MINING DISASTERS-INVESTIGATION.

COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE SCOTTDALE DISASTER.

LAWS 1891, P. 397.

JANUARY 30, 1891.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WHEREAS, An explosion has taken place in the coal mines at Scottdale in this State;

AND WHEREAS, A large loss of life followed the same; therefore, be it

RESOLVED (if the Senate concur), That a special committee of three members of the house and two members of the senate, versed in mining, be appointed to immediately and forthwith visit the scene of the disaster and thoroughly investigate the same and report to this legislature in what respect the existing law is defective and wherein it may be improved. The committee thus appointed shall also make report as to the action which the legislature shall take to give relief to such as are now suffering by reason of such mine explosion at Scottdale, so that further action may be taken.

APPROPRIATION FOR COMMISSION.

LAWS 1891, P. 261.

JUNE 9, 1891.

AN ACT to provide for the ordinary expenses of the executive, judicial and legislative departments of the Commonwealth, interest on public debt, and for the support of the public schools, for the years 1891 and 1892.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, etc.:

That the following sums be and are hereby specifically appropriated to the several objects hereinafter named for the years commencing June 1, 1891, and June 1, 1892.

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SEC. 44. For the payment of the expenses of the joint commission of the senate and house of representatives, to investigate the mine disaster at Scottdale, Pennsylvania, the sum of $1,746.59.

566

MINING EXPERIMENT STATION.

COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE-APPROPRIATION.

LAWS 1913, P. 1262.

JULY 25, 1913.

AN ACT to provide for the cooperation of the State in the establishment of a mining experiment station for investigations, with a view to better safeguarding the lives of miners and greater efficiency in the mining and mineral industries, and making an appropriation therefor.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, etc.:

That the governor is hereby authorized to appoint a commission, to consist of three citizens of this State, one of whom shall be the dean of the school of mines of the Pennsylvania State College, one the chief of the department of mines, and one a practical miner. It shall be the duty of the commission to cooperate with the director, or other representative of the United States Bureau of Mines, in the establishment in this State of a mining experiment station, which shall have for its purposes the conducting of investigations, and the making of tests, to better safeguard the lives of miners, and to bring about greater efficiency in the mining and mineral industries. The members of the said commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be allowed their expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties. SEC. 2. For the prosecution of this work, the sum of $50,000 * is hereby specifically appropriated. Payment of the moneys hereby appropriated shall be on warrant of the auditor general, on order of the chairman of the commission, accompanied by itemized and verified vouchers. The commission shall submit to the governor, as he may require, reports giving the results of its work and shall arrange for the prompt transmission to the department of mines, and to the topographic and geological survey of this State, copies of all reports, circulars, bulletins and other publications issued from time to time, embodying the results of tests and investigations conducted at the said mining experiment station; and also from time to time such special reports as to them, or any of them, may seem useful, growing out of the results of the experiments conducted at said station. (Approval in the sum of $25,000.)

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MINING INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS.

COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE CONDITIONS.

LAWS 1897, P. 529.

MARCH 18, 1897.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MARCH 18, 1897. WHEREAS, During the past three or four years the industrial condition in the bituminous coal mining regions, comprised within what is commonly termed the Pittsburgh district of Pennsylvania, has continued to grow and is still growing so desperate as to cause several thousand of our citizens to be at present on the verge of starvation; and WHEREAS, There are at present other thousands who are pressing very hard on the capacity of the township and county charities of that district, and who would have probably perished were it not for the intervention of those charities; and WHEREAS, This condition gives every promise of continuing until those charities are exhausted; and

WHEREAS, The fear exists that when such stage is arrived at there may be many worthy citizens and their families suffer the pangs of hunger and destitution to the point of actual starvation; and

WHEREAS, These citizens thus affected are among the most willing, frugal, industrious, and worthy of our laboring population; and

WHEREAS, This condition has been brought about by a guerilla warfare, precipitated and continued by certain corporation interests in that district, many of whom even seem to have entered into policies which are not only bringing this destitution upon the em ployees but ruin upon their own business; and

WHEREAS, Every possible expedient has been attempted by the public-spirited and humanely disposed people of that district, including several newspaper editors of the city of Pittsburgh; and

WHEREAS, There is an abundance of evidence to be had that the conditions above mentioned exist and are becoming daily still more alarming; therefore be it

Resolved (if the senate concur), That a committee consisting of three members of the house of representatives, to be appointed by the speaker, and two members of the senate, to be appointed by the president pro tempore, be authorized to visit said Pittsburgh district and make a thorough investigation of the actual condition of affairs in said mining regon, and report to the legislature their finding, and recommend in their report what in their opinion might be done to alleviate the deplorable condition aforesaid, and to recommend such measures as in their judgment they deem best to correct the evil complained of. The said committee to serve without compensation, except the actual expenses incurred by them in prosecuting such investigation, not including any expense on account of time given to such investigation, and stenographer or clerk hire to be provided for by an item in the general appropriation bill or by special act making an appropriation therefor; and the said committee shall have power to summon and subpoena witnesses and compel, by process, their attendance before them to give evidence in like manner as any court of record. And that a committee of five, consisting of two senators and three members of the house of representatives, be appointed to investigate similar conditions in the anthracite district. This committee shall report the facts to this legislature not later than Monday, April 19, 1897.

INVESTIGATIONS TO BE EXTENDED.

LAWS 1897, P. 533.

IN THE SENATE, APRIL 6, 1897.

APRIL 13, 1897.

WHEREAS, At a convention of miners representing twelve counties of the bituminous coal regions of the State, held at Clearfield April 1 and 2, the following resolution was adopted: WHEREAS, The legislature has appointed a committee to investigate the cause for the conditions of the miners in the western part of the State and in the anthracite region, with a view of suggesting a remedy for the starvation, destitution, and idleness; and WHEREAS, Such has been the conditions of the coal trade in the central part of the State that hundreds of miners, willing to work, have been unable to procure employment, and those employed are unable to earn sufficient to support themselves and their families; and WHEREAS, Bad as the conditions have been in the past, a twenty per cent reduction is now threatened, which, if it should follow, would add to the destitution and idleness; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the representatives of the miners here assembled do hereby invite the legislative committee to extend its investigation into Clearfield, Centei, Cambria, Indiana and Jeeffrson Counties, to the end that thousands of the citizens of the Commonwealth may not become charges on the several townships and borough poor districts; therefore, be it

Resolved (if the house of representatives concur), That the committee appointed to investigate the causes of distress in the bituminous region, be asked to include the Clearfield region, as per the foregoing request in carrying out the purpose of their appointment.

EXPENSES OF JOINT COMMITTEE APPROPRIATION.

LAWS 1897, P. 442.

JULY 29, 1897.

AN ACT making an appropriation for the payment of the expenses incurred by the joint committee, of the senate and house of representatives, to investigate and report to the general assembly the result of their investigation, the conditions existing in the anthracite coal regions.

*

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, etc.: That the sum of $6,884.23 be and the same is hereby specifically appropriated for the payment of the expenses of the joint committee, appointed to investigate and report to the general assembly the result of their investigation, the conditions existing in the anthracite coal regions of Pennsylvania.

EXPENSES JOINT COMMITTEE-APPROPRIATION.

LAWS 1897, P. 449.

JULY 29, 1897.

AN ACT making an appropriation to pay the expenses incurred by the joint committee, etc. (same as in sec. 1).

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SEC. 1. Be it enacted, etc.: That the sum of $6,277.46 be and the same is hereby specifically appropriated for the payment of the expenses of the joint committee appointed to investigate and report to the general assembly the result of their investigations of the industrial condition and alleged deplorable condition of the miners of the bituminous coal region, comprising what is commonly known as the Pittsburg district of Pennsylvania, also of Clearfield and Cambria counties; and to inquire into the high rate of tolls charged by the Monongahela Navigation Company, and to inquire into the conditions of coal shipments in connection with said toll charges on the Monongahela River.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE-TIME EXTENDED.

LAWS 1897, P. 542.

IN THE SENATE, MAY 11, 1897.

MAY 18, 1897.

Resolved (if the house of representatives concur), That the time for making final report on the investigation of the condition in the anthracite coal regions be extended to June 1, 1897.

LAWS 1897, P. 542.

IN THE SENATE, MAY 11, 1897.

MAY 12, 1897.

Resolved (if the house of representatives concur), That the time for filing the report of the committee to investigate the condition of the miners in the bituminous coal district of western Pennsylvania be extended to June 1, 1897. LAWS 1897, P. 547.

IN THE SENATE, JUNE 1, 1897.

JUNE 7, 1897.

WHEREAS, The stenographer having in his possession the report of the committee to investigate the condition of the miners in the bituminous coal region of Pennsylvania has failed to forward the same to the committee to enable the committee to file the same to-day, as by resolution required and directed: Therefore,

Resolved (if the house of representatives concur), That the time for filing the same be extended until Monday next, June 7, 1897.