The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-29

among persons associated with mining
operations.
"One after another of these terrible
underground disasters awakens the
sympathies of the nation and arouses
an earnest desire that they may be en-
tirely prevented. Experience in the
deeper and more dangerous coal mines
of Belgium and other countries not only
indicates that these mine accidents may
be reduced to less than one-third their
present number in the United States,
but also gives promise of results which
in the future may at least approach
complete prevention"
The bulletin shows that in all Euro
pean coal producing countries the out
put of coal has increased greatly dur
ing the last ten years. but the number
of deaths per 1000 miners. instead Of
increasing as in this country, has I'M
dergone a marked and decided decrease.
This decrease has been due. the bulle-
tin says, to the effect of mining legis-
lation in those countries for the safe
guarding and protection of the lives of
the workmen, and has been made pos
sible by government action in estab-
fishing testing stations for the study
of problems relative to safety I'm min
ing, including the use of explosives.
Belgian cStln9 STATION
The bulletin further says: Belgium
maintains the most thoroughly equipped
testing station in the world. and for
number of years has carried out extern
sive eXperimentn to devise means TO
prevent accidents and to increase the
safety of workers in the mines. The
success of these experiments will be
better realized when it is stated that
at the beginning Of the Investigations
the number of men killed each year
for each 1000 men employed was 80,
or very nearly that now shown for the
United States, while at present 1t is
less than one-third of that number.
Fifty per cent of all the fatal acct
dents and SO per cent of all non-fatal
accidents in the mines of the United
States were the result of falls of roof
and coal. Accordingly, these are the
most prolific sources of accidents in the
coal mines.
I'm all European coal producing coun-
tries the use of excessive charges of ex-
plosives is prohibited by law and def
mite limits are set as to the amount OF
any explosive that can be used. AL
though these regulations were framed
with the object Of preventing gas ex-
blossoms. il is believed that they have
been Of marked effect i'm preventing ac-
cidents from falls of roof and coal. as
the very great disturbing and Earring
effect exerted by the discharge of large
amounts of explosives i'm mine is be-
lieved to be one of the most important
causes of falls of roof. The actual fall
of the roof or coal may not occur at
the time of firing the charge. but the
heavy shots weaken the wall and roof
and start cracks that impair the sup
,,H ha r-nalr go that n1nnfhC ftar
without warning, the roof or wall falls.
"Gas dust explosions form another inn
portant cause of mine accidents. In the
United States. during 1906. II per cent
of all the deaths in coal mines were due
to such explosions.
Awful Record in United States.
considered in regard to the number
of deaths per 1000 men employed, the
United States occupies less favorable
position than any other of the coal pro-
ducing countries, more than three times
as many men out of each 1000 employed
being killed as in some European coun-
tries that are much less favored with
natural conditions. In regard TO deaths
per million tons of coal mined, the Unit
ed States not only occupies a position
worse than that of most European
countries, but is also showing an in
crease in the rate whereas every other
country is showing a decrease.
with the mining of the smaller beds
and the gradual development of prop
critics worked with more difficulty,
bringing the mining conditions IN the
United States more nearly to a position
of equality with those abroad. great
increase in the number of accidents
must be expected unless proper steps
a 70 taken IN remedy the conditions that
have brought about the present re-
markabIy high rate in the coal mines
of the United States"