New-York tribune., 1907-06-24
HUMAN COST OF STEEL.
II Third of Pittsburg's Deaths Due
to Industrial accidents.

Pittsburg, June 23.-"Human lives sacrificed
upon the altar of industry" might well be the
title of the blotter in the office Of the coroner
Of Allegheny County a volume that mutely pro-
claims what it costs besides money for Pitts
burg and its district of smoky mills and grid
ironed territory to maintain its prestige in the
milling. mining and mercantile marts of the
country and retain its title of workshop Of the
world"
This volume, an official record demanded by
the laws of the commonwealth, shows that over
a third of the deaths are violent and are the re-
suit directly or indirectly of the unceasing rush
and grind Of the Industries in the Pittsburg
district. Death from natural causes, COnta-
giOus diseases suicides murders and accidents
in the ordinary walks of life not considered
in this percentage attributed to the industrial
juggernaut."
$3.50 deaths 9l9 Of which were the result of
accidents in mills, mines railroads. Some
OF the victims were burned by molten metal, a
blast furnace burst a huge ladle upset
in the steel mills; others We're caught in the
rollers in plate mills, and some were crushed
in the machinery of the rail mills Many were
killed in mines by falling slate, some by gas
explosions and others by falls from derrlcks
scaffolds and like structures. Not a few met
death while working about the numerous cleo
trio cranes.
These figures recorded so regularly thal
their magnitude is not realized Ihe average
number Of deaths reported TO the coroner iS
about two hundred month For the first hVe
months of the present year there were l'o9o
deaths 344 of which may be classed as "sacr-
fees" For the same period in the preceding
year there were 1,01J deaths. of which 3oo may
he put in the same category.
Not all the violent deaths however can be
classed as accidents in the workshop" The
inordinate demand for labor necessarily attracts
many immigrants. These aliens resort their
one holiday to the festivities and customs OF
their former homes. Weddings, christenings,
balls and parties are held. at which various
alcoholic beverages are used most copiously.
OuarreIs result and frequently knives and fire
arms are used, and there hospital cases 10
be cared for Deaths not infrequently result,
and so commonplace are these affrays that it is
counted a SLOW night in local newspaper
offices if at least dozen have not been reported
by Sunday midnight
Comparing the loss of life by the accidents
with the tonnage and production of the Pitts
burg district one life has been lost for every
fifty thousand tons of coal that is shipped, ana
the annual shipment is about 500o0OOO tons.
For every 2. 500 cars that carry freight out of or
into Pittsburg. some is killed. This is eX-
elusive of cars that are carrying freight through
to other points. Every 1900 tons IF the 1000
600 tons annual production of iron and steel has
been put out at the of the life of one of the
manipulators somewhere in its manufacture,
and of the 100000 tons annual output of steel
rails every SO tons has been put upon the mar
ket only after some one of its producers has laid
down his life.