The San Francisco call., 1910-10-08
Mines BUREAU
To UNDERTAKE
MANY REFORMS
Director Joseph A. Holmes Tells
Of Aims of New Federal
Office
Work at Present Is Largely of
Educational Nature, He
Declares

OAKLAND. Oct I've expect that
in time the bureau OF mines will be to
the mines and miners of the United
States what the department of agricul-
ture is TO the farms and farmers OF the
United States" said Joseph A Holmes,
the newly appointed director of TIE re-
Gently created federal bureau OF mines.
Holmes was the guest yesterday and
today Of E. H Benjamin of sos Linden
street an Oh tine fri mi and 4 pest
president and secretary of the CaHfor-
MIA miners association.
Holmes attended the American mining
con gress held in Los Angeles last week
He inspected the aqueduct being buiIt
10 supply that city with water and Wis
ited the oil fields. Tonight he departed
for Shasta county to inspect the smeIt-
ers in that region. He will visit Utah
and Colorado before returning to wash
ington.
NEWLY ESTABLISHED
Speaking Of the burea6 of which he
is the head, and of it's work, Holmes
said:
The bureau OF mines was estab-
nshed in May Of this year. I was ap-
pointed director of the bureau by
President Taft last month. Much Of
the work done by the bureau was for
merly done by the geological survey
The work increased to such an extent
that il was looked upon as being i'm
portant enough to be handled sepa-
rately by bureau. In fact, there was
q demand from some quarters that
department Of mining be established
for the cabinet. The first action TO be
taken for the creation of federal bu-
reau Of mines was taken by the Cali
forn-a miners association, which some
years ago passed a resolution asking
tnat such bureau be established.
The work Of the bureau at present
is largely OF an educational character.
Investigations are conducted with
view 10 learning everything that can
be learned which might be OF benefit
TO the miners and mine owners Of the
United States. One Of the main pur-
poses of the bureau will be % bring
about decrease in the great loss of
lie sustained in the mines of this
country yearly. Another purpose of
the bureau is TO prevent the extrava-
CANT waste that characterizes much of
our mining.
HIGH MORTALITY
The average loss Of life of the men
who work in the mines of the United
States is from 8 TO in each 1000 en-
ployed- In Europe the average loss
OF life in the mines is from l TO 2 in
I
600 persons employed in the mines of
the United States. The employees are
paid more and take out more material
10 the man than do the miners of Eu-
rope, yet the profits OF mining in this
country are less than they are in
Europe
since the agitation for the better
protection Of the miners of this coun-
try began there has been q noticeable
decrease in the loss Of life. The loss
Of life last year was rs per cent less
than il was three years ago and it is
the hope of the bureau of mining to
conduct campaign Of education that
will eventually result in many more
safeguards being thrown about the
miners life through legislation in the
various mining states The authority
Of the bureau Of mines to investigate
mining conditions extends 70 all of the
states and territories of the United
states.
REPORTS SUBMITTED
The bureau makes investi cations
and submits reports TO the various in
spectors and mining bodies in the sew
cral states with suggestions of i'm
provements that may be made. That
is as far as the authority of the bu-
reau extends. The bureau is also en-
powered to investigate mining condi-
tions in other countries and to ascer-
tain information that may prove of
value TO the miners and mine owners
of the United States
AT present there is a great waste
in mining as il is carried on in the
United States. This applies particularly
70 coal mining. For every ton of coal
now taken out a ton Of coal is wasted
our supply Of coal will not last forever
and IL should be properly conserved.
Thus far the work Of the bureau of
mines has had largely to do with the
operation OF coal mines. 1t is in the
coal mines that the greatest loss Of life
occurs annually. No doubt many lives
could be saved in the coal mines If
proper preca utions were taken and pre-
Ventives used
Is FATAL
IN many Of the coal mine accidents
the loss Of life was due 10 the fact that
the miners, many OF whom were for
eigners not understanding our Ian
guage, had never had any experience in
mining until they came to this country.
The bureau OF mines viii. after ascer-
aiming where improvements can be
made in the operation of mines so as
to better safeguard the lives Of the
miners ana conserve the products of the
mines, make such reports as will aid in
shaping public opinion and in the end
bring about legislation that is now
lacking"