Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-04-27
MINES and MINING
An important Bureau is Soon 10
Be Established II Present
Plans Are Carried Out.

Washington, D. c., April 27.--
An important supervisory bureau OF
the government is soon to be estab-
lished. 1t Is bureau of mines and
mining and the present plan is to
attach it to the department of the
interior.
Two or three years ago, the prop
osition was made that department
of mines be created, with a cabinet
officer at it's head. This was purely
tentative and, although it was ad-
vocated strongly by some members
of both the house and senate from
the western part of the country, IL
finally was abandoned, for the pres
ent, as impracticable.
Since the beginning of the pres
ent session of congress, a good deal
of work has been done looking to
the creation of bureau of the in
terror department which should have
direct supervision of mines and
mining and it practically has been
decided that, at the next session OF
congress, such bureau Will be es-
tablished.
The proposition now is to place at
the head of that bureau John Mitch
ell, former president of the United
Mine Workers of America. Mr. Mitch
ell has been approached on the sub
ject and has indicated that 1t would
be impossible now for him to under
@al~ h4
condition of his health. He was
obliged to relinquish the presidency
of the United Mine Workers, be-
cause of ill health and he yet has
not so far recovered as to be able
TO undertake any sustained effort.
1t is realized by President Roosevelt
and by executive officers of the
government, as well as by members
of both branches of congress, that
Mr. Mitchell is pre-eminently equip
ped to administer that affairs of
such a bureau. While it is not to be
created for him, particularly, it is
believed that he is better qualified
for the position than almost anyone
who might be mentioned.
The house committee on mines and
mining already has reported favor
ably a bill for the establishment of
the bureau and the present plan is
to take up that measure at the next
session and pass it.
The growth of the mining indus
try has been so great in the past
decade that such bureau Is re-
garded now as an absolute neces-
sity. Then. too. the increase in the
number of accidents in mines-par-
ticularly coal mines-has suggested
the desirability of having govern
mental supervision of all sorts of
mining. Many of the accidents
which have happened in the last two
or three years have amounted TO ca
lamities and 1t has become evident
that the government must take
some action TO insure the safety of
mine employees. The demand for the
establishment of bureau of mines
and mining has grown to immense
proportions and no longer can be ig-
nored. While many of the states
have done much valuable work in
forest fostering and supporting the
mining industry and have investi-
gated carefully the accidents that
have occurred within their borders.
1t is pointed out that there is need
for a broader and more comprehen-
sive grasp of the situation than pos
sibly can be given by single state.
A step in the right direction was
taken in the senate recently when 1t
adopted an amendment of Senator
Hemenway, of Indiana, appropriat-
ing $195,000 TO be employed by the
geological survey in investigating
the mining industry with a view to
suitable action to
prevent mining accidents. The idea
is to obtain. by careful investigation
and research. better methods or
than now are in use. II is
believed that many of the accidents
which happen in mines are prevent
able by proper methods Of work.
This will be determined by the in
vestigation TO be made by the sur
vey.