ScientificPress" says, ''A superintendent should be a practical, experiencedman who knows what ought to be fairly expected from every manin the mine's employ, what every bit of labor ought to produce, not ina niggardly, stingy spirit, but with full realization of the fact thatai'ything and everything that costs money should produce money,that there should be no pets nor favorites, nor drones, nor soft jobs,&nd that every dollar should be spent as though it were his own. Hesiiould be able to do anything and everything in or about a mine,and then be careful not to do it, but surround himself with men whocan each attend intelligently to his particular duty. Such a man isworth considerable to his employers, and even at a high salary heis a. good investment. The greatest mistake a mining company cannialce is to suppose that because a man is sharp, or a good fellow,or has made a success at something else he can run a mine." One ofour most successful superintendents in a recent article Avritten forthe American Manufacturer says it is highly desirable Ihat the superintendentshould understand coal mining in all iis details, not somuch for what he may do himself, but in order that he may be able1o judge what his subordinates are doing.Through the several Tnsi)eetoi's of the biluniinons mines. in(iuiriesinto the methods of mining, haulage, v