1898 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

244 REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF MINES. Off. Doc.The cofliery started to work again in full force on August 16. theventilation of the lower levels being ample if they were attended to,and kept up to the working faces as they were being advanced.At the same time that the injunction proceedings began, the Inspectoralso preferred charges against the superintendent, AbednegoReese, James Smith, the inside foreman, and John H. Russell,boss, as being negligently guilty of an offence against the provisionsof the sixth paragraph of section 2 of article 10, of the AnthraciteMine Law, whereby a dangerous accident might have resulted toihe persons employed at said mine or colliery, and warrants wereissued for their arrest.fireThese cases were brought before the courtat the conclusion of the hearing of the injunction case on June 22.The defendants i)lead guilty and recjuested to have the charges withdrawn,agreeing to pay the costs, and would promise the court thathereafter they would comi)ly with the mine law. The Inspector agreeingto this, the Hon. Richard 11. Koch, A. L. J., issued the foUow^ingorder:"And now, June 22, 1898, the defendants within named ap])earedopen court and agreed to comply with the mine lawsbefore me inof this Commonwealth, whereupon the prosecutor withdrew thecharge and the defendants wei'e discharged."The prosecution of these officials w^as the result of their neglectto comply with the mine law, for which in many instances they weredirectly responsible, and which could not be charged to their superiors,and, to impress on them that while not wishing to interferewith their duty to their employer, they also had a duty to ])ei'-form to the State and to the men under their charge, whose hcallhand safety tliej' were responsible for.ofArbitration.At the Marion colliery, shortly after ithad been taken possessionby the Marion Coal Company, the ventilating fan was connectedto the top of the Little Tracy vein slope to avoid repairing the upcastairway which is in the Little Tracy vein west of the slope, andwas then being used. This arrangement caused this slope to be\he main u])cast,and caused the i)umps and pumpmen to be in thereturn airway, the air cunciit iu wliich was traveling at a veryhigh velocity, and was liable (o l>e charged with explosive gas at anytime. I objected to this anaiigenienl, as I did not consider it safefoi- the men woikiiig in liic lower lills, as Ihere have been manyi?istances on record in liiis icgion where suddtii oulbursis of gas arefre(]uent, where explosions Iuinc occuiicd by the gas being ignitedin the upcasts or rehiiii airways, wliere safety lani]>s w