Hellraisers Journal: Supreme Court Sets Aside Pennsylvania Law for Protection of Anthracite Miners, Held to Be Confiscatory

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Mother Jones Quote, Life Cheaper Than Props, Trinidad CO, Sept 16, 1913, Hse Com p2630—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 31, 1922
Pennsylvania Law for Protection of Anthracite Miners Set Aside by Supreme Court

From the Duluth Labor World of December 30, 1922:

COURT DECLARES LABOR ACT VOID
———-
Pennsylvania Mine Cave-In Law
Held to Be Confiscatory
———-

Spangler MnDs Death Pit, Wlgtn DE Eve Jr p1, Nov 9, 1922

The United States Supreme court has set aside the Pennsylvania law which prohibited the mining of anthracite coal in a manner that would endanger the lives or injure the property of persons-occupying houses situated on the surface soil. Justice Brandeis dissented.

The court held that the law deprived coal owners of valuable property rights without compensation. Under the decision, coal owners can mine coal without any regard for cave-ins that endanger lives and property, unless the coal that is necessary for props is paid for.

In his dissenting opinion, Justice Brandeis said:

If by mining anthracite coal the owner would necessarily unloose poisonous gases, I suppose no one would doubt the power of the state to prevent the mining without buying his coal field. And why may not the state, likewise, without paying compensation, prohibit one from digging so deep or excavating so near the surface as to expose the community to like dangers? In the latter case, as in the former, carrying on the business would be a public nuisance.

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Supreme Court Sets Aside Pennsylvania Law for Protection of Anthracite Miners, Held to Be Confiscatory”

Hellraisers Journal: Explosion at Reilly No. 1 Mine at Spangler, Pennsylvania, Claims the Lives of 79 Coal Miners, Many Injured

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Mother Jones Quote, Life Cheaper Than Props, Trinidad CO, Sept 16, 1913, Hse Com p2630—————

Hellraisers Journal – Friday November 10, 1922
Spangler, Pennsylvania – Explosion at Reilly No. 1 Mine Claims Many Lives

From the New York Evening World of November 6, 1922:
-(Note: final death toll expected to be 79.)

Spangler PA MnDs Bnr, NY Eve Wld p1, Nov 6, 1922Spangler PA MnDs HdLn, NY Eve Wld p1, Nov 6, 1922

From the Washington Evening Star of November 9, 1922:

[Emergency Crew at Work]

Spangler MnDs Rescue, WDC Eve Str p17, Nov 9, 1922

[Survivors at Spangler Miners’ Hospital]

Spangler MnDs Hospital, WDC Eve Str p17, Nov 9, 1922

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Explosion at Reilly No. 1 Mine at Spangler, Pennsylvania, Claims the Lives of 79 Coal Miners, Many Injured”