(225 ILCS 705/Art. 17 heading)

(225 ILCS 705/17.01) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1701) Sec. 17.01. (a) Away from the pillar for the mine bottom, crosscuts between entries shall not be made more than 60 feet apart without permission of the Mining Board. But such consent shall not be granted except in case of fault or to experiment and test some new method or plan of mining coal. (b) Any person desiring to test some new method or plan of mining coal that proposes to drive entries without crosscuts must first inform the Department of such desire. Thereupon the Department shall fix a date for the investigation and hearing before the Mining Board of such methods and plans and notify all parties interested of such date when the employer and employees may be represented at such hearing. (c) Any new method of mining during the experimental stage shall be under the direct supervision of the Mining Board and by and through its consent only. (d) Should any new method of mining coal with crosscuts more than 60 feet apart be proven to be safe in the judgment of the Mining Board after investigation, tests, and experimentation, the Mining Board shall be empowered to declare such system or method as conventional at the mine involved. (Source: Laws 1957, p. 2413.)

(225 ILCS 705/17.02) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1702) Sec. 17.02. When undercut or sheared, or undercut and sheared, the entry, crosscut, and room-neck may be advanced concurrently, but not more than one cutting shall be shot in the room-neck until the crosscut is finished. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/17.03) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1703) Sec. 17.03. When not undercut or sheared, the entry and crosscut may be advanced concurrently, but no room shall be opened in advance of the last open crosscut; and after the entry has advanced 15 feet beyond the location of a new crosscut, only one shot shall be fired in the entry to two in the crosscut at the same shooting time. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/17.04) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1704) Sec. 17.04. A crosscut, where practicable, shall be provided at or near the face of each entry or room before the place is abandoned. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/17.05) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1705) Sec. 17.05. In crosscuts connecting main and cross entry inlet and outlet air courses, the permanent stoppings shall be erected of masonry, concrete, or other incombustible material, and shall be erected within 600 feet of the face of main and cross entries at all times. Temporary stoppings of wood or other equally effective material shall be maintained, as nearly air tight as possible, between the last permanent stopping and the cross cut nearest the face in main and cross entries. In room and stub entries the stoppings shall be built of wood or other equally effective material. All stoppings shall be kept in good condition, so as to keep the air up to the working faces. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/17.06) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1706) Sec. 17.06. The first crosscut between all rooms off any entry shall not be more than 60 feet from the rib of the entry. Additional room crosscuts shall not be more than 60 feet apart. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)

(225 ILCS 705/17.07) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1707) Sec. 17.07. If the conditions are such that in the judgment of the Mining Board, expressed in writing, it is considered equally safe and more advantageous to leave a blind pillar between not less than every three rooms, the Mining Board may grant the authority to leave the pillar, subject to review by the Mining Board on complaint of either interested party. (Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)