Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-04-22
MINERS SAFEGUARD,

MINERS SAFEGUARD.
Corps Of Men Trained Daily In Use Of
Oxygen Helmet, Which Admits Of
Artificial Breathing For Two Hours
In the Most Deadly Gases Known.
Four stations for the training Of
miners in rescue work have been es
tablished recently by the big coal COM
panies Of the United States, and sew
eral more are in contemplation. This
Is direct outcome Of the demonstra
lions 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, Ill.
1.-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
private stations is that Of the Frick
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
FrSk company's mines. There corps
Of six men is being trained in the use
Of the oxygen helmet, 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
filled with gases that will not support
life. A 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 Frick company's 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 enough 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.
A second rescue station has been es.
tablished by the Consolidated Coal
Companies of Maryland at the mine
Of the Fairmont company, Fairmont
W. Va. A 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 Marianne mine in Pennsylva
MIA, which last November had an ex
plosion with loss Of $50 lives. Al
ready this station has complete corps
of six highly trained men who know
how to use the oxygen helmets.
A fourth station Is at the Zeiglel
mines in Zeigler, Ill. This compan.
has a trained corps Of six men, al
picked for their GOODNESS, courage ant
daring, for these elements are neces
sary in rescue work.
J. w. Paul, who has charge Of tn
rescue work for the government, lei
Washington recently for Europe. wher
: he will study rescue work at the Eu
ropean stations.
"In the short time we have been or
Grating we have saved the lives Of 81
men," said Mr. Paul, land il we di
!. nothing more the results would wal
: rant everything that has been done s
far by the United States in trying
: reduce the accident death rate in th
mines. But I am satisfied more goo
will come from our efforts. The fou
stations just established will be tn
means Of saving the lives Of man
miners, for we all know that many
moor fellow fmprisoned In q, mine file
with the dread firedamp has lived
agony for hours before he died. I vi
derstand that the operators are to e
tablish many more stations"
National kindergarten Body.
"A movement has been started
New York city to form a national a
sociation to promote kindergarte
work. A meeting was recently held
" tho hnuco ~ Mrc 1nhn Groonoroh