690 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 307

Working Place means a room, breast, entry, cross-cut or
pillar where coal is being mined or extracted and where one
or more miners per working shift of the mine are regularly
employed until the place is finished or stopped.

TITLE I—ADMINISTRATION.

CHAPTER I—Supervision.

SEC. 17. There is hereby created in the State Board of
Labor and Statistics, hereinafter referred to as the Commis-
sion, a department to be known as the "Bureau of Mines,"
hereinafter referred to as the Bureau.

SEC. 18. The Governor shall select and appoint from a list
of eligibles prepared by the State Employment Commission,
a competent person to be known as the Chief Mine Engineer,
who shall be in charge of the Bureau; provided, that the
first appointment under this Act shall be made within ninety
days after the passage thereof, to become effective on the first
day of October, 1922, and in case of any vacancy in the said
office by reason of death, resignation or otherwise, the Gover-
nor shall appoint from a list of eligibles prepared by the State
Employment Commission a competent person to fill such office.

SEC. 19. No person shall be appointed Chief Mine Engineer
who shall not have had at least ten years' practical experience
as a mining engineer in the bituminous coal mining industry,
and who does not possess a practical and scientific knowl-
edge of the working, ventilation and drainage of bituminous
coal mines and of all noxious and dangerous gases found in
such mines; provided, that graduation in mining engineer-
ing from a school of recognized standing shall be considered
as equivalent to two years active practice.

SEC. 20. Before entering upon the duties of his office, the
Chief Mine Engineer shall take the oath prescribed by the
Constitution, and he shall render an account monthly of his
expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of his duties,
and also an account of the expenses necessarily incurred by
the district mine inspectors which he may approve, and such
expenses shall be paid by warrant of the Comptroller, in such
amounts as shall not exceed such allowance as may from time
to time be provided therefor by appropriation or other law.

The Chief Mine Engineer shall devote his entire time to the
duties of his office, and shall have no interest, direct or in-