Mohave County miner., 1910-08-06
Bureau of Mines.

The act establishing a Bureau of Mines in the Department of the Inter- for, approved May Is, 1910, became ef- fective July l. As originally approved, the law contemplates the transfer of the entire Technologic Branch of the United States Geological Survey, the mine accident investigations, structur- al materials investigations, the entire personnel, property and equipment, to the Bureau of Mines, but the Sundry Civil appropriation act approved June 25, amended the law to such an extent that the structural materials investi- gations, including the personnel and equipment for these investigations went to the Bureau of Standards, De- partment of Commerce and Labor.
 Carrying out the spirit and intent of the law so amended. the Secretary of the Interior has transferred to the Bureau of Mines the investigation of mine accidents and fuels, together with the personnel and equipment of these investigations and has transfer red to the Bureau of Standards the structural materials investigations and the employees of the Technologic Branch of the Survey engaged in these investigations. The fully equipped Testing Station at Pittsburg also goes to the Bureau of Mines.
 The Bureau of Mines therefore in- cludes the mine accidents and fuel in- vestigations for which an appropria- tion of 410,000S was made by Congress. The total appropriations for the Blu reau, including salaries, rent and ex- penses of removal amount to 502, ,200S.
 The work of the Bureau of Mines for the first year will be a continuation and expansion of the work carried on by the Technologic Branch of the Geological Survey. The law in itself provides for variety of other prob lens that properly belong to the bu- reau of Mines and which should event. ually be undertaken, such as methods of mining and metallurgical processes, but these activities will be deferred for the most part until Congress gives additional authorization in the shape of adequate appropriations. The spirit of the debates in Congress both on the Bureau of Mines legislation and on the appropriation items emphasized the desire to regard the mine accidents investigations as urgent and this will be the feature of the work.
 In all, 3IO,O was appropriated for mine accident investigations. Of this sum under the general plans approved by the Secretary of the Interior, 12O,- COOS is to be spent on the rescue sta tions, 36,000S for housing nine stations; 34,0OOS for equipping eight new sta tions: and lO,OOOS for additional equip ment for five existing stations. The allotment for the investigation of ex- plosives is 4O,OOOs; for electricity in mining, l4,00OS; appliances for pre- venting mine accidents, S,v0OS; exami- nation and qualification of mining laws, 5,0O0S; and other technologic investi- gatiOn, ore treatment, etc, l0,000S. For the analyzing and testing of the coals, lignites, ores, and other mineral fuel substances belonging to or for the use of the United States, l0O.00OS was appropriated. Of this amount, 35, ,OOOS will be spent in the chemical and physical investigation of fuels; 25,OOOS in the inspection of government fuel purchase; 22, ,000S in fuel efficiency in- vestigations; 5,OOOS in Ignite and peat investigations; and 4,OOOS in briquet- ting investigations.
 The mine accident investigations, which have been transferred from the Geological Survey to the Bureau of Mines were first authorized in the Leg islative appropriation act of May 2, 1908, carrying for this purpose an ap- propriation of 15O,0OOS This was fol- lowed by similar appropriation car ried in the act for the Sundry civil ex- penses of the government for 19lO A mine experiment station was es- abolished in Pittsburg during 1908, at which, since that time, investigations of explosives, coal, gas, dust, electric ity and other possible causes of mine explosions have been continually under way. The mining engineering field force of the Geological Survey has already made decided progress in the study of un ierground mining condi- tions and methods. Practically all of the coal mines in which mine explos-