tions with the escapement shaft or adjacent mine; and said number must not exceed ten men at any one time for any purpose in said mine until such escapement or connection is completed. The time allowed for completing such escapement shaft or making such connections with an adjacent mine, as is required by the terms of this Act, shall be three months for shafts 200 feet or less in depth, and six months for shafts less than 500 feet and more than 200 feet, and nine months for all other mines, slopes or drifts, or connections with adjacent mines. The time to date in all cases from the hoisting of coal from the hoisting shaft: Provided, that in mines employing ten (10) men or less, the time for completing the escapement shaft shall not be more than six months from the time of hoisting coal.

STAIRWAYS OR CAGES.] (d) The escapement shaft at every mine opened after the passage of this Act shall be equipped with a substantial stairway, set at an angle not greater than forty-five degrees, which shall be provided with hand-rails, and with platforms or landings at each turn of the stairway. If any escapement shaft, at the time of the passage of this Act, be equipped with a cage for hoisting men, such shaft, cage and all equipment used in connection therewith must conform to the requirements of this Act in reference to the hoisting and lowering of men. Where an escapement way is connected to a compartment in which coal is hoisted in such manner that men using the escapement way are endangered by falling coal or by themselves falling into such hoisting compartment, the State mine inspector shall have power to order suitable protection against such dangers.

PASSAGEWAYS TO ESCAPEMENT.] (e) Such escapement shaft or opening or communication with a contiguous mine as aforesaid, shall be constructed in connection with every seam of coal worked in such mine, and all passageways communicating with the escapement shaft or place of exit, from the main hauling ways to said place of exit, shall be maintained free of obstruction at least 5 feet high and 5 feet wide. Such passageways must be so graded and drained that it will be impossible. for water to accumulate in any depression or dip of the same in quantities sufficient to obstruct the free and safe passage of men. No passageway to an escapement shaft shall pass through a stable. At all points where the passageway to the escapement shaft or other place of exit is intersected by other roadways or entries, conspicuous signboards shall be placed, indicating the direction it is necessary to take in order to reach such place of exit.

COMMUNICATIONS WITH ADJACENT MINES.] (f) When operators of adjacent mines have, by agreement, established underground communications between said mines as an escapement outlet for the men employed in both, the intervening doors shall remain unlocked and ready at all times for immediate use. When such communication has once been established between contiguous mines, the operator of either shall not close the same without the consent of the operator of the contiguous mine and of the State inspector for the district: Provided, that when either operator desires to abandon mining operations the expense and duty of maintaining such communication shall devolve upon the party continuing operations and using the same.

§ 10. GATES AT LANDINGS.] (a) The upper and lower landing at the top of each shaft, and the opening of each intermediate seam from or to the shaft, shall be kept clear and free from loose materials, and shall be protected with automatic or other gates, such gates to be of good, serviceable construction for the purpose for which they are designed, namely, to prevent either men or materials from falling into the shaft. At the top landing cage supports, where necessary, must be carefully set and adjusted so as to securely hold the cage when at rest.

LIGHTS ON LANDINGS.] (b) Whenever the hoisting or lowering of men occurs before daylight or after dark, or when the landing at which men take or leave the cage is at all obscured by steam or otherwise, there must always be maintained at such landing a light sufficient to show the landing and surrounding objects distinctly. Likewise, as long as there are men underground in any mine the operator shall maintain a good and sufficient light at the bottom of the shaft thereof, so that persons coming to the bottom may clearly discern the cage and objects in the vicinity.

HOISTING EQUIPMENT.] (c) Every shaft in which men are hoisted and lowered must be equipped with a cage, or cages, fitted to guiderails running from the top to the bottom. Said cages must be safely. constructed; they must be furnished with sheet-metal covers adequate to protect persons riding thereon from falling objects; they must be equipped with safety catches. Every cage on which persons are carried must be fitted with iron bars or rings in proper place and sufficient number to furnish a secure hand-hold for every person permitted to ride thereon. There shall be attached to every cage on which men are, or may be, hoisted or lowered, a horn or other device with which signals can be given on the cage. Hoisting ropes when socketed at the cage shall be cut off and resocketed at least once each six months and a notice shall be posted in the engine room giving the date when the rope was installed and when resocketed.

(d) In connection with every hoisting engine used for hoisting or lowering of men there shall be provided as follows:

BRAKE ON DRUM.] (1) A good and sufficient brake on the drum, so adjusted that it may be operated by the engineer without leaving his post at the levers.

FLANGES.] (2) Flanges attached to the sides of the drum, with a distance when the whole rope is wound on the drum of not less than 4 inches between the outer layer of rope and the greatest diameter of the flange.

ROPE FASTENINGS.] (3) One end of each hoisting rope shall be well secured on the drum, and at least three laps of the same shall remain on the drum when the cage is at rest at the lowest caging place in the shaft.

The lower end of each rope shall be securely fastened to the cage by suitable sockets and chains.

INDICATOR.] (4) An index dial or indicator that plainly shows the engineer at all times the true position of the cages in the shaft.

SIGNALS.] (e) At every mine when men are hoisted and lowered. by machinery there shall be provided means of signaling to and from the bottom man, the top man and the engineer. The signal system shall

consist of a tube or tubes, or wire encased in wood or iron pipes, through which signals shall be communicated by electricity, compressed air or other pneumatic devices, or by ringing a bell. When compressed air or other pneumatic devices are used for signaling, provision must be made to prevent signal from repeating or reversing. The following signals shall be used at mines where signals are required:

From the bottom to the top: One ring or whistle shall signify to hoist coal or the empty cage, and also to stop either when in motion.

Two rings or whistles shall signify to lower cage.

Three rings or whistles shall signify that men are coming up or going down; when return signal is received from the engineer the men shall get on the cage and the proper signal to hoist or lower shall be given.

Four rings or whistles shall signify to hoist slowly, implying danger.

Five rings or whistles shall signify accident in the mine and a call for a stretcher.

Six rings or whistles shall signify hold cage perfectly still until signaled otherwise.

From top to bottom, one ring or whistle shall signify: All ready, get on cage.

Two rings or whistles shall signify: Send away empty cage.

Provided, that the operator of any mine may, with the consent of the inspector, add to this code of signals in his discretion. The code of signals in use at any mine shall be conspicuously posted at the top and at the bottom of the shaft, and the engine room at some point in front of the engineer when standing at his post.

GAUGE.] (f) Every boiler shall be provided with a glass water gauge and not less than three try cocks and also a steam gauge, except that where two or more boilers are equipped with a steam drum properly connected with the boilers to indicate the steam pressure and without any valves between said boilers and the steam drum, the steam gauge may be placed in said steam drum; and other steam gauge shall be attached to the steam pipe in the engine house, each to be placed in such a position that the engineer and the fireman can readily see what pressure is being carried. Such steam gauges shall be kept in good order, and adjusted and be tested as often, at least, as every six months.

SAFETY VALVES.] (g) Every boiler shall be provided with a safety valve with weights or springs properly adjusted, except that where two or more boilers are equipped with a steam drum properly connected with the boilers to indicate the steam pressure and without any valves between said boilers and the steam drum, the safety valves may be placed in said steam drum.

INSPECTION OF BOILERS.] (h) All boilers used in generating steam in and about coal mines or sinking shafts shall be kept in good order, and the operator of every coal mine where steam boilers are in use shall have said boilers thoroughly examined and inspected by a competent boilermaker or other qualified person, not an employee of said operator, as often as once in every six months, and oftener if the mine inspector shall so require in writing, and the result of every such inspection shall be reported on suitable blanks to said mine inspector.

RUN-AROUND AT BOTTOM.] (i) At every underground landing where men enter or leave the cage and where men must pass from one side of the cage to the other there shall be a safe passageway, free from obstruction and dry as possible, around the shaft not less than three feet wide for the use of men only; and animals or cars shall not be taken through such passageway while men are passing or desirous of passing through such passageway.

REFUGE PLACE ON SHAFT BOTTOM.] (j) A refuge place or places for men coming out at the close of the day's work shall be provided off the main bottom of cageroom in shaft mines, at a place or places and of such size as shall be approved by the State mine inspector. Such place or places shall be not more than 400 feet from the shaft where men are hoisted, and shall be kept free from loose material. leaving such refuge places to be hoisted out, the men shall be governed by the rules of the mine.

When

OBSTRUCTION IN SHAFT.] (k) No accumulation of ice or obstructions of any kind shall be permitted in any shaft in which men are hoisted or lowered; nor shall any dangerous gases or steam be discharged into said shaft in such quantities or at such times as to interfere with the safe passage of men. All surface or other water which flows therein shall be conducted by rings or otherwise to receptacles provided for the same in such manner as to prevent water from falling upon men while passing into or out of the mine or while in the discharge of their duties about the shaft bottom.

INSPECTION.] (1) All shafts by which men enter or leave the mine, and the passageways leading thereto, or to the works of a contiguous mine used as an escapement shaft shall be carefully examined throughout at least once each week that the mine is operating and the date and findings of such an examination entered promptly in the books kept at the mine for that purpose. A daily visit to the bottom of all such escapement shafts shall be made by the mine examiner, and if obstructions to the free passage of men are found, their location and nature shall be stated in such report. Such obstructions shall be promptly removed.

§ 15. REFUGE PLACES-POWER HAULAGE ROADS.] (a) On all singletrack haulage roads, where hauling is done by machinery, which roads the persons employed in the mine must use while performing their work or travel on foot to and from their work, there shall be places of refuge on one side not less than 3 feet in depth from the side of the car, and not less than 4 feet long and 5 feet in height and not more than 60 feet apart. On all such roads constructed after the passage of this Act, the refuge places shall be placed on the opposite side from the electric power wire. On rope-haulage roads, means of signaling shall be established between the haulage engineer and all points on the road. A conspicuous light shall be carried on the front, and a gong, conspicuous red light or white signal board on the rear of every trip or train of pit cars moved by machinery.

REFUGE PLACES-MULE ROADS.] (b) On all haulage roads on which the haulage is done by draft animals, whereon men are obliged to be in the performance of their duties or have to pass to and from their work, there shall be places of refuge not less than 212 feet in width from the

side of the car, and not less than 4 feet long and 5 feet in height and not more than 60 feet apart.

ROOM-NECKS AS REFUGE PLACES.] (c) Refuge places shall not be required in entries on which room-necks at regular intervals not exceeding 60 feet furnish the required refuge places.

Keeping refuge PLACES CLEAR.] (d) All places of refuge must be kept clear of obstructions and no material shall be stored nor allowed to accumulate therein. They shall also be whitewashed not less than once in six months.

GOB ON HAULAGE ROADS.] (e) One side of all haulage roads shall be kept clear of refuse or materials, except timbering, unless the rib or timbering on such side shall be 22 feet or more from the rail. But in such case materials or refuse shall not be permitted within 21⁄2 feet of the rail.

§ 21. CERTIFICATED MINE EXAMINERS.] (a) A certificated mine examiner shall be required at all coal mines. There shall be one or more additional certificated mine examiners whenever required in writing by the State mine inspectors when the conditions are such as to make the employment of such additional mine examiners necessary.

(b) It shall be the duty of the mine examiner:

1. To examine the underground workings of the mine within eight hours preceding the time the day shift goes on duty, every day upon which the mine is to be operated, excepting that when in the judgment of the State mine inspector expressed in writing to the coal operator, a mine generates explosive gas in dangerous quantities, a State mine inspector shall require the mine to be examined for gas in such manner and at such shorter intervals than eight hours before the time the day shift goes on duty every day upon which the mine is to be operated, as may be necessary to ensure the safety of the men working in such mine. 2. When in the performance of his duties, to carry with him a safety lamp in proper order and condition and a rod or bar for sounding the roof.

3. To see that the air current is traveling in its proper course and in proper quantity; and to measure with an anemometer the amount of air passing in the last cross-cut or break-through of each pair of entries, or in the last room of each division in long-wall mines, and at all other points where he may deem it necessary; and to note the result of such measurements in the mine examiner's book kept for that purpose.

4. To inspect all places where men are required in the performance of their duties to pass or to work, and to observe whether there are any recent falls or dangerous roof or accumulations of gas or dangerous conditions in rooms or roadways; and to examine especially all roadways leading to escapement shafts or other openings for the safe exit of men to the surface, the edges and accessible parts of recent falls and old. gobs and air-courses.

5. As evidence of his examination of said rooms and roadways, to inscribe in some suitable place on the walls of each, not on the face of the coal, with chalk, the month and the day of the month of his visit.

6. When working places are discovered in which there are recent falls or dangerous roof or dangerous conditions, to place a conspicuous mark or sign thereat as notice to all men to keep out; and in case of