Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-03-20
HUMAN LIFE HELD cHEAPLI.
More Danger in Pittsburg Steel Mills
than in Battle.

More Danger in Pittsburs Steel Mills
than in Battle.
There is more danger to life and
limb working around a blast fornace
or rolling mill than engaging in tor
eign wars in the army of the United
States. The hanger has increased
many fold since the rush of orders
prohibited the closing down of plants
to make proper repairs. Insurance
actuaries as readily assume the risk
of insuring the life of man who is
working in powder mill as that of a
person working about blast furnace.
Long lists CT recent fatalities do not
attract general attention because nine
tenths of the dead and injured are for
eigners and negroes, who are I'M
known, and whose families are too
obscure and poor to raise hue and
cry, such as would be heard it citizens
of note were lost to community.
Grief reigned during the Christmas
week in more than 100 homes in
Pittsburg and vicinity. Either the
heads of the household had peen
burned, suffocated or crushed to death
in the shops and furnaces or were ly-
ing on cots, bruised and burned, await
ing death. No heed would have been
paid to this-for the occurrences are
too common to attract notice-had the
subject not attracted the attention of
foreign coLsuls.
Alexander Nuber, Austro-H Hungarian
consul in Pittsburg, is investigating
the frequent deaths, as a majority of
those killed are Hungarians and
Slays. 1t is said to be the first time
that foreign consul has taken cog
nizance of the death of his country
men, eccept when they occurred
through riots. Consul Nuber had mis-
attention attracted TO the fearful loss
of life and limb by the explosion of
the Soho furnace. operated by Jones
& Laughlin, on December 10, 1901,
when IL men were killed and three
others terribly burned. He was aston
ished to learn the frequency of such
accidents, and that in no case had
any of the injured received damages
or benefits from their employers. He
has compiled more than 200 cases
that have occurred in his jurisdiction
within the last year, and new cases
are being daily added. 1t is declared
that human life is considered of less
value about an iron works than the
life of mules, for the later cost
money.
my position forbids me discussing
this subject" Consul Nuber said. 81
shall certainly seek redress for my
countrymen in the local courts, hav-
ing engaged the best attorney avail
able, and, falling in this, | will lay the
subject before our minister fol his
consideration. | am surprised at the
extent of these losses. / had never
thought there were so many until |
began an Investigation
A french engineer who is here study
ing our manufacturing methods has
interested himself in behalf of Eu-
ropeans who are killed in mills and
mines He has posted Mr.. Nuber, Civ
ing him much advice on iron and steel
making leading up to a case which
may involve the United States in for
eign complications. The engineer has
made a study of the losses in the
Pittsburg district, their causes and
the remedy.
These Hungarian, Slavs and Poles
who are engaged to do the most dan
gerous work about blast furnaces and
steel mills" said the engineer, are
simple peasants who have been al
lured from their farms by the glow
ing prospects pictured for them by
steamship agents. They come here
and find affairs different from that
pictured. They must accept positions
of danger, which is shown by the fact
that all of those killed and manned
had been here only from a month to
two years. None of them understood
the English language, and they were
herded about their work like cattle
being led to slaughter.
There are cases on record mere
where men have fallen into the fur
mace, their bodies being consumed.
and no inquiry ever made for them
nor was the loss reported.
81 have queried the foremen and
superintendent of these plants, and
they say 'Pshaw, They're only Huns!
What's the use bothering about them?
There's more coming over every day.
A speech of this character has been
ascribed to one of the highest omcials
in steel mill, and when the damage
suits come up for trial his words will
be used against him.
1.-The laws of every country IN
Europe would have had the engineers,
foremen. superintendent and prob
ably the owners prisoned ere this il
such an accident occurred there. |
find that in Pennsylvania foreigner
has scarcely any standing in the
courts. which is different from Massa-
chusetts and some other states. where
all are treated equally. Probably it is
because no test cases have been made
here.
Il am also surprised to find that no
law exists to compel mill owners TO
adopt safety appliances where they
60, ,,;lfar h