The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-10-02
coAL-MINING ACCIDENTS.
Statistics Compiled By The Geological
Survey.

Accidents in the coal mines Of the
United States in 1907 resulted in death
to 3,I25 men and injury to 1916 more
an increase of 1893 in the number of
deaths and $40 in the number of in
iuries over the record for 1906. This
record marks the year, in all other re-
spects tine most prosperous, as one of
the worst in the history OF the coal
mining industry OF the country Even
the abo,e figures. however, fail to rep
resent the full extent of the disasters,
for any statistical statement that at
cmpts to cover coal-minng accidents
for the entire United States is neces-
strily somewhat incomplete. The
United States geological survey, by
which the figures for the country are
published, does not. collect the informa-
ton directly but obtains it through the
inspectors or other officials who com.
pile data concerning the accidents and
their causes and effects. A number of
the coal producing states have no off
Gals charged with these duties, and
one or two of the state officials failed
to reply to the inquiries sent out by
the survey. In 1906 returns were re-
ccived from q states and territories;
in 1907 only IS reported
Death Rate Per Thousand Employed.
The reports received indicate a
death rate per thousand employees of
5.31 in 1906 and 4SG in 1907, and the
number Of tons mined for each life lost
decreased from 194950 to 145,471. The
state which had the lowest death rate
per thousand (0a5) in 1907 was Miss
oGri. where 499,T4i tons Of coal were
Eiined for each life lost. Michigon was
second on the roll of honor as far as
death rate per thousand employees was
concerned and Kentucky was second in
the number of tons mined for each life
lost The death rate in Michigan was
1.76 per thousand; in Kentucky it was |
1.s9. Kentucky mined 33G.035 tons Of
coal for each life lost; Michgon mined i
n90,s37 tons. Arkansas reported a
death rate of 1,97 in 1907, with 1873, /
52n tons mined for each life lost, and |
Utah, with a death rate of 2.72, mined /
@24, Col tons for each life lost. West I
rginia reported the largest death rate
in 1907 1885 per thousand the /
lowest production for each life lost
65.969 tons. New Mexico stood next |
10 West Virginia, with death rate of
Ii.45 and a production of 1892 tons
for each life lost. and Alabama was
next, with a death rate of 7.2 per thous
and and a production Of 92,535 tons
for each life lost
Causes of Accidents.
The prominence given by the press
10 descriptions of mine explosions when
Tins has led the general public to be-
leve that Of the many perils to which
coal mine workers are exposed the
danger from explosions is the greatest.
Statistics do not bear out this impress
sion. OF the total number reported for
the last calendar year, 947 deaths and
243 injuries were caused by gas and
dust explosions, 201 deaths and 2,141
injuries by falls of roof or coal; s55
deaths and 2,4l6 injuries were aserib-
cd to other causes. The figures for
1907 show. however that explosions of
gas or mixtures or gas and dust have
fatal results, the mum
Der killed in this way during the year
being three times as great as the num-
Der injured; in accidents from other
causes the number of nonfatal injuries
largely exceed the fatal ones. In &C.
cidents from powder explosions and
" indy shots twice as many men were
injured as were killed, and the same
ratio holds in injuries from falls of
roof or coal In the accidents ascribed
to other causes nearly three times as
many men were injured as were killed.
Accident Prevention.
Comenting on the record in his re-
port upon the coal production Of the
country. published by the United States
geological survey as an advance chap
ter from Mineral Resources of the
United States. Calendar Year 1907" z.
w. Parker, the coal expert and chief
of the survey says:
1t has been said that there is only
one way b. which accidents in coal
mines can be entirely prevented. and
thst is by eeasing to mine coal. There
is no doubt, however, that the number
Of accidents may be greatly lessened.
and much benefit is anticipated from !