The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
Over Half q Million Men and Women
Annually Are Killed or Injured in
the United States While Engaged
in Productive Acknowledgement
Sum Needed to Support Those In
capacifafed.

6tAte8 government ana OtuoT re-
sponsible authorities to show that at
least $500 men are annually killed or
injured in anthracite mining alone.
and 425.000 in factory and building OPP
erations. making the grand total ap-
proximately $4,000.
Total Death Roll Greater.
These estimates are conservative.
II the exact number of accidents was
known this total would be greatly in
creased.
In converting facts into figures Mr..
Clarence Marx, who. with other re-
sponsible Investigators, has given sew
eral years of study to the relation Of
crippled and unemployed persons to
industry, presents q startling array.
OF the SEE, 900 workers mentioned 10
per cent. or $4,000 to struggle
per cent. only are killed. leaving So
against their handicaps. Estimating
that at least so per cent. or 222,00O Of
these are able to earn 1925 each an
nually. which is so per cent. Of the
annual average earnings of able
bodied artisans, we have a total Of
$49, $50, 900. This Is the loss in earn
ihg power.
Safely assuming that these persons
would create twice as much wealth as
production Of approximately $780,
900. 900 annually.
But this is only half the truth. II
these $4,000 wage earners are not re-
established they must sooner or later
be supported by the state. It IL also
evident that the other $4,000 who are
totally disabled will Also become =
burden ON the taxpayers.
Poor relief statistics show that 1t
costs $4,000 to support q pauper dur
ing his natural life time. To be CON
sentative again. let us estimate this
cost at 5000, to make allowance for
those who may be supported by rela-
tives and friends. or who may become
partially self-supporting. Since under
our present system the partially dis
abled are not reestablished, the total
number. minus small percentage,
must be supported at public expense.
To do this costs approximately two
and one-half billion dollars. In other
words, we contract each year to meet
debt Of two and half billion dol.
lars within the lifetime Of the persons
thus injured.
Figures That staaasr.
These are. staggering figures. but
they are only forecast Of what we
may expect II this wasteful destruc
ton Of life and limb continues.
To of In IN y, q
estimate of the state labor commits
sioner in 1906. A workers in every
1000 are incapacitated in the course
Of the years work. That means. fol
instance, that at least 10000 purely in
dustrial accidents occur in New Yorl
city alone every year. The ratio Of
injured and uninjured is not as higt
in some other parts of the country. OF
the total number Of accidents in the
United States would be over 100000
annually.
In one section OF New York city
the Borough of Manhattan, there were
last year 2,160 deaths by violence; as
tonishing as 1t may seem nearly one
third of these deaths. or 6S4. were
caused by falls. explosions. caving II
Of earth. premature blasts and falling
rock. The river tunnels were con
structed at the cost of 6S lives. 43 IL
the Pennsylvania terminal works. q
in the Belmont tunnel, two in the sub
way borings and three in the Hudson
companies terminal.
In the huge. smoky workshop called
P1ttsburg. one human life is sacrificed
for every $4,000 tons of coal that ar,
shipped out OF the city. For eacl
1900 tons of steel products one Of thu
manipulators. somewhere in the pro
cess of manufacture. lays down hi
life; and for each 10000 tons of stee
!, rails another laborer makes the las
sacrifice.
OF the $500 deaths reported II
Pittsburg in 1906. s1s were due to &C
, cidents in mills. mines and on rail
roads. The number of accidents wa
not computed, but 1t was undoubtedl,
: in the thousands.
Causes Of EatalltIes.
How does 1t all happen, you ask? !
a huge ladle Of white hot steel Is ur
set. the molten stream burns alive It
writhing victim. 1t may be that
| man or woman is whirled to horribl
death in mill machinery; or mine
Is blown to eternity in an explosion
5 Of damp in mine.
! Publicity is given to accidents o.
railroads. but little is heard of tn
! thousands annually killed and maine
! in manufacturing and building and Il