The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-24
NOTABLE ADDRESSES MADE BY
 EXPERTS IN MINING AND MIN ERAL LRESEARCH-SUGGESTlONS
 FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS.

was regretted that there were no
 Alabama representatives at the Amer ican Mining Congress in Pittsburg December 1 to B. when so much of in- , terest to the coal mining industry was ably presented and discussed.
 The conservation of our natural re- sources was one of the cardinal features of the meeting, as was the prevention of accidents and the safety of human life in the mining industry. This mining con gress is expected to have strong influ- ence on state and federal legislation hay ing the above ends in view.
 It was shown that in coal mining opera tions there has been a waste of 25 to sometimes as high as 50 per cent from present methods of mining. It was shown that the waste of all the mineral products in mining would average N,0OO,O0O per day.
 Conservation of Coal Deposits.
 President Tracer of the Illinois Coal Operators association, in an address be- fore the congress, advanced the following: The acreage of coal mined sprang by leaps in 10-year periods from 400 acres in 1870 to 9466 in 1889, 20,933 in 1890, 3453s in 1900 and the magnificent total of 5S000 acres in 1907. This last represents 100 square miles.
 On this basis the life of the coal areas in sight was reduced from 300 years to 200 years, and now is rated at less than 100 years.
 In 1925 with the expected ratio of pro- ducton the area of coal extracted will approximate 200 square miles of the big veins producing d tonnage of 1000 million tons. Speaking most earnestly, he said:
 Are the figures too large for compre- hension? Not to us of this district who see annually 150,0000CO bushels of the black diamonds go floating out of the Pittsburg harbor alone and down the Ohio for southern ports, exclusive of rail transpor- taton. Not to us who see in the Con- nellsville region alone 37000 coke ovens lighting the heavens at night and sending out daily 2500 loaded cars of coke, string ing into 14,000 cars a week from 1S6 coke plants.
 ''I have endeavored to show the extent of consumption of this precious mineral. Need I dwell on the conditions in the Pittsburg and other industrial centers as the life of the nearby coal area ap- breaches it's end. We boast that Pittsburg is the industrial center of the world, that her tonnage is greater than the com bined tonnage of Chicago, New York,
 
 roll is s1, 100000 each day of the 300 work ing days of the year. Will that continue when the nearby coal is gone? Can she reach out and get relief from the untested coals of the south and far west?
 "Is not then the need of conservation most pressing? How can We get the same efficiency at less rate of tonnage con- sumption? Natural gas will help us out some, but it's life's precarious. Mechan- I0a1 Irxr sr.f .1-s.. .H l.. making fuel heat will improve in eff ciency and give some saving. By-prod- ucts will add to our profit account. But who will arise to lead us to the solution of the great and pressing economic prob lem: How to conserve our fuel supply, and extend it's life to- usefulness? Man marks the earth with ruin his
 control
 Stops with the shore; upon this great
 wide plain
 The wrecks are all his deed, nor will re-
 main
 A vestige of our greatness; these rich
 fields
 Will in an aeon cease their fertile yield Unless some leader with a seer's great
 gift
 Will rise, inspire, direct us and uplift' /"
 Protection of Life.
 On the question of the protection of human life from injury and death Glenn W. Tracer, president of the Illi- nois Coal Operators association, made practical suggestions, a summary of which is. as follows:
 Few owners of mines in this coun- try will be found lacking in a due and proper sense of humanity with regard to protecting human life and avoiding human suffering If any sho lube found their conduct would meet with prompt condemnation not only from the general public, but from associates in their own line of business.
 '"The greatest disasters usually arise