Email: Chapter 37, Article 5
§37-5-1. Excavations near boundaries.
No owner or tenant of any land containing coal shall open or sink, or dig, excavate or work in, any coal mine or shaft on such land, within five feet of the line dividing such land from that of another person or persons, without the consent in writing of every person interested in, or having title to, such adjoining lands in possession, reversion, or remainder, or of the guardian of any such persons as may be an infant, or the committee of any such person as may be insane or convict. If any person shall violate this section, he shall forfeit $500 to any person injured thereby who may sue for the same.
§37-5-2. Survey of mine.
The owner, tenant, or occupant of any land on which a coal mine is opened and worked, or his agent, shall permit any person interested in, or having title to, any land coterminous with that in which such coal mine is, to have ingress and egress with surveyors and assistants to explore and survey such mine at his own expense, and not oftener than once a month, for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the preceding section has been violated. Every owner, tenant, occupant, or agent, who shall refuse such permission, exploration or survey, shall forfeit $20 for each refusal to the person so refused.
§37-5-3. Prosecution under preceding sections.
A justice of the county in which such mine is, before whom complaint of such refusal is made, may issue a summons to such owner, tenant, occupant or agent to answer such complaint. On the return of the summons executed, and proof that the complainant has right of entry, and that he has been refused without sufficient cause, the justice shall designate an early and convenient time of such entry to be made, and issue his warrant commanding the sheriff of the county to attend and prevent obstructions and impediments to such entry, exploration and survey. The cost of such summons, and a fee of $3 to the sheriff executing the warrant, shall be paid by the person whose refusal caused the complaint. But if the justice dismiss the complaint, the costs shall be paid by the party making it.