Cañon City record., 1909-05-20
70 TAI COAL Pro-
DDCTlON FOR BENEFIT
Of INJURED MINERS
AneF3can Mining Congress Proposes
te 1aho Industry Responsible for
Its Accidents.

O0uve1s may ia page In tne last
report OF the United States Geological
Survey. on the Mineral Resources Of
the United States, contains the sur
prisinE statement that during the year
1907 the lives of 3,125 men were sac
rinced in the coal mines of the United
States. while an additional 5,316
men were more or less seriously in
jured, many of them perhaps result
ing fatally. This was an average of
IA men killed and % injured for
each day the mines were worked.
West Virginia holds the unenviable
record for greatest death rate, being
1925 per thousand men employed.
Then follow New Mexico with 11.45;
Alabama with 7.2o; Colorado with
6.96; Washington with 6.O6; and Non
tana with 4.39. The average for the
whole country was 4.S6 deaths, per
1000 men employed. In the Western
states. where natural conditions have
always been considered the safest,
the average death rate is much higher
than in the Eastern states.
One-third of the deaths result from
explosions OF coal dust and gas. the
precise causes Of which are not def
nitely known. and can hardly be pre-
vented until after further investiga-
tons are made. A little more than
one-third result from falls of roof
and coal. which. with the exercise Of
uroofar nara couJd porh-- q ho Ia run1v
prevented The remainder result
from bloWn-out shots, and rliscellan-
eous causes. .s.r
In the early months Of 1908 Con-
gress appropriated e1s0. 10000 with
which to carry on experiments and
investigations for the purpose of as
certaining the causes OF. and means
to prevent. such terrible loss of life,
but at best this can result only in
lessening the number and extent of
the fatalities.
1t has been proposed by the Amer
lean Mining Congress. whi-h held its
session at Pittsburg. Pa. last De-
cember. where the subject of coal
mine accidents were fully discussed.
that In order TO mitigate the disas-
trous results and to tighten the bur
den which, sometimes falls heavily
upon the distressed family Of the dead
or injured miner. tha. q small tax
be levied upon all coal produced. to
disbursed among those distressed by
the accident
A tax of one-cent per ton. it is
thought would be ample. and would
be Of great relief to the families of
dependents of the unfortunate vict
inns.
Congressman J. G. McHenry Of
Pennsylvania. who was a delegate to
the Mining Congress, is the author
| OF a resolution recommending that
states pass appropriate laws put
! ting this plan into effect It has
been endorsed by many OF the large
coal operators Of Pennsylvania, Ohio,
| Illinois and West Virginia: BY John
I Mitchell. ex-president and by Thos. l.
Lewis. president Of the United Mine
Workers.
The Mining Congress has appointed
as a committee to determine upon q
suitable statute and present the same
to the legislatures: Congressman ].
G. McHenry OF Pennsylvania. chair
man; Ex-Governor A. b. Fleming, Of
West virginia: Glenn w. Trear. ex-
President Of the Illinois Coal Opera
tors Association; Alexander Demp-
.ster OF the Monongahela River Coal
4 Coke Co. OF Pittsburg: and Thomas
L. Lewis. president OF the United
Mine Workers Of America. OF Indian
apolis. Ind. Meanwhile. the Mining
Congress. the coal operators, the min
ers' organizations, etc. are urging
Congress to create Bureau of Mines
to collect data and devise methods Of
economical mining and prevention Of
waste: to continue the search into the
causes Of coal mining disasters, and
means for their prevention. and to
increase the annual appropriations OF
Congress for this kind OF work.
It Ii expscted that q basis will be
reached % that definite action may
be taken BY the Mining Congress at
Its next annual session, which con.
venes at 0oldneld. Nevada. septem-
Der "a. whea the matter will be fur
Il