The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-12-04
| ] ] ,JUGG /: R ! | !. !.
GR|NDS man AN HOUR
.:... UNDER IT'S WHEELS
Report Of Minnesota's Labor Blu
reau Shows That a Life Goes
Out Every II Hours in Gopher
State Under Stress of CON-
. mercial Hazard.

ST. PAUL, Dec. "a man is
killed or injured In some line of in
dustrial employment in Minnesota
every working hour of the labor year.
Every 10 hours there is a death.
The bulletin of the state bureau Of
labor. industries and commerce, just
issued, shows this record. The facts
are not stated in just that way, but
the report shows that 220 were killed
and 3,2sS injured in 1907, the latest
able, and as there are sos working
days in the average year. the aver
age daily record, on a 10-hour basis,
would be as given above. The casualty
list in fact, is indeed much heavier,
for not all the industries are included
in the report, the structural iron
workers, builders, foundrymen, gen.
eral metal workers, street railway
men and others in occupations con-
sidered hazardous or semi-hazardous,
not appearing.
Much Work Involved.
w. e. McEwen, commissioner of
labor, worked. long upon the compila-
ton, assisted by Don D. Lescohier.
Mr.. McEwen, with George M. Gillette,
president of the Employers associa-
ton, James A.. Diffenbaugh, secre-
tary, and H. V. Mercer Of the En-
ployes' Compensation commission, ap-
pointed by Governor Johnson in April
last, has given serious attention to
the matter of injuries to workingmen,
the increasing general interest there
in and the various plans of remedial
legislation proposed, raising the ques-
ton to one of national Importance.
The tabulations prepared will afford
basis, the report says, upon which
later and more comprehensive figures
will be compiled.
The work of lettering the condi-
ton of the industrial employees went
forward in Minnesota after the meet
ing of January last, at which the men
above named met George B. Howley,
: E. G. Hall, A. E. Kellington and A.
l.. Rich of the State Federation of
Labor; G. w. Deacon and M. T.
O'Connell of the Brotherhood of Loo
omotive Engineers; G. H. Becker Of
the labor federation's legislative COM
1nittee; Philip HerZog and A. V. Will
liams. The question of proper COM
pensation was raised and after a Sec
ond meeting, Governor Johnson ap-
pointed the state commission.
Report Summed Up.
Since then the commissioner has
been endeavoring to bring together
figures that should show just what
the fatality and accident toll means,
in loss Of life and labor availability
to the state. A summing up in the re-
port says:
''Minnesotas Industries are annual
ly casting forth from mines, work
shops and railroads, an army of men
whose prime of life is blasted by
darkened sight, empty sleeves
mangled legs or disabled bodies. Are
these accidents preventable or are
they inevitable? Are the injured
workmen and their families compen.
stated for their losses? What changes
either in law or in Industrial prac.
: tees, would alleviate the situation 2
The statistics would appear to be
not unfavorable to Minnesota. Ir
! New York state 1924 Industrial &C
cidents were recorded in 5-yeal
| period. This is at the rate Of 7,S4S {
year. Wisconsin reported 1886 &C
cidents in a year. Population consid'
cred, the showing for Minnesota Il
comparatively favorable.
Record OH Railroads.
Of the 220 killed in 1907, in Mime
ho
| mines 80. No other employment
comes anywhere near these two. TIL,
next, that of lumber, shows onl!
three killed. In the list of injured
the disparsity is not so great, fol
While the railroads again have al
overwhelming lead, with 2,420, min
ing shows only Sc, numbering &C
! counting for the injury of 293, mea
packing for 1872, threshing manufac
turing for 102, and the quarries fol
g.. In general contracting work s:
were injured, in manufacturing car.
bolite, 10; in the flour mills, "a; ii
manufacturing novelties, "a; in pape,
manufacturing and confectionery, II
each, and from there the decline i:
rapid, such industries as shoe AND
! carpet manufacturing showing no ia.
talities and only two injured.
The fingers are the parts of thu
body most susceptible to injury, &C.
cording to the report. Of 324 cuts O,
decorations, 164 were on the fingers
injuries to the head coming next, with
80. Seven injuries to the eyes are
reported;
The authority on preventabiltt,
quoted, is that of Eastman, with ref.
erence to the Pittsburg district. Thir
ty percent of the accidents there. i
was found, were due to hazards In
evitable in the use of modern ma
chinery.
Mr.. McEwen hopes in time to work
| out statistics that shall be more
comprehensive and shall increas,
the prestige of Minnesota among tn,
states that are giving seriou.
thought to the question Of injuries
to workmen, employers liability an6
employees compensation.
According to returns made to thu
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