g to over-seer.=] The over-seer shall visit the
working place of each inexperienced person engaged at mining or
loading, at such intervals as provided for in this act, and instruct
them as to their work and safety and assist them in caring for their
safety. He shall instruct such persons not to handle or use any
explosives except in his presence, until they have been employed in
a mine not less than three months, and not then until he is
satisfied that such persons are fully competent to handle and use
same with safety. When, in his judgment, such persons require more
frequent supervision than provided for in this act, he shall visit
their working places as frequently as in his judgment the
circumstances require. The foregoing shall not prohibit the
mine-foreman from fulfilling the duties of overseer, so long as all
the provisions of this act are complied with. (Sec. 965; Penalty,
Sec. 976.)

=RELATING TO THE STABLEMAN AND FIRE-BOSS.=

Sec. 955. [=Duties of stableman.=] The stable man shall see that the
provisions of this act relating to stables are carried out, and
shall forbid persons not required by duty, to enter the stable or
loiter in or about same, whether the stable be inside of the mine or
on the surface. (Sec. 945, 960.)

[=Duties of fire-boss.=] The fire-boss shall examine with a safety
lamp each working place, whether same is in the actual course of
working or not, the traveling ways and entrances to old workings in
the mine every morning, not more than three hours prior to the
appointed time for the employes to enter the mine. As evidence of
such examination, he shall mark with chalk upon the face of the
coal, or in some other conspicuous place, his initials and date of
the month. If there is any standing gas discovered, he shall leave a
danger signal across every entrance to such place.

[=Report on blackboard.=] He shall make a report on a blackboard
provided on the outside of the mine for that purpose, and arrange so
the men can conveniently inspect it, showing the condition of the
mine as to the presence of fire-damp, and indicating the place, or
places, where present, if any is present, before he permits any
person to enter the mine. He shall examine parts of the mine not in
the actual course of working and available, not less than once each
three days.

[=Written report.=] The fire-boss shall make a written report, which
shall be kept in the office, or some place at the mine where i