Tank's Poetry
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united states mine rescue association
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Tank's Poetry |
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The law requires operators to prepare and keep in their offices, correct maps of all the headings, cross-headings, rooms, drains, and shafts connected with their mines. The object of the law is to protect the lives of miners, and if its provisions had been strictly complied with, this accident could not have occurred; consequently somebody blundered. The writer of this was frequently in the Franklin mine with the late James R. Cameron, while that gentleman was superintendent, and also with the district mine inspector. Mr. Cameron's large map, shown to the writer many time each year during the progress of the mine work in Franklin was supposed to be correct to a quarter of an inch or less. Previous to the great suit with the Houtz heirs, some of the most eminent engineers in the county re-measured and thoroughly investigated Mr. Cameron's work. Don St. George Fraser also prepared a large map of the mine for Houtz heirs and his work was critically examined and re-measured by the ablest experts that could be obtained in the country. All this engineers testified to the facts in the Huntingdon Court, among them Mr. Finely, present superintendent of the mine wherein the men lost their lives. The result of this blunder is a loss of four valuable lives, four wives made widows, and the children of as many families made orphans. Chance or accident prevented an increased number of victims. Men, who are appointed to responsible positions and splurge around on high salaries, ought to be held accountable for their negligence. A careful examination of the situation will show which of the maps was incorrect that of the old works or the new. The deceased:
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