Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-12-27
Recent Disaster at Jacobs
Greek ArouSeS Congress to
Necessity Of Protecting
Lives of Workmen,
CRIMINAL CARELESSNESS
BLAMED FOR CALAMlTlES
Scientists Declare Explosions
Are Generally PteventabIe
And Cite Experience of Other
Countries to Prove Claim.

Countries to Prove Claim,
| Especial Dispatch to the Morning Journal. 7
Washington. Dec 26.-The terrible
| mine disaster at jacobs Creek, Pa,
has aroused in congress recognition
that something is necessary to be done
TO protect the men who toll UNDER
ground. congressman have known. or
course. that American mines, like
American railroads claimed a larger
percentage OF victims than the mines
of any other nation, hut with four
shocking disasters in the present,
month the awful increase in the
slaughter has been forced upon their
attention.
The principal mine disasters of the
year. in addition to that at Jacobs
Creek, have been as follows:
December /, at Lafayette city Pa
forty-seven killed.
December 6, at Monongah. w. va"
$50 killed.
December 16. at Yolande, Ala, sixty
killed.
eighteen killed.
June IS, at Prlceburg, Pa, seven
killed.
May 1, at scarboro. W. Va. fourteen
March IS, at Tacoma. Va, sixteen
killed.
February 4, at rhomas. w, Va
thirty killed.
January 20, a, Thurmond. W. Va,
twenty-eight killed
January 25, at LSrentz. w. va
JanuarS %. at Prlmero. Colo
twenty killed
In the eleven major accidents of the
year IL IS notab BILE that eleven OF them
were in coal mines and were caused
by explosions. The solitary exception
was the one at Negaunee, Mich
where eighteen men were killed by
the breaking of an elevator cable IN
an iron mine.
During the year 1906 nearly 5000
workers lost their lives in the coal
mines of the United States. When
the statistics for 1907 are compiled u
probably will be found the total is
considerably larger In the unlted
States the mining Of coal ought to De
attended by less danger than in any
other country of the world. our shatts
are not so deep as are many of those
elsewhere, and American mine owners
have at their call the best engineer
ing talent to be found anywhere.
Scientific assurance is given that mine
eNpIosioisn are preventable accidents,
and that they result only FROM what
should be made criminal @relessness.
Other countries have assumed that
these terrible calamities are not ne
Cessary accompaniment of mining, ana
the laws have enactedetaocmfwype
the laws they have enacted have gone
a long way toward preventing their
occurrence. That stricter laws are
needed in America is evidenced by the
fact that our mines kill three times as
many men, in proportion to the num-
her engaged in the industry as do the
mines Of any other country.
There Is almost hopeless difference
of opinion, of course, as to whether
any effective legislation could be en-
acted by congress. The old question
of paternalism and the companion
question of states rights step IN 10
vex those who would gladly do some
thing IL only "A way could be found.
II has been demanded for many
years that congress should create a
department of mines and mining, the
head of which should sit I'm the presi-
dents cabinet.
Such a department may be created
at some time In the future, nut not
soon. IL Is "A difficult matter 10 add
new member. TO the cabinet. The agfl-
cultural Interests clamored for years
before the commissioner of agricul-
ture was raised TO secretary Of agri-
culture. with cabinet dignity. Com
merce and labor finally got represent
alton only by combining. There rs a
probability that a bureau OF mines
,and mining under the department oi
commerce and labor may be created
and a bin 20 that effect was intro
duced the other DAY by Representa-
tivd McHenry. OF Pennsylvania. Mr..
McHenry's bill was interesting from
the further fact that II provided .
fund for the relief of the victims Of
mine disasters. the fund To he created
by "a tax Of. cent on every ton OF
coal mined.