Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-06-19
RATION may SECURE
A MINE RESCUE
STATION
UNCLE SAM TRYING TO
CHECK MINE DISASTERS
Principal Station in. Country
Located at Pittsburg; Experts
to Be in Readiness,
Morning Journal Bureau, I
613 Munscy Building,

49, - ~ 49, 80
The mine rescue station represent
one of the most recent efforts mad,
by the government to reduce the num-
Der of fatalities in mines. and it il
but one feature OF a general study o
the causes of mine disasters now being
undertaken by the Geological Surve,
at the mine accident station installed
at Pittsburg, Pa.
This humanitarian work was start
ed last July, by authorization of con-
gress, which appropriated $3.50, coo
for this purpose, following four ex-
plosions in coal mines in December,
1907. costing 700 lives. These disas-
tiers startled the entire country and led
to a general inquiry into the death
rates among miners in the United
states.
The principal work at the P~ittsburg
station consists of testing explosives
Ia determine their safety when fired
In the presence of explosive gas or
coal dust, n much progress has al
ready been made along this line. 1t
Is the purpose Of the government to
continue the testing of explosives un-
I'll certain of them can be recon-
mended to state mining bureaus, coal
mine owners. and miners as reason
ably safe.
The principal mihe rescue station in
the country is situated at Pittsburg,
in the enter of the greatest coal field
in the world. A second station has
I.at gc-o h1iShal NJ tho. ITnfunpctfu Of
Illinois, taking care of Investigations
in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa,
northern Missouri, and western Ken
lucky. Other stations viii be estab-
lished at or near the great centers of
accidents, perhaps at Ration, ~. NJ,
to take care of the work in New Mex
leo, Colorado, Utah. Wyoming and
Montana. A station has also been
suggested at Salt Lake City, which
win be central for the Utah fields and
accessible to the Montana and Wash
ington fields.
Government mining engineers thor
oughly trained in the use of rescue APP
paratus have been assigned to the
stations already established and are
ready at a moments notice to go to
any disaster in their district. When
an explosion occurs in a coal mine,
the Of the ventiLrine
current is often DELAYED several hours
ana many Iivee have heon LOST annar-
emily because rescuers have heen nm
ohIa n advance bevond whore the
mine was ventilated i'm order to find
the persons who had suffered no phys
ical injury from the explosion, but
who were SLOWLY diving from inhaIa-
tim of n~ojsonous and non-life SIM
nortins gases. With a nroperlv eouin-
ned rescue corns wearing oxveen he'll
mets MANY lives NAV he saved If
the resc,1ers can reach the mine with
i'm two or three horrs after the ex-
plosion Such is the record AT mines
in foreign countries which are eouin-
ned with similar rescue anparatus and
az mines of the limited States where
the annaratus has been hroueht into
action within a few hours after the
exnlosjon Several coal-onerating
comnanies have realized the advan-
tapes of s,cb safat, ann1iances and
have instaued then ar eoma nlaca
convenient 70 their mines Enuinned
with the oxveen helmets which ner-
NIT artificial hraathing the rescuers
are enabIed IN enter q mine az once
ever tbouyh II no alIed win noxious
and irresnirah Ie gases ar with smoke
The stations are also b-eadouarters
OF the engineers for the study of the
waste of coal in mining-one of the
imnortant nroh,ems before the Geo
logical Survav-and for Investigating
conditions in mines which may he
conducive IN the nroduction of disas-
%rs from evn1osions ~ roof.falle rho
stations are confined win air-tioht
rooms where gas can he generated
Coalmininp comnanies are invited IN
send 10 these stations nicled nor who
NAV he trained nv The oovarnment ex-
perts in the us1 or Inc oxvoen helmets
II is not tho nnrnoea of Tho cavern
ment TO engage IN general rescue
work but rather IN s,,nerviea nine
rescue onerations ana 70 demonstrate
this annaratns untiI tho mining com
panies have thorouohly trained resc,e
crows AZ tbeir mines
When n mine exnloSiop Occurs 1