Page 698

698      REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR* 
MINE RULES, ADOPTED DECEMBER 6, 1904. 
SECTION 1. Powder in kegs to be prohibited in the mines and the jack system
to be adopted. Amount of powder in jacks to be regulated between the pit
committee and superintendent. All unused powder in jacks at night to be 
placed in powder boxes at powder stations, said stations to be designated
by 
the pit boss and pit committee. 
SEC. 2. Powder jacks to mean air-tight cans with screws or tapered top. 
Same to be furnished by the miners, and the dimensions of jacks to be used
at 
each mine to be determined by the superintendent and pit committee. 
SEC. 3. Whenever a workman shall open a can or jack containing powder or
other explosives, or while in any manner handling the same, he shall first
place his lamp not less than 5 feet from such explosives and in such a position
that the air current can not convey sparks to it, and he shall not smoke
while 
handling explosives. 
SEC. 4. The number of shots to be fired in any working place to be determined
by the superintendent, pit committee, and shot firer. 
SEC. 5. Shot firers must commence from a point farthest from the intake air
way and proceed with firing in a direction opposite from that in which the
air 
is traveling. 
SEC. 6. Before firing a shot firers shall examine for gas in the place about
to 
be fired, and under no circumstances shall they fire when there is gas present.
Where an unusual feeder of gas is in evidence the shot firer will return
and 
see that no fire has been left from the shot. 
SEC. 7. All shots must be left untamped by the miner, and only tamped by
the shot firer, and the special tamping prescribed and delivered to the working
places by the coal company must only be used. 
SEC. 8. A hole which has blown the tamping must not be recharged and fired
again, except with the consent of the pit boss and pit committee. 
SEC. 9. A hole drilled near the remaining part of an old hole, or cracks
or 
fissures made by previously fired shots, if there is danger of the force
of the 
flame of the shot reaching through to any part of the old hole, crack, or
fis- 
sures, it must not be fired. 
SEC. 10. A hole located along the rib must receive careful attention. If
it 
is drilled in such a way that there is probability of the force of the charge
being projected into the adjacent working place it is a dangerous shot and
must be rejected. 
SEC. 11. A shot following another shot and depending upon the success of
the first shot must not be fired. 
SEC. 12. In preparing shots it is agreed that no shot will be drilled on
the 
solid more than the thickness of the coal vein, and in no case will a shot
be 
fired that is more than 4 feet on the solid. Solid means coal that is not
mined 
or cut under. 
SEC. 13: Rule 1. The use of dynamite of a maximum strength of 30 per cent
will be permitted in cutting shots only in entries, air courses, break throughs
between entries and air courses, and in room necks to a distance of 30 feet
from entry. 
Rule 2. When dynamite is used the hole in no case will be drilled more than
24 inches ahead of the face of cutting. 
Rule 3. Where powder is used in cutting shots the hole will in no case be
drilled ahead of the cutting. 
Rule 4. The use of dynamite and powder mixed is strictly forbidden. 
Rule 5. The use of dynamite in any other than the places specified is 
prohibited. 
Rule 6. The use of dynamite in sinking slopes making an unusual amount of
water is permitted. 
Rule 7. That all dynamite, like powder, be purchased from the company only.
Rule 8. The penalty for violation of any of the rules of this section is
discharge. 
SEC. 14. Whenever the shot firer considers that any of the working places
are 
too dry and dusty to permit of safety in firing shots, he must refuse to
fire 
them. He must, however, in all cases give written notice to the mine foreman
that a place is becoming dry before the place has become so dry as to be
dangerous. 
SEC. 15. That one or more of the pit committee shall at any time, in company
with the gas man and superintendent and pit boss, if they so desire, make
a 
circuit of all places, working or otherwise, once a month, andl a written
report