Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-12-21
RECOMMENDS USE or
TELEPHONES IN MINES

coal mines has led many people inter
ested in the mining industry to con
slider measures for more effectualv
safeguarding hfe i'm the mines. /. is
he opinion OF John Mitchell. who
Tor nearly ten years was president
OF tae United Min Workers. and who
is now vico-prcsident OF the Amcri
can Federation OF Labor. that Goa!
mining is the most hazardous dndus
/ try n America w. $. Bl? hlcy
state goo.ogisA ana head OF tho
| Mine Regulation Department OF In
diana. is authority for the statemen,
that there are fifty mines in Indiana
where catastrophe similar TO g
recent one i'm Illinois might bo reas
pnably expected To occur a. any
time
One OF the safeguarding measures
that has already been urged is a sys-
'emattc use OF the telephone in the
mines. An editorial writer In tho
Boston Globe expressed the opinicn
that legislation requiring the install
lation OF telephone lines from houses
on the level to the ends of the shafts
mie'ht follow the Cnerry disaster.
On the subject Mr.. MitcHS7- w-o
was a coal digger for twelve years
recently made the following state
ment:
"Of course these calamities alwav
suggest means by which lives thus
lost might have been saved. If Goa
mines were equipped with telephones
throughout their workings It would
be possible for men entombed to J.
those on the outside know the loca-
tion OF the place in which they were
gathered, or at least let them know
what was thir condition And thus
the work of rescue would be greatly
aided"
Probably at no time in the ais
tory of mining" says m editorial
the current issue OF the Mining
World, a magazine devoted to the in
terest of miners. has there been y
greater demonstration OF tho great
need OF uphOns in Minis than at the
Cherry coal mine dlsast,S. How
many more lives could have bc~r
saved had the mine been fully equir-
ped with telephones is entirely prob
lematical. but 1t is certain tAat tn.
number would have been greater nad
opportunity been afforded for com
munication between the rescuors and
the entombed men,"
The editorial goes ON TO say:
I'm case OF accident to the miners
where telephones were installed m
time could be saved by telephoning
the superintendent who could have
ambulances and surgeons at the
mouth OF the mine wnen the unfortu-
nate men were brought UP. In many
instances this prompt service would
save the lives OF those injured and
Tho sooner alleviate their sufrerings
HhGre are many arguments i'm
favor OF the installation OF telephone
service IN mines. and IT IS n safe pee
diciion that. within a few yolr7. eve
cry mine OF consequences I'm the coun-
7ry viii be fully equipped In this
respect"
in support OF this opinion as TO the
hazardous nature Of mining industry.
Mr.. Mitchell declared that four out NJ
every thousand employees I'm the coaI
mines in this country are killed every
year. In continental Europe the ia
talities are le5s than one I'm every
Thousand. The annual sacrifice %
hives in coal mines Mr. Mitchell puts
AT not les sthan 1000 averaging Is
, deaths to every working Iav.
A number of interesting remedies
are beng proposed every day lbv
men upon whOm devolvcs the respon-
@bility for conditions in the mines
A. tight compartments formed one OF
T.~FHH