APPENDIX. IOWA STATE MINING LAW. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa: SECTION 1. That there shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, one State Mine Inspector, who shall hold his office for two years; subject, however, to be removed by the Governor for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Said inspector shall have a theoretical and practical knowledge of the different systems of working and ventilating coal mines, and of the nature and properties of the noxious and poisonous gases of mines, and of mining engineering; and said inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take an oath or affirmation to discharge the same faithfully and impartially, which oath or affirmation shall be indorsed upon his commission, and his commission so indorsed shall be forthwith recorded in the office of the Secretary of State; and such inspector shall give bonds in the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000), with sureties to the approval of the Governor, conditioned for the faithful discharge of his duty. SEC. 2. Said inspector shall give his whole time and attention to the duties of his office, and shall examine all the mines in the State as often as his duties will permit, to see that the provisions of this act are obeyed; and it shall be lawful for such inspector to enter, inspect and examine any mine in this State, and the works and machinery belonging thereto, at all reasonable times, by night or by day, but so as not to unnecessarily obstruct or impede the working of the mines; and to make inquiry and examination into the state and condition of the mine as to ventilation and general security as required by the provisions of this act. And the owners and agents of such mines are hereby required to furnish the means necessary for such duty and inspection, of which inspection the inspector shall make a record, noting the time and all the material circumstances; and it shall be the duty of the person having charge of any mine whenever any loss of life shall occur by accident connected with the workings of such mine, or by explosion, to give notice forthwith by mail or otherwise to the inspector of mines, and to the coroner of the county in which such mine is situated, and the coroner shall hold an inquest on the body of the person or persons whose death has been caused and inquire carefully into the cause thereof, and shall return a copy of the verdict and all testimony to said inspector. No person having a personal interest in, or employed in the management of, or employed in the mine where a fatal accident occurs, shall be qualified to serve on the jury impaneled on the inquest. SEC. 3. Said inspector while in office shall not act as an agent or as a manager or mining engineer, or be interested in operating any mine, and he shall annually, on or before the first day of January, make a report to the Governor of his proceedings, and the condition. and operations of the mines in this State, enumerating all accidents in or about the same, and giving all such information as he may think useful and proper, and making such suggestions as he may deem important as to further legislation on the subject of mining. lars SEC. 4. Said inspector shall receive a salary of fifteen hundred dolper annum, to be paid in quarterly installments, and he shall have and keep an office in the State House at Des Moines in which shall be kept all records and correspondence, papers, apparatus and property pertaining to his duties, belonging to the State, and which shall be handed over to his successor in office. SEC. 5. Any vacancy occurring when the Senate is not in session, either by death or resignation, removal by the Governor or otherwise, shall be filled by appointment by the Governor which appointment shall be good until the close of the next session of the Senate, unless the vacancy is sooner filled as in the first section provided. SEC. 6. There shall be provided for said inspector all instruments necessary for the discharge of his duties under this act, which shall be paid for by the State, on the certificate of the inspector, and shall be the property of the State. SEC. 7. The agent or owner of every coal mine shall make or cause to be made, an accurate map or plan of the working of such mine on a scale of not less than one hundred feet to the inch showing the area mined or excavated. Said map or plan shall be kept at the office of such mine. The owner or agent shall on or before the first day of September, 1880, and annually thereafter, cause to be made a statement and plan of the progress of the workings of such mine up to said date which statement and plan shall be marked on the map or plan herein required to be made. In case of refusal on the part of said owner or agent for two months after the time designated to make the map or plan or the addition thereto the inspector is authorized to cause an accurate map or plan of the whole of said mine to be made at the expense of the owner of thereof, the cost of which shall be recoverable against the owner in the name of the person or persons making said map or plan. SEC. 8. After six months from the passage of this act it shall not be lawful for the owner or agent of any coal mine operated by shaft or slope to employ more than fifteen persons at one time to work therein or permit more than fifteen persons at one time to work in such mine, unless there are to every seam of coal worked in such mine two separate outlets separated by natural strata of not less than fifty feet in breadth by which shafts or outlets distinct means of egress must be always available to afford easy escape from such mine in case of explosion, cavings or falling in of either shaft. But, in case of mines operated as in this section first provided, if in the judgment of the inspector an additional shaft is deemed necessary then the same shall be provided, subject, however, to the decision of the circuit court of the county in which the mine is situated. SEC. 9. All mines hereafter opened shall be allowed one year to make outlets as provided in section 8 when such mine is under two hundred feet in depth, and two years when such mine is over two hundred feet, but not more than twenty men shall be employed in such mines at one time until the provisions of section 8 are complied with, and after the expiration of the periods above mentioned should said mines not have the outlets aforesaid they must reduce their number to fifteen persons. SEC. 10. It shall be the duty of said inspector to see that all coal mines are well and properly ventilated, and that such quantities of supplied to the miners at their several places of working in each mine as is requisite for their health and safety. air are The ventilation required by this section may be produced by any suitable appliances, but in case a furnace is used for ventilating pur 197898 |