TN 
 
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 Mining laws of the state of 
 Alabama 
 
 1911
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 The RALPH D. REED LIBRARY 
 
 C" 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
 
 MINING LAWS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 STATE OF ALABAMA 
 
 MONTUOMKRT, ALiBAMJ 
 
 AMD BIMDBHI
 
 MINING LAWS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 STATE OF ALABAMA

 
 Geology, 
 Library 
 
 TN 
 
 MINING LAWS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 STATE OF ALABAMA 
 
 No. 493.) AN ACT (H. 431. 
 
 To regulate the mining of coal in Alabama. 
 
 Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of 
 Alabama, That there shall be appointed by the 
 governor of Alabama an inspector of coal mines Appointment 
 for each two and a half million tons of coal mined an(1 term of 
 in the State, or majority fraction thereof, based ^ t e or s f i! 
 on the report of the tonnage mined for the pre- 
 vious years, compiled by the chief mine inspect- 
 or, one of whom shall be designated as chief mine 
 inspector and the others shall be designated as 
 associate mine inspectors, and one of them shall 
 be a mining engineer. Immediately upon the 
 passage of this act, the chief mine inspector and 
 one associate mine inspector shall be appointed 
 and shall hold office for three years, and as soon 
 as possible four associate mine inspectors shall 
 be appointed, two of whom shall hold office for 
 two years and two of whom shall hold office for 
 one year, and upon the expiration of their re- 
 spective terms of office, new appointments may 
 be made for terms of three years from the date 
 of each appointment and until his respective suc- 
 cessor is appointed and qualified. The object 
 being, hereafter to appoint as near as practicable 
 one-third of the inspectors each year. 
 
 Sec. 2. The salary of the chief mine inspector Salary 
 shall be three thousand ($3,000.00) dollars per 
 annum, and the salary of each of the associate 
 mine inspectors shall be two thousand (|2,- 
 000.00) dollars per annum. 
 
 817675
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Bond may be 
 required. 
 
 Report to gov 
 ernor. 
 
 Qualifications 
 for chief in- 
 spector. 
 
 Associates. 
 
 Unlawful to 
 have other em 
 ployrnent. 
 
 Duty to ex- 
 amine coal 
 mines, etc. 
 
 Sec. 2 1-2. That the governor of this State 
 may require the chief mine inspector to execute 
 bond payable to the State of Alabama in such 
 sum as the governor may determine with condi- 
 tion that he will faithfully discharge the duties 
 of his office and will account for, properly dis- 
 tribute and pay over all funds coming into his 
 hands as license fees collected from applicants 
 for certificates from the board of examiners or 
 otherwise. It shall be the duty of said chief 
 mine inspector to report annually to the gover- 
 nor the amount of money received by him from 
 such applicants or otherwise and show the dis- 
 bursement thereof, and at the expiration of his 
 term of office, pay over any moneys in his hands 
 as such to his successor in office. 
 
 Sec. 3. The chief mine inspector shall be a 
 qualified elector and shall be a competent person, 
 having had at least eight years experience in the 
 working, ventilating and drainage of coal mines 
 in the State, and having a practical and scientific 
 knowledge of all noxious and dangerous gases 
 found in such mines; he must have a first class 
 mine foreman certificate and must be not less 
 than thirty years of age. The associate mine in- 
 spectors shall be qualified electors and each shall 
 possess a first class Alabama mine foreman cer- 
 tificate and shall have had at least five years 
 practical experience in coal mining and shall be 
 not- less than twenty-five years of age. The asso- 
 ciate mine inspectors shall reside at such points 
 convenient to their respective districts as the 
 chief mine inspector may designate, and the chief 
 mine inspector shall designate the districts. No 
 one shall be appointed mine inspector who, or 
 the wife of whom, owns and operates in whole or 
 in part, mining property. 
 
 Sec. 4. It shall be unlawful for the chief mine 
 inspector or any associate mine inspector to be 
 otherwise employed by the State of Alabama. 
 
 Sec. 5. The mine inspectors shall give their 
 whole time and attention to the duties of their 
 offices. It shall be the duty of the mine inspect- 
 ors to examine all the coal mines and all the
 
 MIXING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 5 
 
 working places therein as far as possible, in this 
 State, at least every three months to see that all 
 the requirements of this act are strictly observed 
 and carried out; inspectors shall particularly ex- 
 amine the works and machinery belonging to any 
 coal mine, examine into the state of the coal 
 mines as to ventilation, circulation, and condi- Record of ex . 
 tion of air, drainage and general security; they am {nations, 
 shall make a record of all examinations of coal 
 mines, showing the date when made, the condi- 
 tion in which the coal mines are found, the extent 
 to which the laws relating to coal mines and min- 
 ing are .observed or violated, the progress made 
 in the improvements and security of life and 
 health sought to be secured by the provisions of 
 this act, number of accidents, injuries received, 
 or deaths in or about the coal mines, the number 
 of persons employed in or by each coal mine, to- 
 gether with all such other facts and information 
 of public interest concerning the condition of 
 coal mines, development and progress of coal 
 mining in this State, as they may think useful 
 and proper, and so much thereof as may be of 
 public interest to be included in their reports. A Report, 
 comprehensive report of each inspection of each 
 coal mine shall be promptly made to the superin- 
 tendent or operator. This report shall be on a 
 form provided for that purpose and compiled by 
 the chief mine inspector, and the board of exam- 
 iners. This report form may be changed by the 
 chief mine inspector and board of examiners from 
 time to time, as may seem desirable to them. 
 
 Sec. 5 1-2. It shall be the duty of said board p r0 mpt in- 
 to have one of its members to promptly investi-vestigation of 
 gate all accidents in coal mines resulting in se - accidents - 
 rious injury or death of any person employed or 
 working in or about the same. 
 
 Sec. 6. That each member of said board is 
 hereby authorized and empowered to issue sub- ^suesub- t0 
 poenas requiring the attendance of witnesses be-poenas, etc. 
 fore said board or before such member thereof, to 
 testify under oath in any proceeding before such 
 board or such member, and require witnesses to 
 answer all proper questions propounded to them
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 by said board or such member. That it is hereby 
 made the duty of the sheriff or constable in the 
 Sheriff, etc., county in which such witness may reside or be 
 found, to execute subpoenas issued as above pro- 
 vided, and that they shall each receive for their 
 services in executing such subpoenas the same 
 fees as are allowed them respectively for execut- 
 ing subpoenas in other cases. Any witnesses sum- 
 moned as above mentioned shall be entitled to the 
 same mileage and per diem as is now allowed by 
 law to such witnesses attending trials in the cir- 
 cuit courts. If any witness subpoenaed as above 
 mentioned shall fail to attend without good ex- 
 Failure of cuse, in accordance with the subpoena served on 
 
 witness to at- , . , ,, . ., , .., r 
 
 tend or testify. hi m > or shall fail to attend without good excuse, 
 in accordance with the subpoena served on him, 
 or shall fail to testify when attending, it is hereby 
 made the duty of said board or the member before 
 whom said proceedings is being had, to certify 
 to the failure of any witness to attend and tes- 
 tify, to a judge of any court of record in the coun- 
 ty where such proceeding is being held. It is 
 hereby made the duty of the judge to whom such 
 certificate is made to cause such witness to ap- 
 pear before him at a time fixed by said judge, to 
 show cause why he should not be punished for 
 contempt, and to fine or imprison such witness as 
 such judge may deem proper in case he is found 
 guilty of contempt in the premises. That the ex- 
 Expense, pense of executing subpoenas and the attendance 
 ald ' of witnesses, as well as said contempt proceed- 
 ings, shall be paid out of any funds in the treas- 
 ury of the State on certificate of the chief mine 
 inspector, approved by the governor of the State. 
 Sec. 7. The chief mine inspector, shall, prior 
 to the assembling of the legislature, make a writ- 
 chtef * en re P ort to the governor stating the condition 
 inspector. of the coal mining interests in this State with 
 such suggestions, statistics, and information as 
 may be of interest to the coal mining industry, 
 and the report shall be printed on the order of 
 the governor and paid for out of the funds of the 
 treasury not otherwise appropriated.
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Sec. 8. The chief mine inspector shall be fur- 
 nished by the State all necessary instruments furnish? 1 by 
 for measurement of air in coal mines, and what- state. 
 ever apparatus the said inspector may recom- 
 mend. 
 
 Sec. 9. The chief mine inspector shall procure 
 for the State at the State's expense a full and standards, 
 complete set of standards and other equipment, procured 6 
 such as, in his opinion, are necessary in the 
 testing of scales, beams, and other necessary ap- 
 paratus to be used for a just weighing of coal 
 and other material at the coal mines according 
 to the State standard of weights; and it shall 
 be the duty of said inspector to examine, test 
 and cause to be adjusted as often as occasion de- 
 mands, all scales and other apparatus used in 
 weighing coal at coal mines. 
 
 Sec. 10. The chief mine inspector, with the 
 concurrence of two of the associate mine inspect- 
 ors, shall have power and authority to imme- oration of 
 diately stop the operation of any coal mine or st0 p ped 
 any part thereof in which there is sufficient gas 
 or dust, in the opinion of the said chief mine in- 
 spector and said associate inspectors, to cause 
 an explosion and endanger the lives of the per- 
 sons working therein, but work shall not be stop- 
 ped in any mine except where there is immediate 
 danger of an explosion until the operator or per- 
 son in charge of said mine shall have had rea- 
 sonable time in which to remove the danger of 
 such explosion. Any operator, whose mine or 
 any part thereof, has been stopped under this sec- 
 tion, may apply to the chancery court of the 
 county, where the mine is located for an injunc- 
 tion, and upon ten days notice served on the 
 chief mine inspector, said application for injunc- 
 tion shall be heard by the said chancery court, 
 if in session, or by the chancellor thereof, if the 
 court be in vacation, upon testimony received in 
 such manner as the chancellor may direct, pro- 
 vided that each party shall be entitled to have all 
 witnesses produced by him at the hearing exam- 
 ined orally before the chancellor, and the testi- 
 mony of each witness so examined shall be re-
 
 8 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 duced to writing and signed by the witness and 
 shall become a part of the record of the cause. 
 If, upon such hearing, the proof shows that such 
 mine or part thereof was or is wrongfully closed, 
 then the chancellor, or chancery court trying the 
 same, shall award a writ of injunction in favor of 
 said operator, restraining said chief mine in- 
 spector and associates from stopping the operat- 
 ion of said mine or part thereof, and revoking 
 the order of said chief mine inspector and asso- 
 ciates. The chief mine inspector, or other repre- 
 sentative of the State, with the consent of the 
 governor may employ such experts as he deems 
 necessary to examine the mine in question and 
 the compensation of such experts shall be fixed 
 by the governor and be paid out of the State 
 treasury upon the order of the governor. An 
 appeal by the unsuccessful party shall lie to the 
 supreme court of the State from any decree of 
 the chancellor or chancery court trying the 
 cause. In all such causes the chief mine in- 
 spector and associates shall be entitled to the ser- 
 vices of the solicitor prosecuting for the State 
 in the county where the the cause is triable, and 
 the governor may provide special counsel of his 
 selection to represent the chief mine inspector 
 and associates and fix the compensation of such 
 counsel, which shall upon the written direction 
 of the governor be paid out of the moneys ap- 
 propriated by section fifteen of this act in the 
 manner therein provided. 
 
 Sec. 11. Immediate notice must be conveyed to 
 the chief mine inspector and the inspector of the 
 Notice to in- proper district by the operator interested. First, 
 specters by whenever an accident occurs whereby any person 
 receives serious or fatal injury. Second, When- 
 ever it is intended to abandon any coal mine or 
 reopen any abandoned coal mines. Third. Upon 
 the appearance of any dangerous accumulation 
 of fire damp in any coal mine, whether accom- 
 panied by explosion or not, and upon the occur- 
 rence of any fire within the coal mine or on the 
 surface. Fourth. When the workings of any 
 coal mine are approaching dangerously near any 
 
 operator of 
 mine for cer- 
 tain causes.
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 -abandoned coal mine, containing accumulations 
 of water or of gas. Fifth. Upon the accidental 
 closing or intended abandonment of any passage 
 way to an escapement cutlet. But none of the in- 
 formation contained in any report of accident 
 shall be divulged by any one of the inspectors, or 
 their employees, to any person except in a legal 
 proceeding or except it be to a member of the 
 family of the party injured or killed, or to a legal 
 representative of said party or family, and the 
 chief mine inspector shall require such legal rep- 
 resentative to file his authority therefor. 
 
 Sec. 11 1-2. It shall be the duty of said board, 
 whenever notified of any fatal accident or ac 
 dent causing serious personal injury, to any per- causing death 
 son employed in any coal mine in this State or or personal 
 any gas or dust explosions therein, to require a ln:)ury ' 
 member of said board to immediately repair to 
 the scene of the accident or explosion and inves- 
 tigate the cause of such accident or explosion and 
 make such orders as are necessary or proper to 
 secure the safety of the persons working therein. 
 Said board shall keep on file at its office a list of 
 all accidents resulting in death or serious bodily 
 injury to any person working in or about such 
 mines. Such list subject to examination as pro- 
 vided in section 11. 
 
 Sec. 12. Whenever the chief mine inspector 
 shall require it, the owner, operator, or lessee of Reports fur- 
 any coal mine shall send to the chief mine in- gp^tor ^s to 
 spector on blanks furnished by him for that pur- ventilation. 
 pose, a report showing the amount of ventilation 
 at the inlet and outlet; the amount of ventilation 
 at or near the last cross cut in each split, the 
 number of splits and the number of men and ani- 
 mals on each split. The report shall also include 
 a record of the pressure gauge readings. 
 
 Sec. 13. On or before the twenty-fifth day of Annual report 
 January in each year, the operator or superin-pf operator to 
 tendent of every coal mine shall send to the chief ^P 6 ** 01 " 
 mine inspector a correct report, specifying with 
 respect to the year ending with the thirty-first of 
 December preceding the name of the operator and 
 location of offices of coal mines, and the quantity
 
 10 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 of coal and kind of coal mined. The report shall 
 be in such form and give such information re- 
 garding such mine as may be from time to time 
 required, and prescribed by the chief mine in- 
 spector. Blank forms for such report shall be 
 furnished by the chief mine inspector. 
 
 Sec. 14. The governor may remove any chief 
 Removal of mine inspector or associate inspector at any time 
 w ^k or without cause, the governor shall also 
 have the power to fill vacancies occasioned from 
 any cause. 
 
 Sec. 15. The sum of twenty-five thousand 
 Amount ap- (f 25,000.00) dollars is appropriated out of any 
 propriated and money in the State treasury not otherwise ap- 
 purpose of. propriated for each of the years 1911, 1912, 1913 
 and 1914, to pay the salaries of the inspectors 
 and a chief clerk to be appointed by the chief 
 mine inspector and who shall receive a salary of 
 not exceeding fifteen hundred (f 1,500.00) dollars 
 per annum ; the necessary traveling and other 
 expenses incurred by the members of the board 
 of mine inspectors while traveling in the dis- 
 charge of their official duties, and for extraor- 
 dinary expenses at mine disasters; and for the 
 payment of not to exceed seventy-five ($75.00) 
 dollars per month for office rent of said board; 
 for the expense of chief or associate mine inspec- 
 tor in attending mine inspectors' conventions, 
 and for the rent or hire of a telephone at the res- 
 idence of each member of said board and tele- 
 phone at the office of said board; for postage 
 stamps, stationery, and for the payment of long 
 distance telephone and telegraph messages sent 
 by the members of said board when necessary 
 in the discharge of their official duties; also for 
 the purchase of all necessary apparatus usually 
 required in an office of that character; said ex- 
 penses will be paid monthly on approval by the 
 governor of monthly itemized statements pre- 
 sented to him by the chief mine inspector; and 
 the State auditor is authorized and directed to 
 draw his warrant on the State treasurer in fa- 
 vor of the chief mine inspector for the monthly
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. ^ 
 
 expenses incurred as aforesaid, when so direct- 
 ed by the governor. 
 
 Sec. 17. When any agent or operator of any 
 mine shall refuse or fail to comply with any OP- Failure to coni- 
 der or direction of the chief mine inspector af- 
 ter the expiration of a reasonable time the chief 
 mine inspector may, if he deem it advisable, re- 
 fer the matter to the judge of probate in the 
 county in which the mine is located. Upon such 
 reference the judge of probate shall set a day for 
 the hearing of the same and issue citation to the 
 owner or operator of the mine to appear and con- 
 test the same if he sees proper ; said citation to be 
 served by the sheriff of the county at least ten 
 days before the day of trial. Upon the applica- 
 tion of either party, the judge of probate must 
 issue subpoena for witnesses, to be served by the 
 sheriff as in other cases. After hearing the case 
 the probate judge must render such decision as 
 he may deem just and equitable, from which de- 
 cision either party may appeal to the circuit 
 court within sixty days, when it shall be tried de- 
 novo. Prom the decision of the circuit court 
 either party may appeal to the supreme court 
 of Alabama. If no appeal is taken, the decision 
 shall be final and binding on said operator or 
 mine owner, and any mine owner or operator who 
 refuses to carry out the final order or determi- 
 nation of the case, after a reasonable time, shall 
 be guilty of a misdemeanor, and must, on con- 
 viction be fined not more than one thousand dol- 
 lars. 
 
 Sec. 18. The chief mine inspector, who shall 
 be ex-officio chairman of the board, with a vote Bord of ex ~ 
 only in case of a tie vote, or in case of the ab- 
 sence of one member of the board, together with 
 two practical miners and two operators of coal 
 mines, and one mining engineer (a majority of Power to ex- 
 whom shall act) and all members of which board nmine - 
 shall hold first class certificates, shall constitute 
 a board of examiners to examine and give certi- 
 ficates of fitness to persons to act as mine fore- 
 men, or fire bosses, in any coal mine in this State ; Fee pald by 
 a fee of five dollars shall be paid to the chiefappiicant.
 
 12 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Compensa- 
 tion of ex- 
 aminers. 
 
 Meetings. 
 
 Appointment 
 and term of or 
 fice. 
 
 Present board 
 continued. 
 
 Record kept. 
 
 Rules for ex- 
 aminations. 
 
 Duplicate cer- 
 tificate fur- 
 nished. 
 
 mine inspector by each person examined for 
 mine foreman certificate and three dollars for 
 fire boss certificate, to be used as an examiners 
 fund, before examination is begun. Out of the 
 examiners fund there shall be paid to each mem- 
 ber of the board, except the chief mine inspector, 
 who shall serve without extra pay, four dollars 
 per day. Said board shall meet every six months 
 at the office of the chief mine inspector, and re- 
 main in session not longer than six days and 
 special meetings may be called by the chief mine 
 inspector and must be called at the request of 
 three members of the board. The members of 
 this board shall be appointed by the governor and 
 shall hold office for three years and until their 
 successors are appointed and qualified and as 
 near as possible two members shall be appointed 
 one year and three the succeeding year. The 
 present board shall remain in office until their 
 terms expire and the governor shall appoint the 
 additional members upon the passage of this act, 
 and other members in accordance with this sec- 
 tion as the terms of office of the present board 
 respectively expire. The chief mine inspector 
 shall preserve in his office a record of the meet- 
 ings and transactions of the board and of all cer- 
 tificates issued. 
 
 Sec. 19. The examinations herein provided for 
 shall be conducted under such rules, conditions 
 and regulations as the members of the board 
 shall deem most efficient for carrying into ef- 
 fect the spirit and intent of this act. Such rules, 
 when formulated, shall be made a part of the per- 
 manent record of the board, and such of them as 
 relate to candidates shall be published for their 
 information and governance prior to each exam- 
 ination ; they shall also be of uniform application 
 to all candidates. 
 
 Sec. 20. In case of the loss or destruction of 
 a certificate the chief mine inspector may supply 
 a copy thereof to the person losing same upon the 
 payment of fl.OO, provided, it shall be shown to 
 i he satisfaction of the chief mine inspector that
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 13 
 
 the loss has actually occurred? and the loser was 
 the holder of such certificate. 
 
 Sec. 21. If any person, or persons shall forge 
 or counterfeit a certificate or knowingly make Penalty for 
 or cause to be made any false statement in anyjjjjj ^ te ~ 
 certificate under this act or in any official copy' 
 of the same, or shall urge or influence others to 
 do so, or shall utter or use any such false certifi- 
 cate or unofficial copy thereof, or shall make, 
 give, utter, produce, or make use of any false 
 declaration, representation or statement in any 
 such certificate or copy thereof, or any document 
 containing same, or make any false statement or 
 misrepresentation in application before examin- 
 ing board for any certificate he or they, shall be 
 guilty of a misdemeanor and his certificate can- 
 celled or annulled by the examining board. 
 
 Sec. 22. Applicants for first and second-class 
 mine foreman's certificates shall be at least Qualifications 
 twenty-three years of age, and shall have at least ^/^San^s 
 five years practical experience, three years of certificates. 
 which shall have been spent within coal mines 
 after having attained the age of fifteen years as 
 mine worker, superintendent, at or inside of any 
 coal mine, and shall be citizens of the United 
 States, and shall present an affidavit as to the 
 above and a certificate of good moral character 
 and of known temperate habits, signed by ten 
 reputable citizens where he resides. The said 
 board shall be entitled to grant certificates of 
 competency of two grades, namely, certificate of 
 the first class to persons who have had experi- ( f 
 
 once in coal mines generating gases or accumu- competency or 
 lating dust, one or both, and who shall have the two grades, 
 necessary qualifications to fulfill the duties of 
 mine foreman in such mines; and certificates of 
 second class to persons who give satisfactory evi- 
 dence of their ability to act as mine foreman in 
 coal mines not generating explosive gases. Any 
 person holding a first-class certificate of any 
 other State may act as mine foreman in this 
 State until the first meeting of the examining 
 board.
 
 14 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Qualifications 
 of applicants 
 for fire boss, 
 certificates. 
 
 Certificates 
 granted. 
 
 Foreman may 
 serve as fire 
 
 Temporary 
 mine foreman 
 
 Certificates of 
 service. 
 
 Revocation 
 or cancella- 
 tion of cer- 
 tificate. 
 
 Sec. 23. Applicants for fire boss certificates 
 shall be at least twenty-one (21) years of age, 
 and shall have had at least three years practical 
 experience within coal mines after having at- 
 tained the age of fifteen years and shall be a cit- 
 izen of the United States and shall present an 
 affidavit as to the above and a certificate of good 
 moral character and of known temperate habits 
 signed by ten reputable citizens where he re- 
 sides. Said board shall be entitled to grant cer- 
 tificates of competency to persons who have had 
 experience in coal mines generating gases and 
 who shall have the necessary qualifications to 
 fulfill the duties of fire boss in such mines. 
 
 Sec. 24. Any one holding a first-class mine 
 foreman's certificate may serve as fire boss. 
 Whenever any exigency arises by which it is im- 
 possible for any operator, owner or lessee to se- 
 cure the immediate service of a certificated mine 
 foreman or fire boss he may employ any trust- 
 worthy and experienced man, subject to the ap- 
 proval of the State inspector of the district, to 
 act as temporary mine foreman or fire boss for a 
 period of not to exceed sixty days. 
 
 Sec. 25. Certificates of service may be issued 
 by the examining board to persons acting as fire 
 bosses at the time of the passage of this act and 
 such certificates shall entitle them to act, until 
 the next examination for fire bosses. 
 
 Sec. 26. The certificate of any mine foreman 
 or fire boss may be cancelled and revoked by the 
 board of examiners, whenever it shall be estab- 
 lished to the satisfaction of said board that the 
 holder thereof has become unworthy of official 
 endorsement by reason of violation of the law, 
 intemperate habits, manifest incapacity, abuse 
 of authority, or for other causes satisfactory to 
 said board; provided, that any person against 
 \vhom charges or complaints are made shall have 
 an opportunity to be heard in his own behalf. 
 And he shall have at least thirty days notice in 
 \vriting of such charges, by the chief mine inspec- 
 tor, and if the holder of a certificate is convicted 
 on the hearing of such charge or complaint, of
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 15 
 
 violating any part of this law his certificate shall 
 be revoked by the board. Provided, that the chief 
 mine inspector after a thorough investigation, 
 may suspend such holder pending a meeting of 
 the board of examiners and its final action. 
 
 Sec. 27. No person shall act as foreman in in gaseous 
 any coal mine in this State generating explosive S^ 
 gases or dust in quantities sufficient to explode certificate first 
 or extend an explosion unless he is in possession grade - 
 of a first-class certificate of conipetencv. and no rt 
 
 " ' . Other mines 
 
 person shall act as foreman in any coal mine in 8ec ond grade 
 this State which is non gaseous unless he is in may act. 
 possession of a first-class or second-class certifi- 
 cate of competency. 
 
 Sec. 28. The duties of the mine foreman may Duties f fore 
 be performed by the assistant mine foreman dur- man performed 
 ing the temporary absence of the mine foreman by assistant 
 for a-period not exceeding one week. temporarily. 
 
 Sec. 29. The mine foreman shall have charge 
 of carrying out or directing the carrying out of 
 his duties as prescribed in this act; and any per- to' discharge 111 
 son who shall direct or cause a mine foreman to duties as re- 
 disregard the provisions of this act, shall D e quired b J" act - 
 amenable in the same manner as the mine fore- 
 man. 
 
 Sec. 30. Whenever any entry, slope or head- 
 ing or other working places in any coal mine con- entry ^ 
 tains dust which will ignite, explode or extend etc/ 
 an explosion, it shall be the duty of the person or 
 corporation operating said mine to have it spray- 
 ed or sprinkled. 
 
 Sec. 31. Except as otherwise provided in this 
 act no person shall act as fire boss in any coal JJjfact as* 
 mine in this State generating explosive gases un-iire boss, 
 less he is in possession of a certificate of compe- 
 tency. 
 
 Sec. 32. When gas exists in any coal mine in 
 quantities sufficient to ignite or explode the own- Mines in which 
 er, operator, lessee or agent of such mine shall j[J| n tft|JJ Ir 
 employ a competent fire boss whose duties shall sufficient to 
 be to examine every working place in the mine ig nite - 
 before the men are permitted to enter for work. 
 Said fire boss shall be at some convenient place 
 for at least an hour each morning to inform
 
 .MIXING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Operation of 
 machines. 
 
 Employees to 
 inform fore- 
 man of un- 
 safe condi- 
 tion. 
 
 Examine 
 working place, 
 
 every man as to the state and condition of his 
 working place so far as gas in dangerous quan- 
 tities is concerned before entering. Said work 
 shall be carefully examined every morning with 
 a safety lamp by the fire boss before the work- 
 men are allowed to enter therein. It shall also be 
 the duty of the fire boss after each examination to 
 leave at a point at least twenty-five (25) feet 
 distant from the face of every slope, drift, entry, 
 or air course and at the neck of every room ex- 
 amined by him a conspicuous sign or mark indi- 
 cating the presence of gas in dangerous quanti- 
 ties discovered by him, together with a 
 memorandum of the date of his exami- 
 nation. It shall be a misdemeanor on the 
 part of any fire boss to fail to perform 
 any duty imposed on him by the provisions 
 of this section, and it shall be a misdemeanor for 
 any person to enter in or dangerously near to 
 any place in the mine in which he has been noti- 
 fied in person that gas exists in dangerous quan- 
 tities or dangerously near to any place where 
 any such sign or mark has been placed. 
 
 Sec. 34. Machine runners and helpers shall 
 use care while operating machines they shall 
 not operate a machine unless the shields are in 
 place, and no persons not engaged in the operat- 
 ing of a machine shall go near the machine while 
 it is in operation. They shall not move the ma- 
 chine except while cutting, while the cutting 
 chain is in motion. If they remove props which 
 have been placed by the miner or loader for the 
 security of the roof, they shall reset such props. 
 
 Sec. 35. All employees shall promptly inform 
 the mine foreman or his assistant qf the unsafe 
 condition of any working place, hauling roads or 
 traveling ways, or of damage to doors, brattices, 
 or stoppings, or of obstructions in the air pas- 
 sages when known to them. Every workman em- 
 ployed in coal mines shall examine his working 
 place before commencing work, and after any 
 stoppage of work during the shift, he shall re- 
 peat the examination.
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 17 
 
 Sec. 36. It shall be unlawful for any miner, 
 workman, or other person knowingly to injure 
 any shaft, safety lamp, appliances, air course 
 or brattices or to obstruct or throw open any air Unlawful to 
 way or carry any open lamp or lighted pipe or|jjj ure shaft> 
 fire in any form into any place worked by the 
 light of safety lamps, or within five feet of any 
 open powder, or to handle or disturb any part of 
 the hoisting machinery, or open door regulating 
 an air current and not close the same, or to enter 
 any part of a coal mine against caution, or to do 
 any willful act whereby the lives or health of per- 
 sons working in coal mines or the security of the 
 mine or the machinery thereof is endangered. 
 
 Sec. 37. There shall be adopted by the opera- 
 tor of every mine in this State special rules for 
 the government and operation of his mine or Rules adopted 
 mines, covering all the work pertaining thereto SJerator** 
 in and outside of the same, which however, shall 
 not be in conflict with the provisions of the min- 
 ing laws of this State; such rules when establish- 
 ed shall be printed on card board in the Engfish 
 language, and shall be posted up in the drum 
 house, tipple or some other conspicuous place 
 about the mines where the same may be seen and 
 observed by all the employees at such mines, and 
 when a copy has been given an employee it shall 
 operate as a notice to him and shall be conclusive 
 of his acceptance of the contents thereof; and it 
 shall be the duty of each mine operator to fur- 
 nish a printed copy of said rules to each of his 
 employees. 
 
 Sec. 38. It shall be the duty of persons oper- 
 ating coal mines in this State to keep at a con- Props and 
 venient place at or near the main entrance &f SfjKj SJl 6 
 the mine, or in the mines, a sufficient supply of r af r. y 
 props and other timbers useful for propping 
 therein, of suitable lengths and sizes, for those 
 working in such mines. It shall be the duty of 
 those working in said mines who need props or 
 other timbers to select and mark the same when 
 needed for propping by them, designating on 
 such props or timbers the place at which the
 
 18 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Openings t 
 surface. 
 
 Ventilation. 
 
 same are to be delivered or give notice to the per- 
 son whose duty it is to deliver or have the same 
 delivered, of the number and kind of props or 
 other timbers needed and of the place at which 
 they are to be delivered. It shall then be the du- 
 ty of the operator to promptly deliver or cause 
 to be delivered such props or other timbers at 
 the place designated. 
 
 Sec. 39. In all coal mines employing twenty 
 or more men inside at any one time it shall be 
 the duty of the owner, operator, or lessee to have 
 and maintain at least two available openings to 
 the surface from each seam, or stratem of the 
 coal worked in such mines, said openings which 
 in case of slope mines, shall be separated by nat- 
 ural strata of not less than twenty-five feet, and 
 in all mines with two hundred tons or over daily 
 capacity all stoppings between slopes and man- 
 way shall be made of fire proof material. The 
 said openings in case of shaft mines shall be sep- 
 arated by not less than one hundred feet of nat- 
 ural strata. Both of these openings, in all cases, 
 shall be kept in good condition and shall be at 
 all times reasonably safe and convenient for en- 
 tering and leaving the mines; reasonable time 
 however, shall be given to said owner, operator 
 or lessee to prepare the second opening, in no 
 case exceeding six months from the passage of 
 this act, unless in the opinion of the chief mine 
 inspector, a longer time is required, in which 
 case he shall allow the additional time necessary. 
 The said second opening may be made through 
 another adjoining mine. At all points where the 
 passage way to the escapement shaft, or other 
 place of exit, is intercepted by other road ways 
 or entries, conspicuous sign boards shall be 
 placed indicating the direction it is necessary to 
 take in order to reach such place of exit. 
 
 Sec. 40. The operator or superintendent of 
 every coal mine, whether a shaft, slope or drift, 
 shall provide and hereafter maintain ample 
 means of ventilation for the circulation of air 
 through the main entries and all other working
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 1 9 
 
 places to an extent that will dilute, carry off and 
 render harmless the noxious and explosive gases 
 generated in the mine, the same to be not less 
 than one hundred cubic feet per minute per man, 
 and five hundred cubic feet per mule or horse, 
 and shall be properly conducted to all working 
 places. 
 
 Sec. 41. No accumulation of explosive gas Accumulation 
 shall be allowed to exist in the worked out or of explosive 
 abandoned parts of any coal mine in operation, JJJ^J ot al ~ 
 and the entrance or entrances to said worked out Fencing aban- 
 and abandoned places shall be properly fenced doned mines, 
 off, and cautionary notices shall be posted upon 
 said fencing to warn persons of danger. 
 
 Sec. 42. It shall be the duty of the chief mine 
 inspector to require that proper breaks through Breaks 
 be made in all room pillars at such distance through ' 
 apart as, in the judgment of the mine inspector, 
 may be deemed requisite, but said breaks through 
 shall not be more than seventy feet apart. 
 
 Sec. 43. At all principal doorways through 
 which cars are hauled, an attendant shall be em^*" at 
 
 T 
 
 ployed for the purpose of opening and closing 
 said doors when trips or cars are passing to and 
 from the workings. Sufficient space shall be pro- 
 vided at such doorways to protect the attendants 
 from being injured by the cars while attending 
 to their duties ; provided, that in any or all coal 
 mines, where doors are constructed in such a 
 manner as to open and close automatically at- 
 tendants and places for shelter shall not be re- 
 quired. 
 
 Sec. 44. The doors used in a system for ven- 
 tilating or regulating the ventilation of coal 
 mines shall be so hung and adjusted that they when used 
 will close themselves, or by supplying them with** ventil " 
 springs or pulleys so that they cannot be left a 
 standing open. When ordered by the chief mine 
 inspector a second or emergency door shall be 
 provided at all points where doors are used, 
 said doors to be used in case of damage to the 
 other door. After the passage of this act no ven- 
 tilating fan shall be placed nearer than thirty
 
 20 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Furnace for 
 ventilating in 
 gaseous mines 
 prohibited. 
 
 Regulations, 
 as to steam 
 pipes. 
 
 Insufficient 
 ventilation. 
 
 feet to an air shaft or air course and shall be 
 placed to one side of the line of such opening so 
 as to remove the fan from the blast of an explo- 
 sion, and the air duct connecting the fan with 
 such opening, shall be provided with self closing 
 explosion doors. 
 
 Sec. 45. It shall be unlawful to use a furnace 
 for ventilating any coal mine where explosive 
 gas is generated in quantities considered danger- 
 ous by the chief mine inspector and associate 
 mine inspector of the district in which such mine 
 is located or where there is a known probability 
 of cutting into explosive gas producing territory. 
 This section does not apply to boiler plants in 
 mines installed prior to the passage of this act, 
 unless considered dangerous by the chief mine 
 inspector and associate mine inspector of the dis- 
 trict in which such mine is located. 
 
 Sec. 46. No steam pipes through which high 
 pressure steam is conveyed, for the purpose of 
 driving pumps or other machinery, shall be per- 
 mitted on travelling or haulage ways, unless they 
 are encased in asbestos, or some other suitable 
 non-conducting material, or are so placed that 
 the radiation of heat into the atmosphere of the 
 coal mine will be prevented as far as practicable, 
 provided that after the passage of this act that 
 steam pipes shall be placed in the return airway 
 and may be without casing. 
 
 Sec. 47. If at any time the chief mine inspect- 
 or or his associates are notified or discovered that 
 the ventilation in any coal mine within the State 
 is insufficient, the said chief mine inspector or 
 one of his associates, shall proceed within five 
 days to investigate said complaint or complaints 
 by personal inspection of any mine or mines in 
 which the quality or quantity of air is complain- 
 ed of, and if on investigation he finds that the air 
 in any mine is insufficient, he shall direct the op- 
 erator or operators of said mines to adopt such 
 measures for the proper ventilation of said mine 
 as he deems necessary.
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 21 
 
 Sec. 48. No person shall place refuse in or ob- c . an>t obstruct 
 struct any airway or break through used as an airway> eto ' 
 airway. 
 
 Sec. 49. It shall be unlawful for any miner,, . 
 
 , i-ii r. Unlawful to 
 
 or other person to make or build any fire in any build fire in 
 coal mine without the written permission of the mine, 
 superintendent thereof. 
 
 Sec. 50. No safety lamp shall be entrusted to 
 any person for use in coal mines until he has ^JtedL^o^mw 
 given satisfactory evidence to the mine foreman safety lamp 86 
 that he understands the proper use thereof and 
 danger of tampering with the same. 
 
 Sec. 51. All safety lamps used for examining 
 coal mines or for working therein, shall be the safety lamps, 
 property of the operators, and shall be in the car e, etc. of. 
 care of the mine foreman, his assistant or fire 
 boss or other competent persons, who shall fill, 
 trim, and examine and deliver the same locked 
 in a. safe condition to the men when entering the 
 coal mine, before each shift. A sufficient quan- 
 tity of extra safety lamps, but not less than 3 
 twenty-five per cent of those in use shall be kept 
 at each coal mine where methane has at any 
 time been generated in sufficient quantities to be 
 detected by the ordinary safety lamps for use in 
 case of emergency. It shall be the duty of every When lamp ln . 
 person who knows his safety lamp to be injured jured. 
 or defective to promptly report such fact to the 
 party authorized herein to receive and care for 
 said lamps, and it shall be the duty of that per- 
 son to promptly repair or report such fact to the 
 mine foreman. 
 
 Sec. 52. Approved safety catches shall be at- 
 tached to cage used for the purpose of lowering safety catches 
 and hoisting persons into and out of coal mines, on cages. 
 and must be provided with suitable sheet iron 
 covers, at least one-fourth inch thick and hinged 
 to open upward, to protect persons riding there- 
 on from falling objects, and also with iron bars 
 or rings in proper place, and sufficient number 
 to furnish a secure handhold for every person 
 permitted to ride thereon. An adequate brake Brake, 
 shall be attached to everv drum or machine for
 
 22 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 lowering and hoisting persons into and out of 
 the mine and also indicators which shall show to 
 the person who works the machine the position 
 of the cage or load in the shaft or on the road 
 Tubes for way. And, all shafts used for hoisting men, shall 
 passage of be equipped with metal tubes or pipes, suitably 
 adopted for. the free passage of sound, through 
 which conversation may be held between persons 
 at the top and landings of said shaft all safety 
 catches provided for herein shall be carefully in- 
 spected and properly oiled at least once a week 
 and shall be at all times kept in good working 
 condition.- 
 
 Sec. 53. The main coupling cage chain in 
 Test, etc., of shaft mines attached to the socket of the wire 
 main coupling rope may be tested by weights or otherwise to 
 cage chain. the satisfaction of the" mine inspector of the dis- 
 trict wherein the coal mine is located, and bridle 
 chains shall be attached to the main hoisting 
 rope above the socket, from the top cross piece of 
 the carriage or cage, so that no single chain shall 
 be used for lowering or hoisting persons into or 
 out of the mines. At all shafts used for the pur- 
 pose of hoisting and lowering men, the cages 
 shall be provided with automatic self detaching 
 hooks or the engines handling same shall be 
 equipped with an automatic stopping device to 
 prevent overwinding. 
 
 Sec. 54. The owner, operator or lessee of any 
 Requirements coa l mine shall place in charge of any engines 
 for operation used for conveying into and hoisting out 
 engines, etc. ()f said coal m fa e ^ none l>ut a com petent engin- 
 eer. No other persons unless authorized by the 
 owner, operator or lessee shall enter the engine 
 room, and it shall be unlawful for any person 
 to interfere with or intimidate the engineer in 
 the discharge of his duty. No person shall speak 
 to the engineer while the engine is in motion, 
 unless it be in giving signals to him, and notices 
 to this effect shall be posted on the door of the 
 engine house. 
 
 Cable ends to Sec - 55 - Tne ends of all hoisting cables shall 
 be secured. be well secured on the drum, and have at least
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 23 ^ 
 
 two and a half laps of the same remain on the 
 drum when the cage or trip is at rest at the low- 
 est landing. 
 
 Sec. 56. All shafts more than 300 feet deep 
 from which hoisting is done by means of a bucket Guides in 
 must be provided with suitable guides, and i n |5jJ f f S e v | r 
 connection with the bucket there must be a cross- 
 head traveling upon these guides. The height 
 of the 'cross-head shall be at least two-thirds of 
 its width. If the cross-head be a type that is 
 not secured to the hoisting rope, a stopper must 
 be securely and rigidly fastened to the hoisting 
 rope at least seven feet above the rim of the 
 bucket. 
 
 Sec. 57. No open hook shall be used with a Q en hook 
 bucket in hoisting. Safety hooks shall be em- prohibited, 
 ployed. 
 
 Sec. 58. Persons engaged in deepening a shaft 
 in which hoisting from an upper level is going Protection of 
 on shall be protected from the danger of fall 
 ing material by a suitable covering extending 
 over the whole area of the shaft, sufficient open- 
 ings being left in the covering for the passage 
 of men, a bucket or other conveyance used in the 
 sinking operations. No hoisting shall be done in 
 any compartment of a shaft while repairs are 
 being made in that compartment, excepting such 
 hoisting as is necessary in order to make such 
 repairs. 
 
 Sec. 59. Any person riding upon any cage, 
 skip or bucket that is loaded with tools, timber, Regulations as 
 powder or other material except for the purpose 
 of assisting in passing such material through a 
 shaft or incline and then only after a special 
 signal has been given, shall be guilty of a viola- 
 tion of this act. When tools, timber or other 
 materials are to be lowered or hoisted in a shaft, 
 their ends, if projecting above the top of the 
 bucket, skip or other vehicle shall be securely 
 fastened to the hoisting rope or to the upper part 
 of the vehicle. This shall not apply to workmen 
 carrying their own tools in a shaft.
 
 24 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Timber, etc., 
 not to be car- 
 ried on mov- 
 ing cage. 
 
 Cage not used 
 for carrying 
 men or mate- 
 rials. 
 
 Upper and 
 lower landing, 
 etc.. kept clean 
 
 Passage way 
 around land- 
 ing place. 
 
 Cable to be 
 used for 
 hoisting. 
 
 Sec. 60. No person shall carry any timber or 
 other materials other than tools and the day's 
 supplies, with him on any cage in motion, ex- 
 cept for use in repairing the shaft; and no one 
 shall ride on a cage containing a loaded car, or 
 on a single deck cage with an empty car. No 
 cage having an unstable or self dumping plat- 
 form shall be used for the carriage of men or 
 materials, unless the same is provided with some 
 convenient device by which said platform can 
 be securely locked, and unless it is so locked 
 whenever men or materials are being conveyed 
 thereon. No coal shall be hoisted in any shaft 
 while men are being lowered therein. 
 
 Sec. 61. The upper and lower landing at the 
 top of each shaft and the opening of each inter- 
 mediate seam from or to the shaft, shall be kept 
 clear and free from loose materials, and shall 
 be securely fenced with automatic or other gates, 
 so as to prevent either men or materials from 
 falling into the shaft. 
 
 Sec. 62. -At the bottom of every shaft and at 
 every caging place therein, an adequate passage 
 way must be provided around said landing place 
 to serve as a traveling way by which men or ani- 
 mals may pass from one side of the shaft to the 
 other without passing under or on the cage. 
 
 Sec. 63. It shall be unlawful to use in any 
 coal mine included within the provisions of this 
 act, any rope or cable for hoisting or lowering 
 either man or material, when such hoisting is 
 done by other means than human or animal 
 power, unless such rope or cable shall be com- 
 posed of iron or steel wires, with a, factor of 
 safety determined as hereinafter set forth, pro- 
 vided, however, that such iron or steel wires may 
 be laid around a. hemp center. The factor of 
 safety of all ropes or cables shall, when install- 
 ed in no case be less than five and shall be calcu- 
 lated by dividing the breaking strength of the 
 rope as given in the manufacturers' published ta- 
 bles by the sum of the maximum load to be hoist- 
 ed, plus the total weight of the rope in the shaft
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 25 
 
 when fully let out, plus ten per cent of such val- 
 ues, to take account of shock at starting and stop- 
 ping. 
 
 Sec. 63y 2 . It shall be unlawful for any mine 
 operator, superintendent or mine foreman to Drag on rear 
 haul or cause to be hauled on any slope or plane of cars - 
 where the grade is against the loaded cars or 
 trips of cars without using a drag on the rear 
 end of the cars or trips of cars when required 
 by two or more mine inspectors for the purpose 
 of derailing the cars or trips of cars in case they 
 break loose and run back. The drag may be of 
 heavy wrought iron or of soft steel. 
 
 Sec. 64. No driver or other person shall de- Driver not to 
 scend, or ascend a shaft with any horse or mule, ascend or de- 
 unless the said horse or mule is secured in a ^h d animal 
 suitable box or safely penned, and only the dfiv- only under 
 er in charge of said horse or mule, and such as- certain con- 
 sistants as he may need, shall accompany it in 
 any case. 
 
 Sec. 65. The owner, operator or lessee of any .*_,, nf 
 
 . . A UGia.li map or 
 
 coal mine in this State, shall make or cause to mine what 
 be made by a competent engineer an accurate must show, 
 and exact detail map of said mine showing the etc " etc< 
 exact position of said mines in reference to the 
 section line, which shall be connected with some 
 known boundary line of the section or subdivis- 
 ion of the section. Said map shall show accu- 
 rately the position of any branches, creeks, riv- 
 ers or railroads under which said mine may ex- 
 tend ; also as near as possible the position of any 
 old coal mine nearby. The location of all oil 
 and gas wells shall be shown on said map. Said 
 maps shall show all shafts, slopes, tunnels or 
 other openings to the surface or to the workings 
 of a contiguous coal mine; all excavations, en- 
 tries, rooms and cross-cuts; the location of the 
 fan and furnace and the direction of the air cur- 
 rents; the location of pumps, hauling, engines, 
 engine planes, abandoned works, fire walls and 
 standing water; and the boundary line of any 
 surface outcrop of the seam. A separate and 
 similar map, drawn to the same scale in all cases,
 
 26 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 shall be made of each and every seam, which 
 after the passage of this act, shall be worked in 
 any coal mine and the maps of all such seams 
 shall show all shafts, inclined planes or other 
 passage ways connecting the same. Each map 
 shall also show by elevation in feet and decimals 
 thereof the rise and dip of the seam from the 
 opening in either direction to the face of the 
 workings. Said map shall be sworn to by the 
 engineer making same. The map provided for 
 herein shall be filed with the chief mine inspect- 
 or during the month of January, next after open- 
 ing of said mine, and shall show its condition on 
 the first day of such January, and all new work 
 inside of the mine must be added to said map, or 
 a new map filed each year thereafter, showing 
 the condition of the mine on the first day of Jan- 
 uary of the same year, and this provision for ad- 
 ditions to maps shall apply to all maps which 
 have heretofore been filed in the office of the 
 chief mine inspector. Said maps shall be filed 
 in the office of the chief mine inspector, who 
 shall provide a suitable and safe place for keep- 
 ing them. The chief mine inspector with the ap- 
 proval of the board of examiners may refuse to 
 accept maps made by persons claiming to be 
 mining engineers who are not known to be such 
 and of good standing and character in their pro- 
 fession. The mine boss in charge of such mine 
 shall certify to the correctness of such map, to 
 Ihe best of his knowledge and belief, and the ad- 
 ditions made thereto. Said map shall be made on 
 a uniform scale of one hundred or two hundred 
 feet to the inch. The persons entitled to examine 
 maps, plats and records of a coal mine shall be 
 the owner, operator or lessee or agent of such 
 coal mine, the persons financially interested in 
 such mine; the owner, or owners, of land ad- 
 joining such mine; the owner or owners of land 
 adjacent to such mine; the owner, operator, les- 
 see or agent of a coal mine adjacent to such mine, 
 and the authorized representatives of the em- 
 ployees of such or the employees driving any
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 27 
 
 break through liable to break into adjacent mine. 
 The chief mine inspector shall not permit such 
 maps, plans, records and papers to be removed 
 from his office, and shall not furnish copies there- 
 of to any persons except by request of the owner, 
 operator, lessee or agent of the mine to which 
 such maps, plans and records pertain. The chief 
 mine inspector during the first three days of 
 January of each year, shall forward, or cause to 
 be forwarded by express, or by other safe means 
 of transmitting at the expense of the owner, op- 
 erator or agent of the respective coal mines, all 
 maps on file in his office of mines in operation 
 to the chief office of the respective mine as such 
 chief office shall be reported to him, in order that 
 said map may be revised showing the condition 
 of the mine on the first day of January of each 
 year and such owner, operator or agent of each 
 mine in this State shall have such maps revised 
 during the month of January of each year, and 
 return the same to the office of the chief mine 
 inspector charges prepaid, during the said month 
 of January. 
 
 Sec. 66. Whenever the operator of any coal 
 mine shall neglect or refuse, or, for any cause Penalty for 
 not satisfactory to the chief mine inspector, fail failure to fur- 
 for the period of three months, to furnish to nish - 
 said inspector the map or plan of such mine, or 
 a copy thereof, or of the extension thereto, as 
 provided for in this act, such operator shall be 
 deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. In addition 
 thereto the chief mine inspector is hereby au- 
 thorized to make or cause to be made, an accu- 
 rate map or plan of such mine at the expense of 
 the owner thereof; and the cost of the same may 
 be recovered by law from the operator in the 
 same manner as other debts by suit, in the name 
 of the chief mine inspector and for his use. 
 
 Sec. 67. If the chief mine inspector shall be- 
 lieve that any map or plan of any coal mine made 
 or furnished in pursuance of the provisions of 
 this act is materially incomplete, inaccurate, or 
 imperfect, then the chief mine inspector is here-
 
 28 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 by authorized to cause a correct survey and map 
 or plan of said mine to be made at the expense 
 of the operator thereof, the cost of which shall 
 be recoverable from said operator as other debts 
 are recoverable by law; provided, that when the 
 chief mine inspector shall cause a new survey 
 and map or plan of any such coal mine, and it 
 is found that the map or plan furnished by the 
 operator was substantially correct, then the cost 
 of the survey, map or plan caused to be made by 
 the chief mine inspector shall be paid by the 
 State. 
 
 Sec. 68. The chief mine inspector may order 
 ordered m fy fa- a survev to ^ ma de between the regular survey 
 spector. periods, of the workings of any coal mine and 
 
 the results to be extended on the maps of the 
 same and the copies thereof, whenever, in his 
 judgment, the safety of the workmen, the sup- 
 port of the surface, and the conservation of the 
 property or the safety of an adjoining coal mine 
 require it. 
 
 Sec. 09. When any coal mine is worked out, 
 or is about to be abandoned or indefinitely closed, 
 Final surve tne P erator of the same shall make or cause to 
 when mine be made a final survey, where not already made, 
 worked out, of all parts of such mine and the results of the 
 same shall be duly extended on all maps of the 
 mine and copies thereof, so as to show all exca- 
 vations and the most advanced workings of the 
 mine and their exact relation to the boundary 
 or section lines on the surface and such aban- 
 doned mines shall be properly fenced off. 
 
 Sec. 70. When it is known that a place is 
 likely to obtain a dangerous accumulation of 
 Precautions gases or water, workings when approaching such 
 d^SeSmf oo Places, shall not exceed eight feet in width, and 
 account of the person, or persons, driving such place, shall 
 >r gas. constantly keep at a sufficient distance ahead, 
 not less than three yards in advance, one bore 
 hole near the center of the working, and one in 
 each corner 15 feet deep, at an angle of forty- 
 five degrees, at intervals of six feet. These holes 
 shall not be used for blasting but separate holes
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 29 
 
 for blasting not over four feet deep, must be 
 drilled. These precautions must begin at least 
 100 feet from the probable source of danger. 
 
 Sec. 71. In any coal mine, or coal mines, or 
 parts thereof, wherein water may have been al- Lawful to tap 
 lowed to accumulate in large and dangerous et !p. .water in 
 quantities, putting in danger the adjoining or mine 1011 
 adjacent coal mines, and the lives of the miners 
 working therein, and when such can be tapped 
 and set free and flow by its own gravity to any 
 point of drainage, it shall be lawful for any op- 
 erator or person having a mine so endangered, 
 with the approval of the chief mine inspector, to 
 proceed and remove the said danger by driving a 
 drift or drifts protected by bore holes as provid- 
 ed by this act, and in removing said danger it 
 shall be lawful to drive across property lines if 
 iteedful, provided, that all coal removed in such 
 driving from adjacent land shall be paid 
 for on the basis of 25 cents per ton of 
 2,000 pounds. And, it shall be unlawful L b nl t a r wf " 1 to 
 for any person to dam or in any way obstruct Sow 
 the flow of water from said mine or parts there- 
 of, when so set on any part of its passage to point 
 of drainage. 
 
 Sec. 72. In no case shall the workings of any 
 coal mine be driven nearer than 15 feet to the i^ m n on 
 boundary line of the coal rights of the owner workings to 
 of said mine, except for the purpose of establish- ^""dary line. 
 ing an underground communication between con- 
 tiguous mines, as provided for elsewhere in this 
 act. Provided, that by mutual consent of adja- 
 cent property owners, this distance may be re- 
 duced or eliminated entirely and provided, fur- 
 ther, that any operator working up to an aban- 
 doned coal mine may be permitted to work to his 
 property line if approved by the chief mine in- 
 spector, but in such cases proper precautions 
 must be taken as provided in this act. 
 
 Sec. 73. 'Whenever the owner, operator or les- 
 see of any land adjacent to other land on which 
 any coal mine is being worked, shall have reason
 
 30 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Proceedings of 
 owner of ad- 
 jacent land has 
 cause to be- 
 lieve that 
 work has en- 
 croached on 
 his land. 
 
 Regulations 
 as to use of 
 gasoline and 
 naptha. 
 
 to believe that such mine is being so worked as 
 to encroach upon his land, and has been refused 
 by the owner, operator or manager of the mine, 
 permission at reasonable time to enter upon said 
 mine with a competent engineer for the purpose 
 of inspecting and surveying such mine, he may 
 make application under oath to the probate court 
 of the county in which the mine is situated, set- 
 ting out the facts and praying for an order that 
 such mine shall be surveyed. Upon the hearing 
 after such notice to the owner, operator or lessee 
 of the mine, as the court may prescribe, the court 
 may make an order requiring the chief mine in- 
 spector to employ a competent engineer to make 
 a survey of such mine and file such survey in 
 the office of the judge of probate and such survey 
 when filed shall be received in any court as pri- 
 ma facie correct. The court may at any time dur- 
 ing the progress of the proceedings require se- 
 curity for costs and may tax the costs in such 
 manner as may be just and equitable. 
 
 Sec. 74. No gasoline, or naptha, shall be used 
 in a coal mine, excepting for operating machin- 
 ery, blow torches, safety lamps or for operating 
 under the following regulations : Notice shall 
 be made to the chief mine inspector before in- 
 stalling, and the installation and operation shall 
 be subject to his approval. The supply tank 
 from which the gasoline or naptha is fed to the 
 engine, shall be of metal with a suitable screw 
 cap opening, fitted with a gasket so as to make 
 the tank tight and the tank kept free from leaks ; 
 the gasoline or naptha shall be fed from a tank 
 to the carburetor or mixer by metal tubes secure- 
 ly connected so as to reduce the possibility of 
 leaks to a minimum; the exhaust from the en- 
 gine, when discharged in the mine, must not con- 
 tain more than 12 volumes of carbon dioxide and 
 1 volume of carbon monoxide to 10,000 volumes 
 of air. At no time shall there be more than two 
 davs' supply of gasoline or naptha in the supply 
 tanks ; at no time shall more than one day's sup- 
 ply of same be taken into the mine at anv one
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 31 
 
 time and at no time shall there be more than two 
 days' supply in the mine; including that in the 
 supply tank. No gasoline or naptha shall be 
 taken into the mine except in metallic cans, 
 with a screw cap opening at the top, fitted with 
 a suitable gasket; no package or can or the sup- 
 ply tank of an engine, containing gasoline or 
 uaptha shall be opened until ready to make the 
 transfer from the package or can to the supply 
 tank, and in transferring, a funnel shall be used 
 so as to avoid spilling the gasoline or naptha, 
 and the cap on the supply tank shall be imme- 
 diately closed; in no case shall the package, can, 
 or the supply tank, be opened with any open 
 light or other thing containing fire within twen- 
 ty-five feet of the same. 
 
 Sec. 75. The oiling or greasing of cars inside 
 of coal mines is strictly forbidden, unless the piling cars 
 place where said oil or grease is used is kept rea- ^bidden mine 
 sonably clean. Not more than one barrel of lu- 
 bricating oil shall be permitted in the mine at 
 any one time. No explosive oil shall be used or 
 taken into the mines for lighting purposes except Oils used and 
 when used in approved safety lamps and ilium- quantity per- 
 
 inatiug oil shall not be stored or taken into mines m jt ted in 
 
 .... ,. ,, ,, mine, 
 
 in quantities exceeding five gallons. Any person 
 
 using explosive or impure oils in any coal mine 
 contrary to any of the provisions of this act, 
 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor ; provided, this Penalty for 
 does not apply to gasoline used in gasoline en- violation, 
 gines or pumps, or naptha, so used. 
 
 Sec. 76. It shall be unlawful for any work- 
 man to fire a blast without first notifying all per- Notice must be 
 sons in the immediate working places of that en- & j^ t re 
 try, and without giving sufficient alarm so that 
 any person or persons approaching shall be 
 warned of danger. 
 
 Sec. 77. It shall be unlawful for any miner Hole cleanecl 
 to charge any hole for blasting coal before the before being 
 hole has been thoroughly cleaned of dust by suit- charged, 
 able scraper. It shall be unlawful for any min- 
 er to tamp any blasting hole with coal or other 
 inflammable material and it shall be the duty of Tamping hole.
 
 32 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Clay, etc. 
 provided. 
 
 When firing 
 restricted un- 
 lawful to fire 
 at other time. 
 
 When consent 
 of foreman 
 necessary to 
 fire shot. 
 
 Use of squibs, 
 etc. 
 
 Shout "fire." 
 Fuse must be 
 of sufficient 
 length. 
 
 When person 
 can return to 
 missed shot. 
 
 the owner, operator or lessee of any coal mine 
 wherein clay or other non-inflammable material 
 suitable for use in tamping in preparing shots 
 cannot be readily obtained to provide and depos- 
 it within said mine such material in each work- 
 ing heading, and such miner shall keep a suffi- 
 cient quantity of clay or other non-inflammable 
 material convenient to his working place, and in 
 case he has not the necessary supply of clay or 
 other non-inflammable material for tamping pur- 
 poses he shall not charge any blasting hole until 
 the same has been procured. 
 
 Sec. 78. At a coal mine where the firing of 
 shots is restricted to specific times, it shall be un- 
 lawful for any miner to fire a shot until the 
 time appointed for him to do so, and then only 
 in such rotation as designated. 
 
 Sec. 79. It shall be unlawful for any miner, 
 shot firer or workman to fire a blast in any work- 
 ing place which is likely to generate sudden vol- 
 umes of fire-damp, or where locked safety lamps 
 are used, except with the consent of the mine 
 foreman, or other competent person designated 
 by the mine foreman for that purpose. 
 
 Sec. 80. A miner, workman or shot firer who 
 is about to explode a shot with a manufactured 
 squib, shall not shorten the match thereof or 
 saturate with oil or ignite it except at the end ; 
 and he shall see that all persons are out of dan- 
 ger from the probable effects of such shots, and 
 whether using squibs or fuse shall take measures 
 to prevent anyone approaching by shouting "fire" 
 immediately before lighting the same. 
 
 Sec. 81. It shall be unlawful for any miner, 
 workman or shot firer to explode any shot with a 
 fuse of insufficient length to project from the 
 hole, when the cartridge is at the back of the hole, 
 and in no case less than three feet or to fire any 
 shot which is not tamped the full length of the 
 hole. 
 
 Sec. 82. No person shall return to a missed 
 shot, if lighted with a squib until five minutes 
 have elapsed from the time of lighting the same, 
 or if lighted with fusef until the following day ;
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 33 
 
 and no person shall return to a missed shot 
 when the firing is done by electricity unless the 
 wires are disconnected from the battery or pow- 
 er line. 
 
 Sec. S3. Whenever a workman is about to 
 open a box or can containing powder or other ex- 
 plosive, and while handling the same, he shall Regulations 
 place his lamp at least five feet distant from said as to opening 
 explosive, and in such position that the air cur- ' >owder - 
 rent cannot convey sparks to it, and no person 
 shall knowingly approach nearer than ten feet to 
 any open box containing an open can of powder 
 or other explosive with a lighted lamp, lighted 
 pipe, or other thing containing fire. No miner, 
 workman, or other person shall open any keg, 
 can or other container of blasting powder with 
 any pick, wedge, tool or in any manner except by 
 the means of opening of the same provided by the 
 manufacturer thereof, and it shall be unlawful, 
 and a violation of this act, for any person to 
 have in his possession in any mine any can or 
 ether container of blasting powder containing 
 blasting powder, which has been opened in viola- 
 tion of this act. 
 
 Sec. 84. Every person who has powder or 
 other explosive in a coal mine shall keep same in Re ulations as 
 a wooden box securely 'locked, with hinged lid, tokening 
 and said box shall be kept as far as practicable powder in 
 from the track ; and said powder boxes shall be mme< 
 kept as far as practicable from each other and 
 each in a secluded place, nor shall any explosive 
 be kept nearer than 100 feet to any working 
 place. All black powder or other loose blasting 
 material shall be carried into the mine by the 
 miner in a proper receptacle with a securely fas- 
 tened top. 
 
 Sec. 85. No blasting powder or other explo- 
 sives shall be stored in any coal mine and no J*w der no * . 
 
 , ,, , * 7 .. ., to be stored m 
 
 workman shall have at any time more than the mine, etc - 
 supply allowed by the rules and regulations of 
 the mine, and in no case shall more than one kind 
 of explosives be used in any one drill hole; pro- 
 vided, that nothing in this section shall be con-
 
 34 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 strued to prevent the operator from taking into 
 the mine, under proper precautions, a sufficient 
 quantity of explosives for the reasonable require- 
 ments of such mine for the next succeeding work- 
 ing day. 
 
 Sec. 86. It shall be unlaAvful for any person to 
 Unlawful to take or nave in nis possession or under his con- 
 have expio- trol within any coal mine, any explosive not 
 sive in mine permitted in the mine by the rules of said mine. 
 ExpiosTv^not Sec. 87. No stocks of "blasting powder and ex- 
 kept in wood- plosive materials shall be kept for storage in a 
 en structure. WOO( j en structure. 
 
 Sec. 88. It shall be unlawful for any person 
 to take or have in his possession or under his 
 ha n ve W d f ynamite, control within any coal mine in the State of Ala- 
 etc., in mine bama, any dynamite, or any other explosive 
 if prohibited. w hi c h may be prohibited by the rules and regula- 
 tions of said mine from being in said mine, un- 
 less such person shall first have the written con- 
 sent of the mine foreman or other person in 
 charge of the operation of said mine, which said 
 Exception. consent in writing shall set forth the use for 
 which any such dynamite or other prohibited ex- 
 plosives may be particularly intended. 
 
 Sec. 89. The owner or operator of each coal 
 mine, at which the miners are paid by weight, 
 owner s ^ a11 P roy ide such mines with suitable scales of 
 when miners standard make for the weighing of all coal, when 
 paid by weight, contracted for to be weighed. 
 
 Sec. 90. All coal mined in this State, contract- 
 ed for payment by the ton or other weight shall 
 Co f weighed fc e we ighed, and the full weight thereof shall be 
 
 and credit giv- ,., * , ' 
 
 en miner, 2,000 credited to the miner of such coal, and two thou- 
 
 pounds a ton. sand pounds of coal shall constitute a ton. 
 
 Sec. 91. In all coal mines, the miners employ- 
 ed and working therein may furnish a check 
 m h< n Ck m Wel b h wc i nn ian, who shall, at proper times, have full 
 furnished by Access and examination of the scales, and see 
 miners; duties, all measures and weights and accounts kept of 
 same; provided, that not more than one person 
 shall have such right of access, examination and 
 inspection of scales, measures and accounts at 
 the same time.
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 35 
 
 Sec. 92. The mine inspector, miners employ- 
 ed in the coal mines and the owner of the land or Persong hav . 
 persons interested in the rental and royalty of ing access to 
 such mines, shall at all times have full right of scales> etc - 
 access to scales used at said mines, including tal- 
 ly sheets or tally book in which the weight of 
 coal is kept, to examine the amount of coal 
 mined, for the purpose of testing the accuracy 
 thereof. 
 
 Sec. 93. It shall be the duty of the owner, op- 
 erator or lessee or superintendent of each coal stretcher, etc. 
 mine to keep at or near the mouth of the mine, ke 
 or at such other place about or in the mine as 
 shall be designated by the chief mine inspector, 
 a stretcher, properly constructed, and so arrang- 
 ed that it may be carried on top of the mine car 
 without slipping, and a woolen and water proof 
 blanket in good condition, for use in carrying 
 away any person who may be injured at 
 the mines; and where more than 100 men are 
 employed two stretchers and two woolen and 
 water proof blankets shall be kept at or in mines 
 generating fire damp. A sufficient quantity of 
 linseed oil, olive oil or sterilized sweet oil kept 
 in close packages, and also carbolized vaseline, 
 bandages, and linen shall be kept in the store at 
 the mines or at such other place as would be 
 convenient to the mines for use in emergencies 
 and bandages shall be kept at all times. 
 
 Sec. 94. Any building, erected after the pas- 
 sage of this act, for the purpose of housing the 
 hoisting engine or boilers at any shaft, shall be housing hoist- 
 substantially fireproof and no boiler house shall ing engine, etc. 
 be nearer than sixty feet to the main shaft, or to be fireproof, 
 opening, or to any inflammable structure con- 
 nected therewith. 
 
 Sec. 95. After the passage of this act, it shall 
 be unlawful to place a main or principal venti- to be placed in- 
 lating fan inside of any coal mine. side of mine - 
 
 Sec. 96. The owner, operator, lessee or agent Regulations 
 of a coal mine at which the live stock is kept as to stable 
 underground, shall observe the following: The J^ } t un 
 stable or stalls shall be separated from the main der ground.
 
 36 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Lighted pipe, 
 etc, not al- 
 lowed in 
 stable. 
 
 inlet and main outlet air courses by not less than 
 twenty feet of solid strata or a solid wall of 
 brick masonry not less than twelve inches in 
 thickness, except at two doors not more than five 
 feet wide, which shall be made of steel plate not 
 less than one-quarter of an inch in thickness and 
 hinged to the solid strata or masonry without 
 the use of wood; the ventilation for the stable 
 shall be taken from the main inlet air courses by 
 a by-pass or separate split and returned to the 
 main outlet air course so that the air passing the 
 stables will not enter the inward working places 
 of the mine, and arranged so that the by-pass or 
 split can readily be closed at both inlet and out- 
 let sides of the stable by steel doors described 
 above; the construction of the stable inside shall 
 be free from pine or light lumber ; shall be of 
 brick masonry as much as practicable, and any 
 timber used shall be of hardwood of a cross sec- 
 tion not less than three by six inches; no hay or 
 straw shall be taken into the mine or stable un- 
 less the same be compressed into compact bales, 
 and then only from time to time in such quantity 
 as will be required for two days' use; no greater 
 quantity of hay or straw shall be stored in the 
 mine or stable, and when such is taken into the 
 mine it shall be taken inside the stable at once; 
 the lights used inside the stable shall be incan- 
 decent electric lamps, placed so that the same 
 will not be injured by the stock or persons re- 
 quired to enter the stable, or lanterns of rail- 
 road type suitable for using lard or signal oil, 
 and only such oil shall be used therein ; all re- 
 fuse and waste shall promptly be removed from 
 the stable and mine and shall not be allowed to 
 accumulate. Stables constructed underground, 
 after the passage and approval of this act shall 
 be located not nearer than one hundred and fifty 
 feet of any opening to the mines used as a means 
 of ingress and egress. 
 
 Sec. 97. It shall be unlawful for any person 
 to take a lighted pipe or other thing containing 
 fire, except lanterns as provided for in the pre-
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 37 
 
 ceding section into any stable in any coal mine 
 in this State. 
 
 Sec. 98. No person, or persons, except those 
 in charge of trips, superintendents, mine fore- Persons per- 
 inen, electricians, machinists and blacksmiths mitted to ride 
 and others, when required by their duty shall 
 ride on haulage trips, except a special trip of 
 entry cars may be operated for the purpose of 
 taking employees into and out of the mine, when 
 the distance to and from their work exceeds one 
 mile. No person, excepting trip riders, shall 
 ride on loaded car or cars, and they shall ride 
 only the front or rear end of the trip. 
 
 Sec. 99. No other person shall be allowed to 
 travel on foot to or from his work on any incline [^ave^oiTI'oot, 
 plane, rope or locomotive roads, when other on p i a ne. etc. 
 roads are provided for that purpose. Regula- 
 tion concerning the installation, maintenance 
 and operation of electrical apparatus in coal 
 mines in the State of Alabama. 
 
 Sec. 100. Voltage. Rule 1. Electrical pres- 
 sure or voltage referred to in these regulations is 
 understood to mean that measured on all ap- Regulations 
 paratus wires and cables installed and used un- concerning the 
 derground. It not only applies to voltages ineas- J^inie^ance 
 ured between terminals, conductors, etc., but al- Sc!, n o? a Se&- 
 so to the voltage measured between any one con- tricai appara- 
 ductor, terminal, etc., and the earth. Rule 2. tus ' 
 Three systems of voltages are described as fol- 
 lows : Class 1. Low. 300 volts direct current, or 
 240 volts alternating current or less. Class 2. 
 Med. Between 300 volts and 600 volts direct cur- 
 rent, or 240 volts and 480 volts alternating cur- 
 rent. Class 3. High. 600 volts direct current or 
 480 volts alternating current and higher. Rule 
 3. No apparatus or conductors carrying a volt- 
 age within class three shall be allowed in or 
 about working places. Rule 4. Portable appar- 
 atus using a voltage of class three are prohibited. 
 Rule 5. Electrical equipments installed after 
 this date shall not use any voltage higher than 
 that in class one in or about working places. 
 This does not prohibit the use of voltages defin-
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 ed in classes two and three (except in or about 
 working places) provided such apparatus is in- 
 stalled and maintained according to these regu- 
 lations. Rule 6. Power circuits entering the 
 mine must be protected against lightning by 
 lightning arresters at all points of entrance to 
 the mines. Rule 7. The three wire double volt- 
 age system having a maximum voltage within 
 class two may be used provided the neutral is ef- 
 fectively grounded and the maximum voltage be- 
 tween any conductor and the earth complies with 
 these requirements. Rule 8. The regulations 
 covering the installation and maintenance of con- 
 ductors do not apply to the grounded or return 
 conductor or any grounded system. Rule 9. 
 Trolley wires are prohibited in any part of the 
 mine where safety lamps are used. Rule 10. 
 Series arc and incandescent systems of class 
 three shall not be used. Rule 11. Conductors in 
 shafts and slopes used as traveling ways and in 
 escape ways shall be protected. Rule 12. Con- 
 ductors of voltage of class three shall be reason- 
 ably protected against mechanical injury and 
 be adequately insulated to minimize the danger 
 of fire and shock. Such conductors shall not be 
 used where they cannot be made to comply with 
 these regulations. Rule 13. All trolley wires 
 carrying a voltage of class two must be properly 
 shielded except where the same are at least 
 6% feet above top of rail. Rule 14. Signal 
 wires shall be run at a safe distance and where 
 possible placed on side of slope or heading away 
 from other circuits. Rule 15. A separate or 
 independent circuit shall be provided for shot 
 firing, where done by electricity from the outside. 
 A switch above the surface controlling all the 
 shot firing circuits must be kept in a locked box, 
 accessible only to the authorized shot firers, and 
 switch not closed except to fire shots after which 
 it must be opened and locked opened. Rule 16. 
 All shot firing switches shall be kept open un- 
 til immediately before the shots are fired. Af- 
 ter the shots are fired, the switches must be
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 39 
 
 locked in open position. Rule 17. No lighting 
 on power circuits in the mines shall be used for 
 firing shots except in sinking shafts or rock 
 slopes, and then only when a special switch for 
 such firing circuit is provided and fixed in a lock- 
 ed box accessible only to the authorized shot 
 firers. Rule 18. Shot firing wires, shall, where 
 possible, be put on the side of the heading or 
 slope away from power and lighting circuits. 
 Rule 19. W T here this system is used a suitable 
 means of disconnecting wiring in working 
 places shall be provided, and kept open at all 
 times, when miner is working in his place. Rule 
 20. Oil switches only shall be used for voltages 
 of class three. Rule 21. Any unusual arcing, 
 sparking, or heating of any of the electrical 
 equipment shall be reported at once to the prop- 
 er mine officer by the attendant or any other 
 person having knowledge of same. 
 
 Sec. 101. No person shall erase or change a 
 mark or reference or monument made in connec- Erasure of 
 tion with measurements; change the checks on marks, etc., 
 cars ; wrongfully check a car, or do any act with P roniblted - 
 reference thereto with the intent to defraud. 
 
 Sec. 102. Any employee, or other person, Qnlawful to 
 who shall wilfully deface, pull down or destroy deface, etc., 
 any notice board, danger signal, general or spe- danger sig- 
 cial rules or mining laws, shall be guilty of a na1 ' etc 
 misdemeanor. 
 
 Sec. 103. All persons are forbidden to med- ctrjc wireg 
 die or tamper in any way with any electric or not to De 
 signal wires in or about the mines. tampered with. 
 
 Sec. 104. Persons not emplovees of a- coal 
 
 , ,, . . " , ., Persons not 
 
 mine shall not enter such mine unless the con- employees not 
 
 sent of the operator or his authorized represen- to .^ nte ^.^ 
 tative has been secured and shall not stand onj' 
 the tracks or go near the machinery or other sionr 
 place of danger. 
 
 Sec. 106. Whoever shall, while under the in- rntoxicated 
 fluence of intoxicating liquor, enter any coal persons and 
 mine, or any of the buildings connected with the intoxicating 
 operation of the same, within this State, where J|j}J|{J fj" 
 miners or other workmen are employed, or who- mines, etc.
 
 40 
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 
 
 Soliciting 
 funds pro- 
 hibited. 
 
 ever, shall carry intoxicating liquors into the 
 same, shall be deemed guilty of an offense 
 against this act, and upon conviction shall be 
 punished accordingly. 
 
 Sec. 107. On and after the passage of this act 
 any coal mine superintendent, mine foreman, or 
 assistant mine foreman, or any other person or 
 persons, who shall receive or solicit any sum of 
 money, or other valuable consideration, from any 
 of his or their employees for the purpose of con- 
 tinuing in his or their employ, or for the purpose 
 of procuring employment, or procuring or keep- 
 ing working places shall be guilty of a misde- 
 meanor, and upon conviction shall be subject 
 to a fine of not less than fifty dollars, nor more 
 than three hundred dollars, and shall be sentenc- 
 ed at hard labor for the county for not less than 
 six months. 
 
 Sec. 108. No woman of any age or boy under 
 ^ e age o f fourteen shall be employed to work 
 
 . * . . F . J ,,. ~, 
 
 or about mines. or labor in or about any coal mine in this State. 
 
 Sec. 109. For the purpose of making known 
 the rules and provisions of this law to all per- 
 sons employed in or about coal mines, to which 
 this law applies, an abstract of the law and 
 Abstract of rules shall be furnished by the chief mine in- 
 law and rules spector and posted up in legible characters in 
 
 Woman and 
 boy under 14 
 Qot to work in 
 
 furnished and 
 posted. 
 
 Penalty for 
 Injuring. 
 
 Penalty for 
 willful neg- 
 lect, etc. 
 
 some conspicious place or places at or near the 
 mines where they may be conveniently read by 
 the persons employed, and so often as they be- 
 come obliterated or destroyed, the owner, oper- 
 ator, lessee or superintendent, shall cause them 
 to be renewed with all reasonable dispatch. Any 
 person who pulls down, injures, or defaces such 
 abstract of the law or rules when up in pursu- 
 ance of the provisions of this chapter, shall be 
 guilty of an offense against the law. The mine 
 rules and regulations so posted shall limit and 
 govern the amount and kind of explosives used 
 in said mine. 
 
 Sec. 110. Any willful neglect or refusal or 
 failure to do the things required to be done 
 by any section, clause or provision of this act.
 
 MINING LAWS OF ALABAMA. 41 
 
 on the part of the person, or persons, herein re- 
 quired to do them, or any willful violation of 
 any of the provisions or requirements hereof, or 
 any willful attempt to obstruct or interfere with 
 any inspectors in the discharge of the duties 
 herein imposed upon him, shall be deemed a 
 misdemeanor, and unless herein otherwise pro- 
 vided punishable by a fine of not less than five 
 dollars or more than five hundred dollars, or 
 by imprisonment in the county jail for a period 
 not exceeding six months, one or both," at the 
 discretion of the court; provided that in addi- 
 tion to the above penalties, in case of the failure 
 of any operator to comply with the provisions 
 of this act in relation to the sinking of escape- 
 ment shafts and the ventilation of mines, the 
 State's attorney for the county in which such 
 failure occurs shall proceed against such opera- 
 tor by injunction without bond, to restrain him 
 from continuing to operate such mine until such 
 legal requirements shall have been fully compli- 
 ed with. 
 
 Sec. IIO 1 /^. The word person wheresoever Meanlng of 
 used in this act shall include corporation asso- word person, 
 ciation co-partnership or firm as well as an ac- 
 tual person. 
 
 Sec. 111. All laws and parts of laws, local, 
 general or special in conflict with the provisions Repeal, 
 of this act are hereby repealed. 
 
 Approved April 18th, 1911.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Section. 
 
 Abandoned mines 11,69 
 
 Accidents in reference to 5%, 11-11^ 
 
 Adjacent owner may inspect mines 73 
 
 Adjoining land owners may inspect maps 65 
 
 Air: instruments for testing furnished by State 8 
 
 Air-way ; must not obstruct : 48 
 
 Annual report Mine Operator to Chief Mine Inspector 13 
 
 Appointment of Inspectors terms of office 1 
 
 Appropriation 15 
 
 Authority to stop operations of mines 10 
 
 Automatic Doors 44 
 
 B 
 
 Blast-firing 76 
 
 Blasting when restricted _ 78 
 
 Blasting when fire damp is generated 79 
 
 Blasting charging holes 77 
 
 Blasting Powder use of squibs 80 
 
 Exploding shot with fuse of insufficient length 81 
 
 Missed shots 82 
 
 Manner of handling explosives 83 
 
 Board of Examiners meetings, etc. 18-19 
 
 Boilers as to boiler plants in mines 45 
 
 Bond may be required, of Chief Mine Inspector 2% 
 
 Boundaries 15-foot limit 72 
 
 Boys under fourteen not to work in mines 108 
 
 Breaks through 42 
 
 Chief Inspector Must make report to Governor 7 
 
 Appointment, term 1 
 
 Salary _. 2
 
 44 INDEX. 
 
 Section. 
 
 Qualifications 3-4 
 
 Duties 5-51/3 
 
 Powers 6-7, 10 
 
 Cable fastenings 55 
 
 Cages 52, 59 
 
 Cage chains 53 
 
 Cage regulations 60 
 
 Caution to miners 36 
 
 Clay as to supply of for charging holes 77 
 
 Certificates . 18 
 
 Duplicate 20 
 
 Fraudulent 21 
 
 Qualifications for mine foremen 22 
 
 Qualifications for fire boss 23 
 
 Of service 25 
 
 Cancellation of 2<J 
 
 Check-weighmen owners may employ 91 
 
 Controversies , 17 
 
 Cross-heads _ 56 
 
 Defraud intent to 101 
 
 Drags required 63% 
 
 Doors used in ventilating system to be self-closing 44 
 
 Dust when sprinkling required 30 
 
 Duties of employees 35 
 
 Duties of Inspectors 5-5% 
 
 Duty of miner as to props and timber 38 
 
 Duties of Mine Foremen 29 
 
 Duties of Machine men 34 
 
 Duties of Operator 1 11, 13 
 
 To employ competent fire boss 32 
 
 To furnish props 38 
 
 To furnish maps : 65 
 
 E 
 
 Examination of Mine Foremen and Fire Bosses 18 
 
 Examining Board rules of procedure 19 
 
 Electrical regulations 100
 
 INDEX. 
 
 45 
 
 Section. 
 
 Engineers character of ___________ _ _______________________ 54 
 
 Engine and boiler house location of ________________________ 94 
 
 Exploding shot ____________________________________________ 81 
 
 Explosives possession of _________________________________ 87 
 
 Storing of ------------------------------------------ 84-85 
 
 Unlawful to have non-permissible ___ ._ _________________ 86-88 
 
 Mine rules limit and govern explosives ________________ 109 
 
 F 
 
 Fans no ventilating fan to be placed near than 30 feet to 
 
 air-shaft ______________________________________________ 44,95 
 
 Fire ______________________________________________________ 49 
 
 Fire Boss Qualifications __________________________________ 23 
 
 Examination of _____________________________________ 18 
 
 Unlawful to employ other than certificated _____________ 24 
 
 Who may act as ____________________________________ 31 
 
 Duty when gas exists in quantities ____________________ 32 
 
 Fire damp notice as to ___________________________________ 11 
 
 Fire in stable relating to ________________________________ 97 
 
 G 
 
 Gas when exists in mines _________________________________ 32 
 
 Dangerous accumulations precautions, etc _____________ 70 
 
 Gasoline relating to use of ________________________________ 74 
 
 Gates at top _______________________________________________ 61 
 
 Governor may employ special counsel ______________________ 10 
 
 Governor may remove Inspectors -------------------------- 14 
 
 Governor shall appoint Board of Examiners ________ '. __________ 18 
 
 H 
 
 Haulage trips persons not permitted to ride on ______________ 98 
 
 Hoisting Engineers ________________________________________ 54 
 
 Hoisting ropes ____________________________________________ 63 
 
 Hooks ____________________________________________________ 57 
 
 I 
 
 Inspection ________________________________________________ 5 
 
 Inspection of scales and record of weights ------------------- 92
 
 46 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Section. 
 
 Inspectors ; appointment of ; terms of office 1 
 
 Salaries of 2 
 
 Unlawful to be otherwise employed by State 4 
 
 Duties of 5%-6, Iiy 2 
 
 Reports of 6 
 
 Authorized to summon witnesses, etc 6 
 
 Chief may stop operation of mines 10 
 
 Notices to 11 
 
 Chief Mine Inspector report by Mine Operator to 13 
 
 Duty of in case insufficient ventilation 47 
 
 Can require two available openings 39 
 
 Intoxicating liquors not permitted 106 
 
 Investigation of accidents 5% 
 
 Lamps 41 
 
 Lamps safety, who shall have 50 
 
 Must be kept by operators 51 
 
 M 
 
 Machine men duties of 34 
 
 Maps of coal mines 65 
 
 Penalties for failure to supply 66 
 
 Incorrect or imperfect 67 
 
 Of abandoned mines 60 
 
 Who may examine maps 65 
 
 Miners caution to 36 
 
 Duty of in gaseous mines 32 
 
 Duty as to props and timber i 38 
 
 Mine foremen qualification of 22 
 
 Unlawful to employ other than certificated 24 
 
 Who may act as 27 
 
 Assistant 28 
 
 Additional duties 29 
 
 N 
 
 Non-permissible explosives unlawful to have 86-88 
 
 Notices to inspectors 11 
 
 Notices signals, etc., destroying of__. 102
 
 INDEX. 47 
 
 Section. 
 
 Operator required to furnish copy of rules to each employee 37 
 
 Must make annual report 13 
 
 Must keep stretchers, blankets, etc. 93 
 
 Oiling and greasing of cars in coal mines 75 
 
 Openings two available when required by inspector 39 
 
 p 
 
 Penalties for failure to supply maps 66 
 
 Penalties general 110 
 
 Persons not employees relating to 104 
 
 Pipes as to steam pipes 46 
 
 Powder and Blasting 80 
 
 Manner of handling 83 
 
 Place and manner of storing 84-85 
 
 Powder and Blasting house 88 
 
 Props and other timber to be supplied by operator 38 
 
 Q 
 
 Qualification fire bosses 23 
 
 Mine foremen 22 
 
 Inspectors 1-3 and 4 
 
 R 
 
 Reports of inspectors 6 
 
 Of Chief Mine Inspector to Governor 7 
 
 Of accidents 11 
 
 Rules to be posted 109 
 
 Rules and regulations to be adopted by each operator 37 
 
 S 
 
 Safety catches, brakes and indicators to be attached to cages 
 
 in shafts 52 
 
 Safety lamps who shall be entrusted with 50 
 
 Must be kept by operators, how kept, etc 51 
 
 Scales adjustment of 9 
 
 Operator must provide 89
 
 48 INDEX. 
 
 Section. 
 
 Shaft deepening 58 
 
 Shaft bottom passage way around 62 
 
 Signals, notices, etc., destroying of 102 
 
 Signal wires tampering with 103 
 
 Spraying when required 30 
 
 Squibs use of 80 
 
 Stable underground 96 
 
 Fire must not be taken into 97 
 
 Steam boilers 95 
 
 Steam pipes in hauling and traveling ways 46 
 
 Stretchers, blankets, etc., to be kept at mines 93 
 
 T 
 
 Tamping unlawful to tamp holes with inflammable material 77 
 
 Trappers 43 
 
 Traveling to and from work 99 
 
 Ventilation of mines self-closing doors required 40-41, 44 
 
 Ventilating furnace 45 
 
 Ventilation insufficient duty of inspector 47 
 
 W 
 
 Water dangerous accumulations of 70 
 
 Accumulations in large quantities may be removed 71 
 
 Weighing coal __ 1 90 
 
 Weighman check 91 
 
 Witnesses summoned by inspectors . 6 
 
 Women not to work in mines 108 
 
 Working places to be examined 32,35
 
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