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

No. 12.] Fourth Anthracite District. 75
Examination of ArrLiCANTs for Certificates of Qualification for
the Positions of Mine Foreman and Assistant Mine Foreman
The act of Juno 3, 1891, made it unlawful for any person to act as
mine foreman or assistant mine foreman of any coal mine or colliery
unless he is " registered as holder of a certificate of qualification or service
under this act." This made it necessary for all who had obtained certi-
ficates under the act of 1885, to procure others under the act of 1891.
This act required also that every person acting- as assistant mine foreman
should be the holder of a certificate of qualification. For the purpose
of holding- the annual examination, the board of examiners of this
dictrict, consisting of G. M. Williams, Inspector of mines, W. A. Lathrop,
superintendent of mines, and John T. Lewis, miner, met on July
6, and continued in session for ten days for the purpose of examining ap-
plicants for said certificates. One hundred and twelve persons who held
certificates under the act of 1885, applied and were recommended to
have certificates under the present act. One hundred and eighty-one
were recommended to have certificates of qualification for assistant mine
foreman and twenty new applicants appeared before the board for examination
for certificates of qualification as mine foreman of which the
following ten were recommended to have certificates awarded them :
John Arnot (now-deceased),
Enoch Jones,
Henry D. Hughes,
A. Caswell,
Daniel B. Lewis,
James Koberts,
Thomas H. Picton,
John H. Evans,
William D. Morris,
Nanticoke.
William .T. Kees, Alden.
Wilkesbarre.
Plymouth township.
Plymouth township.
Plymouth.
Plymouth.
Plymouth.
Plymouth.
Plymouth.
The first named John Arnot was fatally injured in the disaster of
November 8, at the No. 1 shaft Nanticoke, and died during the succeeding
night.
Pillars Between Adjoining Properties.
Section ten of article three of the act of June 2, 1891, provides that, "It
shall be obligatory on the owners of adjoining coal properties to leave,
or cause to be left, a pillar of coal in each seam or vein of coal worked
by them, along the line of adjoining property, of such width, that, taken
in connection with the pillar to be left by the adjoining property owner,
will be a sufficient barrier for the safety of the employes of either mine
in case the other should be abandoned and allowed to fill with water
such width of pillar to be determined by the engineers of the adjoining
property owners together with the Inspector of the district in which the
;