The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-01

+ ia77T s-' fSS-Soh AVE use III tLllS cons
abstract sympathy but almost inyari.
ably the personal element Is lacking.
The American who scans n list Of
strange and unfamiliar foreign names
representing the toll OF death In an
underground disaster, Is pcrhans sick.
ened by the borrow OF the slaughter
but seldom feels any personal sense OF
loss or sorrow.
IN recent years, however these dis.
asters having become more fredduent
they have attracted more attention
and last winter several unusual acct.
dents served to arouse public opin.
Ion to n high pitch with the result
That the long sought Bureau of Mines
finally was created by Congress. In
December OF last winter total Of
nearly 500 lives were. sacrificed to the
mining industry In America, the re-
cord for American disasters being es.
tablished by an explosion at Monon,
gah, Marion county; West Virginia,
when 1856 men were killed. y
The first work to be done by the new
Bureau will bel in the line Of prepar.
Ing to give first aid to the injured
through the establishment OF the res
cue stations 81 ~
AT each station the Bureau will
maintain a practical miner, a mine
boss and an engineer or suDerinten.
dent. The station will be supplied with
complete equipment of devices used
in rescue work, such as oxygen hcl
NETS and the paraphernalia necessary
for their operation. ySs.
Quarters will be erected sufficient
to rovidc home for crew Of at
least a dozen men Mt each station.
Volunteers will be invited from all
the neighboring mines and secIal
course of instruction vii be proyid.
cd free TO all who will attend. In this
it Is expected that the mine operators
will cooperate with the Bureau by
assigning men to study the course of
fcred at the stations, Which view to
establishing in every mine large
corps of efficient life.savers.
The Bureau will also endcavor to
have each mine supplied with sutll-
ciEnt safety devices and complete
equipment to be used by the lifc.crows
in case Of accidents.
1t will be the work of the supcrin-
tendent OF each station to keep In
close touch with the mincs in his ter.
ritory and to sec that 4 corps Of men,
thoroughly drilled, is kept constantly
on hand.
1t will be, the duty OF the supcrln-
tcndent of the station to go immcdi-
ately to the scene as soon as he re.
colyes news OF any accident and as
sumo charge, like the chief OF a fire
department. 1t will be his duty to d.
rect all the rescue work and with him
will lie the responsibility for the alp.
plication OF proper methods to fit the
situation.
The expert engineers in the employ
Of the Bureau will visit all the mines
in the country, make careful inspec.
lions and keep the head Office at
Washington advised us to the condi-
tions existing In each. The Bureau
expects to maintain close relations
with all mine operators with view
TO establishing general cooperation
for the mutual benefit Of the mine
workers and the mine owners.
The Bureau however, will have no
police power and 1t will be able to
enforce any regulation or order, only
through the laws of the State In which |
4 mine may be situated. In case the
suggestions for safety appliances
and the general protection OF the min
ers are not accepted by the operators
the Bureau will seek to remedy condi.
lions through publicity and by endeav-
oring to cause the enactment OF eff |
fcctive laws by State legislatures.
The work of the Bureau at Wash
inston will be first directed toward |
tho scientific study OF the causes OF
mine accidents. After each disaster a
thorough examination of the mine
will be made by officials OF the Du-
roau 10 determine the. cause and |
determine the cause and whether 1t |
might have been avoided.
The Bureau hopes to show the pub.
lie why mine disasters occur and to |
point out the facts clearly In any case |
where 1t appears that the lives of men
have been sacrificed to the greed OF
mine operators.
In the statistics for 1906. which is
the latest year for which complete fig
ures are obtainable, the causes of coal
mine accidents are given as follows:
Falling OF roofs and coal killed l.
00S men and injured 1868.
Gas and dust explosions killed 22S
men and injured 3O7.
Powder explosions killed so men
and injured 215.
1t is asserted by Bureau officials