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

124 Reports of the Inspectors of Mines. [No. 10,
Rules for the Government of Mines and Miners.
Rule 1.—Engineers having charge of fans used for ventihition must
keep the fans running at their regular speed during the night as during
the day. The dangerous and inexcusable custom of " slacking up the
speed of fans during the night" must be discontinued. By running tlie
fans at their regular speed, as hereby required, it will in a great measure
prevent the accumulation of gas in the workings during the night, and
will do away with the uncalled for custom of "brushing out the gas"
every morning before work is commenced.
Rule 2 The mine boss, or his assistants, must go through the mines
each day, after the day's work is finished, to see that the "air-ways are un-
obstructed," and that the " doors are all closed, &c.," as the law requires.
Rule 3.—The workmen must not be allowed to enter the mines gener-
ating explosive gas in the morning until the "mine boss, or his assistants,"
shall have " carefully examined the woi'kings," nor xintil '" the cause of
danger, if any exist, shall be removed."
Rule 4.—The workmen under no circumstances whatever are to be
allowed to enter their working places to " brush out the gas." The gas
must be cleared away before they are allowed to enter, by the mine boss,
or his assistants.
Rule 5 The mine boss must, in all cases, provide an adequate amount
of pure air, and conduct the same " to the face of each and every working
place throughout the entire mine to dilute the gas, &c.," and to carry it
oft*. If tliis is attended to the necessity of " brushing out the gas " will
never exist, and it never should exist.
Handling Powder.
Rule fi.—The sale of "cartridge powder" to workmen, unless it is en-
cased in wooden or metallic boxes, must be discontinued. Canvas bags
and paper wrappings are not safe, and must not be used.
Rule "7.— The miners must provide themselves with boxes to hold their
powder, &c., in the mines, said boxes to have close covers, and to be placed
away from the roadsides, and no one should be allowed to approach those
boxes for any purpose whatsoever with a lighted pipe, nor a lighted lamp.
A place, three or four yards away from the box, should be prepared to
place the lamp when the box is approached.
Rule 8.—Any miner who may be so reckless as to force a cartridge into
a hole with the butt end of a drill, should be discharged at once. No
careful and competent miner will ever thus court death to himself and
those who may be around him.
Rule 9.—Where cross-headings or entrances are driven through pillars,
the party firing a blast in such entrance must be sure to give warning to
those working on the opposite side of the pillar, giving them ample time
to find a place of safety, before he shall dare to fire his blast. Diff'erent