The Washington herald., 1908-03-13
ADVOCATES BUREAU OF MINES
Coal Operators IndOrSe Scheme for
Federal Supervision.
Purposes Limited 10 Investigation OF
cheney of Operations.

John II. Jones. S. A. Taylor. W. w.
Kiefer, and J. Frank TTey, prominent
coal operators of Pittsburg. representing
the Pittsburg coal operators and the Pitts
burg Chamber Of Commerce. arrived In
Washington yesterday TO further the
proposition to establish a Bureau of Min
ing Technology in the Federal govern
ment
Taylor also represents the Mining In
stitute of America, and Jones coal mining
interests in Ohio, West Virginia. and Ken
lucky.
The Pittsburg men met with commit
tee OF operators from Indiana and Illinois.
| The proposed Federal bureau was unani-
mously indorsed.
Other members Of the committee
were ]. c. Kolsem. Of Terre Haute,
Ind. president Of the Indiana Coal Oper-
ators' Association; John X. Sefert. of
Terre Haute, Ind. member Of tie Indiana
Coal Operators Association: G. w Traer.
Chicago. H., president Of the Illinois Coal
Operators Association
This committee represents An annual
output OF about 100000 tons of coal.
The purpose OF the bureau is to investi-
gate the problems having TO do with
increasing the safety and efficiency in
mining. and the publication OF the results
Of those Investigations for the benefit of
the mining Industry and the general pub
lie throughout the United States.
Mr.. Jones had the following TO say last
evening concerning the objects Of the
committee:
The committee believes the investiEa-
tions Of a National Bureau OF Mining
Technology would tend 10 materially re-
dUce The number OF mine accidents in
the United States by increasing the
knowledge of persons connected with the
industry as 10 the cause Of these acci-
dents
The committee is or opinion that the
work OF this bureau should have nothing
20 do with the inspection and supervision
Of mining operations. but that such bu-
reau should be wholly a bureau OF inves-
tigation and research for the purposes
Of experimentation. and in acquiring in
formation and publishing the results for
the tenefit Of the mining industry and the
mining public.
'The committee has no fear that the
work Of such a bureau would encroach
upon the prerogatives OF the State TO
the extent Of becoming a Federal bureau
for the inspection or supervision of mines
The committee believes the several
States can be trusted TO guard their own
constitutional rights in that respect
The committee believes that such in
vestigations by Federal bureau would
be beneficial to the States in connection
with the enactment or proper laws in re-.
latiOn TO mining. and also beneficial 10
the mining companies in assisting them
TO formulate rules and regulations for
safeguarding the lives OF the men en-
ployed. and most helpful for the mining
Industry.
The results Of Investigations of the
bureau into the causes Of great mine dis
asters would furnish a series of reliable
statements Of facts for the information
of the public, and would assist mine own
ers and miners in taking measures for
the prevention Of recurrence OF simI-
lar disasters.
1T is our belief that the making avail
able Of reliable knowledge in relation to
such disasters would be useful to the
courts in rendering Just decisions"