The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-14
HUMAN LIFE is HELD CHEAPLY.
More Danger in Pittrburg Steel Mills
Than i'm Rattle.
From the New York Herald.

Than in Battle.
From the New York Herald.
There is more danger to life and limb
working around a blast furnace or roll
ing mill than engaging in foreign wars
danger has increased many fold since
the rush of orders prohibited the clos
ing down of plants to make proper re-
pairs. Insurance actuaries as readily
assume the risk of insuring the life of
man who is working in a powder mill
as that of person working about
blast furnace. Long lists of recent
fatalities do not attract general atten-
ton because nine-tenths of the dead
and injured are foreigners and negroes,
who are unknown, and whose families
are too obscure and poor to raise a hue
and cry, such as would be heard If cit
lZens OF note were lost to commu-
nifty.
Grief reigned during the Christmas
week in more than 100 homes in Pitts
| burg and vicinity. Either the heads
| of the household had been burned, suf-
| located or crushed to death in the
| shops and furnaces or were lying on
cots, bruised and burned, awaiting
death. No heed would have been paid
to this-for the occurrences are too
| ject not attracted the attention of for
egn consuls.
Alexander Nuber Austro- Hungarian
consul in Pittsburg, is investigating the
frequent deaths, as a majority of those
killed are Hungarians and Claws 1t is
said to be the first time that a foreign
| consul has taken cognizance of the
death of his countrymen, except when
! they occurred through riots. Consul
| ha iS Of A.
fearful loss of life and limb by the ex-
plosion of the Soho furnace, operated
| by Jones & Laughln, on December 49,
| 1901, whe neleven men were killed and
| three others terribly burned He was
astonished 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 dali
| ly added. 1t is declared that human
life is considered of less value about
an iron works than the life of mules,
for the latter cost money.
MY position forbids me discussing
this subject" Consul Nuber said Il
| shall certainly seek redress for my
countrymen in the local courts, having
engaged the best attorney available,
and failing in this, l will lay the sub
! ject before our minister for his consid-
GRAFTON. / am surprised at the extent
! of these losses. l had never thought
| there were so many until began an in
vestigation."
A French engineer who is here
studying our manufacturing methods
has interested himself in behalf of
Europeans who are killed in mills and
mines. He has posted Mr.. Nuber,
| giving him much advice on iron and
| steel making leading up to a case
which may involve the United States
in foreign complications. The en-
| gineer has made a study of the losses
in the Pittsburg district, their causes
| and the remedy.
These Hungarians 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 few
months 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 here
where men have fallen into the far
mace, their bodies being consumed, and
| no inquiry ever made for them, nor
was the loss reported. l have queried
the foreman and superintendent of
| these plants, and they say 'Pshaw!
| They're only Huns What's the use
botherlng about them? There's more
coming over every day A speech of
| this character has been ascribed to one
| of the highest officials in a steel mill,
| and when the damage suits come up
! for trial his words will be used against
him.
THE laws of every country in Eu-
rope would have had the engineers.
! foreman, superintendent, and probably
| the owners prisoned ere this if such an
accident occurred there. l find that in
! Pennsylvania foreigner has scarcely
any standing in the courts, which is
! different from Massachusetts and some
| other states. where all are treated
equally. Probably it is because no test
! cases have been made here.
II am also surprised to find that no
| law exists to compel mill owners to
| adopt safety appliances where they
! can be had. Every one familiar with
blast furnace practice and ordinary
mill work knows that there are num-
erous appliances that can be adopted
in these places, practically eliminating
loss of life. Our attorney tells us that
as there IS no law compelling blast
! furnace operators to adopt modern
methods. we have no recourse under
such a plea, and the furnace owners
could roast every citizen in the coun-
! try without suffering the loss of dam
age, the courts being powerless. If
| this is true. after a trial in Allegheny
county courts, l believe the Austro-
Hungarian government will make
claims on the United States"