Bisbee daily review., 1908-04-23
RESOLUTIONS
 BOARD TRADE
 REACH HOUSE
Bill to Establish Bureau of Mines Reported Favorably
 to House By Committee Copy of Committees Report

The Bisbee Board of Trade has a way of accomplishing things that speaks well for the organization. A short time ago resolutions asking For the establishment of a Bureau of Mines in the Department of the In- terior, were sent to the chairman of the committees on mining and mines. in both the house and the senate. Yesterday the following reply was re ceived from Geo. F. Huff, chairman of the house committee:
 MT G. K. Reynolds,
 Sec, Bisbee Board of Trade.
 Bisbee, Arizona,
 My dear sir:-Your esteemed favor of the 9th inst. is before me. Our committee has concluded to report fayorably a biR to establish a Bureau of Mines in the Department of the s1i terior. copy of which is herewith enclosed.
 Yours very truly.
 GEO. F. HUFF.
 The report of the committee to the house reads as foilsws
 Your committee would also report that it has conducted hearings, has listened to the testimony and argu- ments of owners and operators of mines, mine inspectors, mine work CTS organizations, mine superintend- ents, and miners. The demand for such a bureau has steadily grown with the growth of the mining induS- try of the country, and the substan- tially unanimous testimony and ap- peal from every quarter recognizes the necessity of some central govern mental bureau. where the varied needs and interests of this great in dustry may be studied and promoted
 Your committee therefore has unanimously agreed upon, respectfully submits, and urgently recommends the passage of the bill waich this re- port accompanies. Having carefully considered in which Executive Depart ment this bureau should be estab- lished, we have agreed upon the In terior Department, wherein the Ge- ological Survey is already located. We have examined the laws creating the Geological Survey and defining fss duties and have carefully avoided du- plicating any duty whicn the Geolog- ical Survey is now authorized to per form. Nor is any part R the fled defined by this bill now covered by any other governmental Department.
 Your committee sincerely hopes and believes it is not necessary to enter into any extended argument supporting the advisability oF the es- taslishment of a bureau of mines.
 Much valuable work has been, is being, and will be done by the State governments to investigate and foster the local mining interests within their own borders; but many of the States nave not the means to do this anG~ quately. None of them covers the entire field, nor is any one State in terested in all branches and depart nents of this great industry.
 The mere statement of facts, that the mining industry adds annually 10 the wealth of the country a value nearly two billions of dollars, ant, that this enormously valuable Ie source, second in value only to agfi culture, receives substantially nc pro motion. no help, and no attention from the United States Government ought to be argument enough for tais bill.
 But there is one other consideration which your committee can not refrain from urging. The great growth 0! the mining industry of the United States in recent years has been at tended with a disproportiouate and appalling loss of life. dIo to accident; and explosions in mines. The hGTrol and sadness of some os these are stil fresh in our memories. 1t is inccn ceivable that such accidents misht not be prevented. The cause ol causes of them are obscure, as wal shown at our hearings. hut the Gan ger, whether gas or dust or both com mingled, or whatever the cause, mus disclose itself to adequate scientific investigation. When we recall tha these accidents in 1906. sacrificed tht lives of more than 1,500 persons, wht in darkness and danger were courage ously pursuing their vacations, tht appeal in this regard becomes well night imperative.
 Secretary Reynolds this week alsC received acknowledgement from San ator Dick, of Ohio, of receipt of thu resolutions passed by the BisbeC Board of Trade urging the establish -nent oE a mining Bureau. and givini assurance that bill for the establish ment of such a bureau would likely mass the Senate this session.