Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-19
Investigation by Government OF.
f|cIa|s Brings 10 Light Some
Startling Figures.
HORROR GROWS WORSE EACH YEAR
In European Countries The Number
OF Accidents Hus oeoreasd, Hu, In
The United States They onw with
Alarming Rnpldlty--Leolsla.lon is
Needed. Say Experts.
(By Associated Pressl

tby Associated PreBB1
WASHINGTON. ID. c., Dec. Is -
The coal mines OF the United States
IRE killing three times as many men
per 1000 employed as those of most
OF the European countries.
In the last IL years 22S40 mon
have given up their lives In tho
Lines OF this country. AS many
violent deaths have occurred in tho
mines during the last six years Ms
during the proceeding II years. Tho
number OF fatal accidents each year
is now double that of the year 1895.
These terrible facts have been
CLEANED by government experts. act
ing under orders from Secretary Gar
field of the Interior Department.
The conclusions OF the experts are
found In q bulletin issued today on
Ca Mining Accidents; Their Caus.
OK and Preventlons."
Tho statement in the bulletin that
ah increase In the number and In
the ser'ouHness of mine. explosions
may be expected to continue has al
ready proved fateful. for since tho
words were written tho country has
beer startled with the news of mine
explosions costing nearly 500 lives.
The first explosion occurred In
pennsylvania In the early part of
December and cost 80 lives. Then
followed the Monongah mine disaster
in West Virginia with loss OF
nearly 400 lives. and the explosion
at Alabama. the other day, with n
loss OF 81 lives.
Death List Is A Long One.
Joseph III. Holmes, chief of the
technologic branch. in summing up
the situation says; "Thc figures CIV
en- In this report indicate that dur.
ing the year 1906 nearly 1000 men
were killed or injured In the coal
mines of this country and that these
accidents. caused directly or Indirect
~ by mine explosions, have been
steadily increasing. 1t is also indl-
Gated that this Increase has been
due In part to tho lack of proper and
enforcible mine regulations; in part
TO the lack of reliable information
concerning the explosives used In
mining, and the conditions under
which they can be used safely in
the presence of gases and dust en-
countered In the mines, and in part
to the fact that In the development
of coal mining no only Is the mum.
Der of miners increasing, but many
areas from which coal is being taken
are either deeper or farther from the
entrance where good ventilation Is
more difficult and the dangerous ac-
cumulations of explosive 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 thorough
Investigations, such as have PROVED
effective in other coal producing
countries are made; unless informa
ton can be obtained and published
concerning the explosives used. Suci
information may serve as an intelli
gent basis both for legislative en-.
actment and for agreements amoni
persons associated with mining op.
erations."
The bulletin shows that in all Eu
ropean coal producing countries tn,
output of coal has increased great,
during the last ten years. but tn,
number of deaths per 1000 miners
instead of increasing. as In this coun
try, has undergone marked de
crease. This decrease has been due
the bulletin says. to the effect o
mining Legislation in those countries
for the safeguarding and protection
of the lives of the workmen. and ha
been made possible by governmen
action in establishing testing sta
tons for the study of problems rel
alive to safety In mining.