The Lake County times., 1907-12-19
II YEAR MINE TOLL
IS 22,04O LIVES
Coal Mining Casualties Dou-
BILE in the Last Six
Years.
MAY LOOK FOR AN INCREASE
Terrible Prediction of Investigation
Already Proved True by Three
Mine Disasters.

Washington. D. c. Dec. 1S.-In the
last seventeen years 22s4o men have
given up their lives in the coal mines
Of this country. AS many violent
deaths have occurred during the last
six as during the preceding eleven
years.
The number of fatal accidents an
nually is now double that of 1895. In
1906, 6,861 men were killed or injured,
the killed numbering 2.061 and the in
jured 4.s0e
Garfield Orders Investigation.
These terrible facts have been
CLEANED by government experts acting
under orders from Secretary Garfield
Of the interior department to investi-
gate the nature and extent of mine ac-
cidents, particularly those resulting
from explosions, and also to make sug-
gestions as to how mining conditions
may be improved and accidents pre-
vented.
Joseph A. Holmes. chief of the tech
nologic branch Clarence Hall, expert
on explosives, and others of the geolo-
gical survey have made a number of
examinations of the more dangerous
coal mines in Indian Territory. In ad-
dition, Mr.. Hall and his assistant, Wal
ter o. Smelling. have investigated the
nature and causes of number of dis
astrous coal mine explosions in sew
eral states.
OminOus Prediction Verified.
! Mr. Holmes stated in his report that
an increase in the number and in ser'-
BUSINESS of mine explosions might he
expected. Since these words were
written three mine explosions occur
red, costing nearly 500 lives
| Summing up the situation Mr.. Holmes
says:
The figures given In this report in
dictate that during the year 1905. near
| ly 1900 men were killed or injured
in the coal mines of this country, and
that the number of these accidents,
caused directly by mine explosions has
I been steadily increasing. 1t is also
indicated that this increase has been
due in part to a lack Of proper and
enforceable mine regulations; in part
| to lack of reliable information con-
cerning explosives used in mining, and
conditions under which they be
used safely In the presence of gas and
dust encountered in mines; In part to
the fact that in the development of
COdl IIlAlIllSs IlOL O1lly ID A4A0 AAdAAOVA
of miners increasing but many areas
from which coal is being taken are
either deeper or farther from the en-
trance so that good ventilation is more
difficult and dangerous accumulations
of explosive gas more frequent.
European Accidents Diminish.
I'm all European coal producing
countries the output of coal has in
creased greatly during the last ten
years. but the number of deaths per
1000 miners instead of increasing has
undergone a marked and decided de-
crease. This decrease has been due to
the effect of mining legislation in those
countries for safeguarding and pro-
tecting the lives of workmen, and has
been made possible by government ac-
ton in establishing stations for study
of the problems relative to safety II
mining, including the use of explo-
sives
Fifty per cent of all fatal accidents
land SO per cent of all non-fatal acci-
dents in the mines of the United States
were the result of falls Of roof and
coal.
Gas and dust explosions form an
other important cause of accidents. II
the United States during 1906 IL pei
cent of all deaths in coal mines were
due to such explosions"