The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-25

In the year 1907, 3,l25 unfortunates
lost their lives, and the following year
400 were lost In the coal mines OF
the United States alone This terrible
tragedy OF the mines is being enacted
nearly every day. Only short time
ago more than 800 men were roasted
70 death in a coal mine at Cherry,
Ill, and since then zoo more have
been killed in explosions. Seventy
nine were numbered on the death
roll at Primer6. Col. and few days
later IS were killed in Kentucky.
Eleven were hurled into eternity at
Indiana, Pa, and after that an ex-
piosion In d mine in Mexico wiped
out nearly 100 more. These disasters
are coming SO thick and fast that
there does not seem to lie time be-
tween explosions to bury the dead.
Every time the newspapers report one
OF these horrors half million femf-
nine hearts falter for q moment, for
the wife OF the miner has every rea-
son to live in constant apprehension.
To-day, at Cherry, ILL.,. a most grew
some series Of events Is taking place.
One hundred and eighYy bodies are
still in the mtre, wfose smart was
senfed weeks ago In yne nope or
smothering the fire that was raging.
Miners and officials. hoping that the
fire has been eKttHgHished, are pre-
pairing to bring out the bodies. The
few surviving miners. fearful that an
epidemic OF disease will follow the re-
moyal of the corpses. are coolly and
sensibiy demanding that the bodies of
the men In the mine be destroyed by
chemicals. The women, many of them
made widows by their husbands being
lost in this holocaust. are pleading
that the bodies be preserved for bur-
ial- Sentiment means more to them
in their great grief than any dire con-
sequence that may follow. Many OF
them feel that they have already lost
all and that nothing worse can hap
pen. A sad feature of this heart
rending tragedy Is that seventy-four
babies have been born to these women
since that terrible day-seventy-fou
pitiful little orphans, whose helpless
plight calls for the deepest sympathy.
The very suggestion that their faith
ers' lives may have been lost by care
lessness Ia awful- Arrangement
against those who are responsible.
A shot firer in a coal mine. who
WAS getting SO day for his danger
Gus work, made "a demand apea=the
superintendent of the mine for more
money. You're getting more wages
reply of the superintendent. Wages"
exclaimed the shot firer. 'this COM
pany doesn't pay me wages It bets
me So a day that / wont come out
of this mine alive. II / do, the COM
pany gives me So; IL don't. they bury
me- Seven hundred thousand coal
miners and 500, 900 metal miners daily
make a bet with the owners OF the
mines that they witt come out alive
IL they win, they get their wages for
the day; IL they lese. the company
buries them. and that is about all. A
little later the widows may get few
hundred dellars-twenty-five of them
settled the other day at the rate of
$3.50 each.
There Is, however. brighter side
to this dark horror of the mines. The
people are beginning to realize the
situation and to act accordingly. The
investigation stage has passed and
the public is stunned at what IL has
learned. Statistics of naine accidents
in this and foreign countries have
been eagerly scanned for information.
and the results have been in every
instance to the discredit of the United
States. The European figures show
in many countries not more than one
man killed in every 1000 employed
tries less than two. In the United
States in 1897 nearly five men In
every 1000 employed were killed in
the coal mines, and In 1908 the rate
was nearly four.
Some one who delres in figures
makes the statement that IL the Unit
ed States had the record of the best
European countries. such as Belgium,
Is, 600 out OF the 10000 men killed
In the coal mines Of this country in
the last ten years might have been
saved. Further investigation of the
European figures discioses the fact
that years ago these countries had
records as disgraceful as our own.
The reduction in the number OF acct
dents In this NEST hazardous oeenpa-
ton began when these countries took
up a scientific investigation of the
causes OF accidents. The decrease in
the number Of deaths has continued
until to-day in Germany, Great Brit
ain, Belgium and France the coal
mines are killing slightly over one
man in every 1000 employed.
The year 1907 Witnessed four OF the
most shocking mine explosions In the
history of the United States. The
greatest of these was at Monongah.
W. Va. in which 36S men were killed
-
explosion in the Darr mine, in Penn
sylvania, where 100 were killed.
Another at the Naomi mine. I'm Penn
sylyania, killed "a, and still another
at Yolande. Ala, killed 81. After this
the United States government began
series of Investigations into the causes
of disasters In coal mines. The United
states Geological Survey. which was
Entrusted with this work. established
at Pittsburg station patterned after
the best scientific stations In Europe.
II was said before these inyestiga4 |
tons commenced that a miner took
his life in his hands every time he
touched on charge Of powder in
the mines. the various explosives be-
ing SO variable in strength that no |
one knew just what they would do.
The great fear Of the coal miner Is |
what Is known as the ''biown-out''
shot This means shot that. instead |
OF exploding and breaking the coal. |
blows out into the mine. This occurx /
when the powder has not been prop
sriy tamped. or when II Ii not strong /
enough to break the coal. A allow |
out" ehot sends q tongue OF flame /
ieaping through the mine. and II I
there is gas near by or fine coal dust (
floating in the air an explosion fol-
lows that kills or mains every one
near
The officials Of the survey therefore t
to standardixe explosives I
and to test them III the presence OF /
gas or coal dust. The explosives are
being tested In huge steel cylinder,
I ~