MINING CORPORATIONS.

An Act to establish a uniform system of mine bell signals, to be used in all the mines operated in the State of California, and for the protection of miners.

[Approved March 8, 1893.]

The People of the State of California, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. Every person, company, corporation, or individual, operating any mine within the State of Californiagold, silver, copper, lead, coal, or any other metal or substance where it is necessary to use signals by means of bell or otherwise, for shafts, inclines, drifts, crosscuts, tunnels, and underground workings-shall, after the passage of this bill, adopt, use, and put in force the following system or code of mine bell signals, as follows:

1 bell, to hoist. (See Rule 2.)

1 bell, to stop if

2 bells, to lower.

in motion.

(See Rule 2.)

3 bells, man to be hoisted; run slow.

(See Rule 2.)

4 bells, start pump if not running, or stop pump if running. 1-3 bells, start or stop air compressor.

5 bells, send down tools. (See Rule 4.)

6 bells, send down timbers. (See Rule 4.)

7 bells, accident; move bucket or cage by verbal orders only. 1-4 bells, foreman wanted.

2-1-1 bells, done hoisting until called.

2-1-2 bells, done hoisting for the day.

2-2-2 bells, change buckets from ore to water, or vice versa. 3-2-1 bells, ready to shoot in the shaft. (See Rule 3.) Engineer's signal, that he is ready to hoist, is to raise the bucket or cage two feet and lower it again. (See Rule 3.)

Levels shall be designated and inserted in notice hereinafter mentioned. (See Rule 5.)

SEC. 2. For the purpose of enforcing and properly understanding the above code of signals, the following rules are hereby established:

RULE 1. In giving signals make strokes on bell at regular intervals. The bar (-) must take the same time as for one stroke of the bell, and no more. If timber, tools, the foreman,

H

bucket, or cage, are wanted to stop at any level in the mine, signal, by number of strokes on the bell, the number of the level first before giving the signal for timber, tools, etc. Time between signals to be double bars (--). Examples:

-5, would mean stop at sixth level with tools.

-1-1-1-1, would mean stop at fourth level,

man on, hoist.

2--1-4, would mean stop at second level with foreman. RULE 2. No person must get off or on the bucket or cage while the same is in motion. When men are to be hoisted, give the signal for men. Men must then get on the bucket or cage, then give the signal to hoist. Bell cord must be in reach of man on the bucket or cage at stations.

RULE 3. After signal "Ready to shoot in shaft," engineer must give his signal when he is ready to hoist. Miners must then give the signal of "Men to be hoisted," then "spit fuse," get into the bucket, and give signal to hoist.

RULE 4. All timbers, tools, etc., "longer than the depth of the bucket," to be hoisted or lowered, must be securely lashed at the upper end to the cable. Miners must know they will ride up or down the shaft without catching on rocks or timbers and be thrown out.

RULE 5. The foreman will see that one printed sheet of these signals and rules for each level and one for the engineroom are attached to a board not less than twelve inches wide by thirty-six inches long, and securely fasten the board up where signals can be easily read at the places above stated.

RULE 6. The above signals and rules must be obeyed. Any violation will be sufficient grounds for discharging the party or parties so doing. No person, company, corporation, or individuals operating any mine within the State of California, shall be responsible for accidents that may happen to men disobeying the above rules and signals. Said notice and rules shall be signed by the person or superintendent having charge of the mine, who shall designate the name of the corporation or the owner of the mine.

SEC. 3. Any person or company failing to carry out any of the provisions of this Act shall be responsible for all damages arising to or incurred by any person working in said mine during the time of such failure.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect immediately.

CERTAIN CORPORATIONS TO ACT AS EXECUTORS.

An Act authorizing certain corporations to act as executor and in other capacities, and to provide for and regulate the administration of trusts by such corporations.

[Approved April 6, 1891. Amended March 18, 1905.1

The People of the State of California, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. Any corporation which has or shall be incorporated under the general incorporation laws of this State, authorized by its articles of incorporation to act as executor, administrator, guardian, assignee, receiver, depositary, or trustee, and having a paid-up capital of not less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, of which one hundred thousand dollars shall have been actually paid in, in cash, may be appointed to act in such capacity in like manner as individuals. In all cases in which it is required that an executor, administrator, guardian, assignee, receiver, depositary, or trustee, shall qualify by taking and subscribing an oath, or in which an affidavit is required, it shall be a sufficient qualification by such corporation if such oath shall be taken and subscribed, or such affidavit made, by the president or secretary, or manager thereof, and such officer shall be liable for the failure of such corporation to perform any of the duties required by law to be performed by individuals acting in like capacity and subject to like penalties; and such corporation shall be liable for such failure to the full amount of its capital stock; provided, any such appointment as guardian shall apply to the estate only, and not to the person. Such corporations shall be entitled to, and shall be allowed proper compensation for all the services performed by them under the foregoing provisions of this Act; but such compensation shall not exceed that allowed to natural persons for like services.

SEC. 2. Any court, having appointed and having jurisdiction of any executor, administrator, guardian, assignee, receiver, depositary, or trustee, upon the application of such officer or trustee, or upon the application of any person having an interest in the estate administered by such officer or trustee, after notice

to the other parties in interest as the court may direct, and after a hearing upon such application, may order such officer or trustee to deposit any moneys then in his hands, or which may come into his hands thereafter, and until the further order of said court, with any such corporation; and upon deposit of such money, and its receipt and acceptance by such corporation, the said officer or trustee shall be discharged from further care or responsibility therefor. Such deposits shall be paid out only upon the orders of said court.

SEC. 3. And it shall be lawful for any Public Administrator to deposit with any such corporation doing business in the county, or city and county, in which he is acting as such administrator, any and all moneys of any estate upon which he is administering, not required for the current expenses of the administration. And such deposits shall relieve the Public Administrator from depositing with the County Treasurer the moneys so deposited with such corporation. Moneys deposited by a Public Administrator may be drawn, upon the order of such administrator, countersigned by a Judge of a Superior Court, when required for the purpose of administration, or otherwise. SEC. 4. Whenever, in the judgment of any court having jurisdiction of any estate in process of administration by any executor, administrator, guardian, assignee, receiver, depositary, or trustee, the bond required by law of such officer shall seem burdensome or excessive, upon application of such officer or trustee, and after such notice to the parties in interest as the court shall direct, and after a hearing on such application, the said court may order the said officer or trustee to deposit with any such corporation, for safe-keeping, such portion or all of the personal assets of said estate as it shall deem proper; and thereupon said court shall, by an order of record, reduce the bond to be given or theretofore given by such officer or trustee, so as to cover only the estate remaining in the hands of said officer or trustee; and the property as deposited shall thereupon be held by such corporation, under the orders and directions of said court. Any court having jurisdiction of an estate being administered by a Public Administrator, may direct such Public Administrator to deposit all or any part of the moneys of the estate not required for the current expenses of the administration, with any such corporation doing business in the county, or city and county, where such Public Administrator is acting.

SEC. 5. Such corporation shall not be required to give any bond or security in case of any appointment hereinbefore provided for, except as hereinafter provided, but shall be responsible for all investments which shall be made by it of the funds which may be intrusted to it for investment by such court, and shall be further liable as natural persons in like positions now are, and as hereinafter provided. The amount of money which

any such corporation shall have on deposit at any time shall not exceed ten times the amount of its paid-up capital and surplus, and its outstanding loans shall not at any time exceed said amount.

SEC. 6. Such corporations shall pay interest upon all moneys held by them by virtue of this Act, at such rate as may be agreed upon at the time of its acceptance of any such appointment, or as shall be provided by the order of the court.

SEC. 7. Each corporation, before accepting any such appointment or deposit, shall deposit with the Treasurer of State, for the benefit of the creditors of said corporation, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00), in bonds of the United States, or municipal bonds of this State, or of any county, or city, or school district thereof, or in mortgages on improved and productive real estate in this State, being first liens thereon, and the real estate being worth at least twice the amount loaned thereon. The bonds and securities so deposited may be exchanged from time to time for other securities, receivable as aforesaid. Said bonds of the United States, or municipal bonds of this State, or of any county, city, or school district thereof, to be registered in the name of said Treasurer, officially, and all said securities to be subject to sale and transfer, and to the disposal of the proceeds by said Treasurer, only on the order of a court of competent jurisdiction, and as hereinafter provided. [Amendment approved April 1, 1897.]

SEC. 8. Any such corporation, having a paid-up capital in excess of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, may be permitted by the Board of Bank Commissioners to mortgage any improved and productive real estate owned by it, in excess of said amount, to the Treasurer of State, for such sum as the said board may determine; and such mortgage may be deposited with said Treasurer, and when so deposited it shall be included in the amount of securities hereinabove required to be deposited with said Treasurer for the benefit of the creditors of said corporation.