Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-04-22

miners in rescue work have been eS-
tablished recently by the big coal com
panies of the United States, and sev-
eral more are in contemplation This
is a direct outcome of the demonstra-
tions in rescue work being made by
the United States geological survey,
the technologic branch, at its expert
ment station in Pittsburg and at the
subrescue station in Urbana, III.
THE fact that these stations have
been established is gratifying to the
geological survey" said Director
George Otis Smith the other day at
Washington. "It shows the interest
the operators and mine owners are TAX
ing in this humane movement, and it
is bound to result in a decrease in the
number of deaths in the mines. The
sole purpose of the government in tax
ing up this work was to demonstrate
its usefulness. 1t is not the intention
to make the rescue station work per
manent."
Perhaps the most complete of these
Coke company, which employs 10000
men. The station has been erected at
the Leisingring mine, near Connells-
vile, Pa, in easy reach Of all OF the
FrEk company's mines There corps
of six men is being trained in the use
of the oxygen helmet, a device that
admits of artificial breathing for two
hours in the most deadly gases known.
In order that the men may have prac-
teal experience in the use of these
helmets part of the station has been
devoted TO an air tight room which is
filed with gases that will not support
life. \ daily drill is being given in
this gas filed room, and they are gain
Ing confidence in the use of the he'll
NETS. Within a short time the corps
will visit the government experiment
station at pittsburg, where the mem
bers will receive further instruction
by the federal experts.
Whenever a disaster occurs in any
Of the Fricll companys mines the res
cue corps will respond at once and
will Immediately enter the mine for
the purpose of bringing to the sur
face miners who have been injured
or are unconscious from the effects of
the gases. With these helmets the
rescuers can enter any gas filled mine
where it would be sure death for any
unequipped miner to go In many
disasters the men fortunate ough to
be outside of the mine when the eX-
plosion occurred have had to remain
at the surface for hours, waiting for
the ventilation to drive the gases out.
knowing all the time that their com
rades were dying.
4 second rescue station has been eS-
tablished by the Consolidated Coal
Companies of Maryland at the mine
of the Fairmont company. Fairmont,
w. Va. \ trained corps of helmeted
men is ready for any emergency In
this field
A third station has been erected by
the Pittsburg Buffalo company at the
i'll fated Mariana mine in Pennsylva-
mia, which last November had an ex-
plosion with a loss of $50 lives Al
ready this station has a complete corps
of six highly trained men who know
how to use the oxygen helmets.
A fourth station is at the Zeigler
mines in Zeigler, III. This company
has a trained corps of six men, all
picked for their coolness, courage and
daring, for these elements are neces-
sary in rescue work.
]. w. Paul, who has charge of the
rescue work for the government, left
Washington recently for Europe, where
he will study rescue work at the Eu-
ropean stations.
I'm the short time we have been op-
Grating we have saved the lives of six
men," said Mr.. Paul, "and if we did
nothing more the results would war
rant everything that has been done so
far by the United States in trying to
reduce the accident death rate In the
mines. But I am satisfied more good
will come from our efforts. The four
stations Just established will be the
means of saving the lives of many
miners, for we all know that many a
poor fellow imprisoned in n mine filed
with the dread firedamp has lived in
agony for hours before he died. | un-
derstand that the operators are to es-
tablish many more stations"
A Light Burden.
\ frai little slip of n girl with
sweet, worn face toiled up the hill
under the weight of a robust infant
who must lave weighed nearly as
much as she did.
"My dear child" exclaimed a sym
pathetic passerby, you ought not 10
carry that big baby. Isn't he dread
fully heavy
Heavy? Why, no, indeed, ma'am,"
she smiled. He's my brother!- De.
lineator
History by Automobile Route.
John Nicholas Brown of Newport,
r. l., the richest boy in the world, is
to be taught the history of Europe
from an automobile as he passes from
scene TO scene of its greatest events.
His mother will do the teaching, and
she is now completing arrangements
for the tour. which will begin in June
and end in August. when the boy will
return To St Georges school, at New