The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-31
Life Sd0ing SerUice For
 Miners Indugurated To-day
Six Specially Constructed and Equipped Cars Will Be Kept In Mining Districts at the Expense of the Federal Govern
 ment So As To Be Ready In Mament's
 Notice In Case of Mine Disasters

susciating outfits and a small outfit for use in demonstration and actual prac- tice of equipment relating to frst-aid-to- the-injured in connection with mine ac- cidents One end of the cars will be fitted up as an air-tight room to be used In training the men in the use of the so- caIied oxygen helmets. This room will be filled with noxious fumes, and the miners, wearing the helmets will remain inside for two hours in an atmosphere that would kill without the helmets. These are the helmets that permit one to enter a mine immediately following an explosion, while 1t Is still filled with poisonous gases and breathe artihcally. The absence of the helmets at great ca tastrophes in the United States has. 1t Is believed. resulted in greater loss of life than necessary. Frequently min CTS who have not suffered physical in- jury by an explosion have been en- tombed in the mine to die slowly from the inhalation of the poisonous gases Had 1t been possible to reach these men within a few hours, their lives might have been saved. The helmets proved their worth at the ill-fated Cherry mine, when the rescuers succeeded in getting 20 men out alive after they had been en- tombed seven days. In a number of other instances miners have been saved
 
 rival of the helmeted rescuers.
 Car No 1. which will be in charge of Charles Enzian, mining engineer, will leave Pittsburg the morning of October 3f, for Monongahela City, Pa. where the first demonstration of rescue apparatus and lecture will be given. This car will then visit Marianna, Brownsville, Union town, Connehsville. Scottdale. Indiana, Johnstown, Windber. South Fork. Port aoo Crees.,p pupxs,yfa Urey- Clearfleld Philipsburg and State College.
 Car No 2 Is expected to reach the bureau of mines rescue station at Ur- bana, H., November ,1 where it will be fully equipped with rescue and other apparatus and placed in charge of R. r.. Williams, mining engineer. as lecturer, and J. NJ Webb as trainer in mine res- cue work pr. J. NJ. Shields of the American Red Cross society will be pres ent, and there will bc a miner skilled in hospital corps work and first aid to the injured. After remaining In Urbana for several days the car will proceed to Dan vile, H., Terre Haute, Ind, and on through southern Indiana to Evansville. Lectures and demonstrations will be given at each stopping place The car will stop few days or week at each min Ing town, where the miners will be trained without cost in rescue work. The men who take the full course of in struction In mine rescue and first aid work will be given certificates of compe- tency A record will be kept of these men as being available for emergency calls in the event of disaster.
 Four other cars similarly equipped will be ready for delivery to the bureau of mines within few days. They will make their headquarters at Rock Eprings, Wyo.. Billings, Mont. Salt Lake City ITta1, and Knoxvilie Tenn. These cars vii ltrsvei through the mining territory in their districts, the mining engineers giving lectures on greater safety in min ing, the Red Cross representatives giv- ing demonstrations in first aid to the injured. and the rescue corps men train ing the miners in the use of the oxygen helmets