Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the anthracite and bituminous ...

No. 12.] Eighth Bituminous Distkict. 489
their services sometimes by the day, at a rate very Httle above what is
paid usually to inside company men. Y/hether this is true or not, I can-
not say, but one thing- is certain the wages of mine-bosses are no higher
now than they were previous to 1885, when a certificate was not required
; but as a rule the mine-bosses of the present day are certainly
men of greater capabilities than those found in these positions previous
to 1885. It is reasonable to suppose that men who have had the
requisite practical experience, and have g-iven years of study asAvell, to the
theory of mining, would be better men from the standpoint of economy
and safety than men who have their own experience only to give, or
men who have nothing but theory, or, in other words, the man who has
both " practice and theory " is a better man than he who has but "practice
" or "theory," and if he is a better man he ought to be worth more
money. The claim of some operators therefore that certificated men
are " book learned " men and are in consequence poor bosses is based
upon truth, but operators expect too much from mine-bosses.
They expect them to be first-class miners, good track-layers, drivers,
blacksmiths, carpenters, weigh bosses and clerks, that they should be
g-ood mining- engineers. That their knowledge of pumps and ma-
chinerj'^ should be perfect ; they are expected to be able to select from a
drove, a mule that will give entire satisfaction, and to know that the
grain and hay bought for the stock is first-class; they are expected to
understand human nature thoroughly, for, as a rule, they are responsible
for the conduct of the men they hire, and if the mine-boss does not
come up to these requirements, he is no good. Oftentimes the real du-
ties of the mining-bosses are performed by some one else, while they are
making themselves the slaves of the operators by attempting to fill the
places of a half dozen men. The Inspector sometimes finds him laying
track, dumping coal, oiling cars, picking- slate, breaking- in green mules, and
at doing- other such jobs, instead of attending- to the proper working of
the mine, looking well after the ventilation and drainage of the same,
and the safety of the men employed therein. He should consider that the
law holds him responsible for these things, and not for doing- jobs that
the company should pay other men for. While the mine-boss who has
but few men to look after, maj^ be of much service to his employer in
making himself generally useful, he should not devote his entire attention
to any one job for any length of time, for while he may be thus eng-aged
something- may occur which would cost the company much more
than the value of the labor he performs. Just how to ascertain by an
examination whether or not a man will make a good mining-boss, is
something that the examining boards have not yet ascertained, for with a
written examination, as the law requires, it is impossible to find any thingout
concerning- a man's executive ability. Greater discretion should be
g-iven the board, so that they may find out in their own way if the