Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-20
STATE HOUSE.
n 1}1lFS'
Com. Lyons Discusses
Accident Investigation.
Audubon Societies Ask for
Lease Of Two Islands.
Work on State House CompeIs Re.
moval OF Bench Mark.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council
Tuesday, Dec. Fl, at 10 A. M.

commissioner of labor to investigate
the causes of industrial accident, the
effect of such accidents upon the in
jured and their dependent relatives
and upon the general public and to
publish statistics thereon. Hon
Thomas ]. Lyons of Ninalhaven, COM
missioner of industrial and labor sta
tistics says in regard to this in
vestigation so far as he has conducted
it:
In compliance with this statute.
blanks We're sent to all of the leading
manufacturers in the State with re-
quest that they report to the bureau
in accordance with the provisions or
the law. In addition to the blanks,
recourse was had to most of the lead
ing daily papers, and to the latter
source we are indebted for the most OF
the information obtained. We would be
glad to believe that many of our large
manufacturing plants have no acct
dents to report and that conditions are
such as to prevent their occurrence,
but the stories relating to accidents
that appear in the papers from day to
day make up a chapter that destroys
all hopes that We might have in this
particular
For some reason a great many of
the accidents that happen in our in
dustrial plants never reach the papers
and consequently our report is in
complete to this extent The list of
accidents here presented numbers 33S,
covering the period between April l
and Dec |. Forty-one of them result
ed fatally and most of the others were
of a more or less serious nature. All
of them happened to persons engaged
in industrial pursuits so that they can
be properly classed as industrial ac-
cldentS. We are satisfied that the
result of this investigation, incomplete
though it is and covering but two
thirds OF the year, reveals Il condition
that receives but little thought or
consideration from the general public,
and yet it is one of the most important
questions before the American people
today. Not only is the national gov
eminent interesting itself in the mat
ter but many of the states are con-
Quoting Investigations for the purpose
of determining the extent of this in
dustrial waste" and to ascertain what
can and should be done to lessen the
suffering and want occasioned by this
seemingly unnecessary destruction of
human lives and comfortable homes.
The physical pain and suffering en-
dured by the injured one is severe
enough. but when to this is added the
mental torture that comes with the
realization that the accident has
transformed the main support of a
family into a helpless, crippled depen-
ia I,a
dren from school in order that they
may become bread winners to help a
widowed mother or disabled father
from appealing OF the cold charity of
the world and to keep the wolf from
the door. the real effect of the accident
upon those directly affected is brought
plainly to view.
There is no question hut that many
accidents are due to the unavoidab BILE
hazards of modern industry and many
more to the carelessness and incOm-
potency of the injured and no matter
what precautions are taken accidents
will happen. While this is beyond
question, the fact remains that a
large per cent. of accidents are pre-
vcntabe and when the precautionary
measures that are available are util-
lied, the terrible waste of human life
and usefulness will be lessened
Many of the states have laws that re-
quire the guarding of machinery,
saws, etc. so as to prevent accidents
as much as possible. Maine has no
such laws. and glance at the causes
that nave led to many of the accidents
mere enumerated will give the impress
sion that many of them We're unne-
ceSsary
The total number of killed in the
Union army during the entire Civil
war, as given in the report of the
provost general, is 1852. Other au-
thorltles give much less figure and
yet in the United States during 1908 it
is estimated, according to bulletin
issued by the department of commerce
and labor, that the number of fatal
accidents among occupied males. Is
years of age or over, was between 30
600 and $4,000, and there is no doubt
but that those seriously injured num-
bered among the hundreds of thou
sands. These figures furnish food
for thought. and further comment is
unnecessary at this time as the whole
question will be treated fully in the
report of this department for 1910"
The National Association of Auilu-
bon Societies for the Protection of
Wild Birds and Animals has written to