Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the anthracite coal regions of ...

Ex. Doc] Reports op the Inspectors of Mines. 91
places ou alternate daj'S, or perhaps only twice a week, and then by simply
looking at them ? Can he do it by simply calling the attention of the
miner in charge of a working place to the danger, (if by chance he dis-
covers any,) and leave it optional with him whether he makes the place
secure or not ? Can he do it by spending his time with gun and dog,
hunting on the surrounding mountains ? Or, am I mistaken in relation to
the nature of the duties of mine bosses under this section of the law ?
Does the law mean that there is any responsibility resting upon a mine
boss ? As I understand it, these duties are mandator}^: " He shall keep
a careful -watch over * * * * the timberings ; to see, as the miners
advance in their excavations, that all loose coal, slate, or rock overhead is
carefully secured against falling, &c." The law does not say he mai/ do
this if it suits his convenience ; but he shall do it, and do it carefully ;
and if he neglects or refuses to do it, or any other duty provided for and
required to be performed by this act, the penalty is " imprisonment and
fine, or either, at the discretion of the court trying the same."
And I contend further, that this neglect and refusal on the part of mine
bosses to perform the duties devolving upon them under the law, in most
all cases, is willful, and hence, in the highest degree, criminal. There are
cases, however, where the mine bosses cannot perform these duties prop-
erly, because they have too large an area of workings under their charge,
but there are only a few cases of this kind. They never complain of this,
but I am sorry to find mine bosses, with a few exceptions, with one accord
excusing themselves for not enforcing the law relative to propping. They
say that they are employed and paid by the companies to look after their
interest, and not as watchmen over the " health and safety of the men em-
ploj'ed in the mines ;" that the inspectors should not hold them responsi-
ble ; that they are answerable and responsible only to their employers ;
that they cannot prevent all accidents, therefore, it is useless to try to prevent
any; and that if they attempted to enforce the law, the workmen
would call them tyrants, and, hence, the workmen must take care of them-
selves, without any assistance from them. I have been met with all these
lame excuses until I am sick at heart when forced to listen to them ; and
I have thought many times that it was high time to convince our mine
bosses that they are responsible to the law, as well as to their employers,
and that they have " the health and safety of the men employed in the
mines" to watch over, as well as the interests of the operators and corporations,
and if they give no other cause for the workmen to call them
" tyrants " than by compelling them to keep their working places in a safe
condition, they can sleep with quiet consciences. The workmen, instead
of calling them " tyrants " for doing their duty, will honor and respect
them. Good discipline is not t3a-anny, but an invaluable blessing to all
concerned, and an absolute necessity if we desire to reduce the number of
deaths and serious accidents in our coal mines, and the untold misery and
suff'ering resulting therefrom.