The Washington herald., 1908-02-20
HUMAN TOLLS HEAVY.
More Than 5000 Lives Lost
in Mines During 1907.
DEATHS DOUBLE IN & YEAR
Present Reports Indicate TOtnI of
FATALITIES VIII Exceed that Num-
the Big DISASTERS, Also ShOwn-;S50
Miners Killed in West Virginia.

New York, Feb. l9.-Some pretty start
ling figures, with reference 10 the heavy
recent increase in the deaths and injuries
consequent upon accidents in coal mines.
were presented TO the American Institute
of Mining Engineers this evening in a
paper read before the institute al the
New York Engineers Club by J. A.
Holmes. chief of the technoiogic branch
OF the Geological Survey Of the United
States.
Complete reports regarding the coal
mine accidents Of 1907 have already been
received from ten States and two Terri
tories. Reports from Pennsylvania are
not YET in. but about every other impor-
tant coal mining State is represented in
the figures These show an increase Of
.-bout 20 per cent ir the number Of men
killed over the number thai met the same
fate in the same States and Territories in
1906. These figures do not include Penn
sylvania, where 80 men were killed at the
LAIR mine last December.
From information at present at hand"
Mr.. Holmes said. lit seems probable that
an increase Of . per cent in the number
of fatal accidents viii be shown for the
year 1907 over the figures for 1906 without
taking into consideration the four disas-
tiers of last December. IN which 694 men
were killed.
SEQ Men Killed in 1906.
The figures from the States and Terri
tories reporting show that SEQ men were
killed in the year 1906. and 97S in the year
Of 1907. an increase IN those States and
Territories of 80 deaths Cor the year. II
the States which have not yet reported
keep up the present ratio Of increase in
deaths the total number Of fatalities for
the year 1897, exclusive of the four big
disasters. will be 2.f60. which is N0 more
than in 1906. Counting in the big disas-
tiers. the deaths will DE more than 5000.
which will be a 50 per cent increase over
tie year 1906.
The figures regarding Injuries are no
less striking. The States ana Territories
so far reporting show an increase OF
more than s. per cent in the number OF
men injured.
Illinois, West Virginia. and Ohio report
the greatest number of fatal accidents.
outside of Pennsylvania. 556 miners hay
ing lost ,heir lives I'm West Virginia
in 1907.
Discusses Chinese Labor.
paper on the vexing question OF
Chinese labor in South Africa. which has
been giving the British government so
much trouble. by T. Lane Carter. an
engineer employed IN one OF the big
mines in the Rand, was read by Dr.
Raymond. the Institutes secretary, at
the afternoons session.
Mr.. Carter said that the action Of the
British authorities in refusing 10 allow
the Chinese coolies 90 renew their con-
tracts, a right guaranteed them in their
original contracts. had caused good deal
OF III feeling. and that the Chinese felt
exceedingly aggrieved lie thought that
labor conditions in the Trans
vaal would force the British government
20 reverse its present attitude and i'm
port about 60.O00 more Chinese.
Members Of the institute viii tomorrow
inspect the Pennsylvania cross-town tun-
nels and the American Museam OF Nat
ural History. Tomorrow evening. there
will be a reception at the Engineers
Club.