Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-25
COAL COST in HUMAN LIFE
Annual Death Roll Running Into
ThOusands--MistRken Ideas
as to Accidents.

Accidents in the coal mines of the United
States In 1907 resulted in death to 3,12
men and injury to 5,316 more, an increase
of 1,O33 In the number Of deaths and SIG in
the number Of Injuries over the record Of
1905. This record marks the year, in all
other respects the most prosperous, as one
Of the worst in the history of the coal min
ing industry of the country. Even the
above figures, however, fail to represent
the fun extent OF the disasters, for any
statistical statement that attempts to cover
coal mining accidents for the entire United
States is necessarily somewhat incomplete.
The United States Geological Survey, by
which the figures for the country are pub
lished, does not collect the d.
rectly. but obtains it through the courtesy
of state or territory mine inspectors or
other officials, who compile data concern
ing accidents and their causes and effects.
A number of the ccal-producing states nave
no officials charged with these duties and
one or two of the state officials failed to
reply to the Inquiries sent out by the sur
vey. In 1906 returns were received from
twenty-one states and territories; in ly01
only eighteen reported.
The reports received indicate a death
rate per thousand employees OF 1881 in 1878
and 4sG in 1907 and the number of tons
mined for each life lost decreased from
1880 to 1A5.4n. The state which had the
lowest death rate per thousand C95) in
1907 was Missouri, where i99, az tons Of
coal were mined for each life lost. Michi-
gan was second on the roll Of honor so far
as death rate per thousand employees was
concerned, and Kentucky was second in
the number Of tons mined for each life
lost.
The prominence given by the press to
descriptions of mine explosions when such
disasters claim a number OF victims has
led the general public to believe 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
impression. OF the total number reported
for the last calendar year. 97 deaths and
343 injuries were caused by gas and dust
explosions, POI deaths and i6 injuries by
powder explosions and windy shots, LIZ
deaths and e,14l injuries by falls of roof or
coal, and $50 deaths and 2,4l6 injuries were
ascribed to other causes. The figures for
1907 show, however, that explosions of gas
or mixtures of gas and dust have compare
lively fatal results, the number killed in
this way during the year being three times
as great as the number injured: in accidents
from other causes the number of nonfatal
injuries largely exceed the fatal ones. In
accidents from powder explosions and windy
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.
Commenting upon this record In his report
upon the coal production Of the country,
published by the United States Geographical
Survey as an advance chapter from Min
eral Resources OF the United States, Calen-
dar Year 1907" r. w. Parker. the coal
expert and chief statistician OF the survey,
says:
1T has been said that there is only one
way by which accidents in coal mines can
be entirely prevented, and this Is by eeasing
to mine coal. There is no doubt, however.
that the number Of accidents may be
greatly lessened, ana much benefit Is antici-