The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-19
Statistics Just Issued Show Appalling Facts Relative
 to Mining
7OOO MEN KILLED OR
 INJURED LAST YEAR
Bulletin of the Interior Department Shows That Mining In This coun- try Is Becoming More Danger
 ous-Not So In Europe.

Washington. December 1S.-The coal mines of the United States are killing three times as many men per 1000 em- ployed as those of the most European countries. In the last IT years 22,S40 men have given up their lives in the mines of this country. As many vio- lent deaths have occurred in the mines during the last six years as during the preceding years. The number of Fatal accidents each year Is now double that of tie year 1895. These terrible facts have been gleaned by government experts acting under orders from Sec retary Garfield of the interior depart ment.
 The conclusions of the experts ara found in d bulletin issued today on Coal Mine Accidents. Their Causes and Preventions."
 The statement in the bulletin that the seriousness of mine explosion may he expected to continue has already proven prophetic for since the words,-w written the country has been startled with the news of three mine explosions. costing nearly 500 lives. The first ex- plosion occurred in Pennsylvania in the early part of December and cost 32
 lives. Then followed the Monongah mine disaster in West virsiaie xii th. ..a sos- of 7afearIy 5p5 ..., an,i tae exait- sion in Alabama the other day with 6t lives lost.
 Joseph II. Holmes, chief of technolo- sic branch, in summing up the situ- ation soys:
 Tile figures given in this report in- dicate that during the year 1906 nearly 1000 men were killed or injured in the coal mines of this country, and that the number of these accidents caused directly or indirectly by mine explo- sions has been steadily increasing. It is also indicated that the increase has been due in part to the lack of en- forcable mine regulations; in part to the lack of reliable information con- cefn;ng the explosives used in mining and the conditions under which they caE be used safely in the presence of the gas and dust encountered in the mines; and in part to the fact that in the development of coal mining not only is the number of miners increas- ing but many areas where coal Is being taken are farther from the entrance where good ventilation is difficult and the dangerous accumulations of explo- sive gas more frequent.
 ''The Increase both in the number and seriousness of mine explosions during the past few years may be expected to continue unless through investiga- tions, such as have proved effective in other coal producing countries, infor- nation can be obtained and published concerning the explosives used, the con ditions under which they may be used safely and the general conditions which make for health and safety Such con- dItions may serve as a basis both for legislative enactment and for agree ments among persons associated with the mining operations."
 The bulletin shows that in all European coal producing countries the output of coal has increased greatly during the last 10 years, but the num- Der of deaths per 1000 miners. in- stead of increasing. as in this country, has undergone a marked decrease. This decrease has been due, the bulletin says, to the effect of mining legisla- tion in those countries for the safe guarding and the protection of tho lives of the workmen and has been made possible by government action in establishing testing stations for the study of explosives relative to safety in mining.