The Commission, after very mature
examination and reflection, have fail
ed to seo any good effects either to
the miner or to the true interest ol
the State by the appointment of a
Mina Inspector, and can see no good
to result from its continuance, and
therefore recommend the repeal of
i the Law, except so much of Sections
’ 12 and 13 as a’pplies to the correct
weight of coal. Section 10, of said
Act, relating to props, has been tested
in tho Courts and sot aside as inter
fering with the right of private con
tract; if the construction of that Sec
tion claimed oy the miners had been
endorsed by tho opinion of tho Courts,
it would have undoubtedly interfered
with tho proper control and working
of tho mines by the Companies'
agents, and seriously affected the in
vestment of capital in coal lands.
The Cumberland Coal basin extends
from tho Pennsylvania state line
across Allegany and Garrett counties
of Maryland and into Virginia; its
geneial bearing is South thirty-four
degrees West. It lies in a trough
between Dans Mountain on tho South
East and tho Great Savage on the
North West. Tho general width of
1 the basin is five miles and its length
(30) thirty miles, containing one
hundred and fifty (150) square miles
of coal measures. The trough is
closed up at the North end by a trana
versed ridge connecting the two
mountains on which tho town of
Frostburg stands eighteen hundred
feet above tide water.
On the North of Frostburg, Jen
nings run takes its rise, cutting both
longitudinally and transversely six
miles through the coal formation, then
turning south and emptying into
Will’s Creek some three (?) miles
above Cumberland.
