The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-11-10
RESCUE WORK FOR MINERS.
Methods Adopted by National Cor.
eminent for Quick Relief.

ing service for the rescue Of miners
II time Of disaster Il about 10 DC
lnaugurated b. the United States
Bureau Of Mines Six specially con-
strucied care, fully manned b.
corps OF miners trained in rescue
work and equipped with the latest
rescue apparatus and first aid TO the
injured appliances. viii within feT
days be located in the midst of the
great coal districts in different parts
of the country. These cars will be
ready at a moments notice TO pro-
coed TO the scene OF disaster. where
the rescue corps, in cooperation with
the State mining officials. will do
everything possible 10 have entombed
miners
This Is the first important step
taken by the new Bureau Of Mines in
its efforts to reduce the appalling loss
of life in American coal mines.
During the year, 1909, there were
2,412 miners killed in the coal mines
and 1879 injured. In the coal and
the metal mines it Is estimated that
u
were injured in 1909. For every
1000 men employed, from three to
five men were killed each year in
the mines of the United States. In
foreign countries from one to two
are killed in each 1000 employed.
In those European countries where
the deaths are least per 1000 men
employed, rescue apparatus has been
in use for sometime, and 1t is with
the hope that European conditions
can be approached that the rescue
apparatus is being introduced here.
The saving of human life will be
the emergency feature of a general
campaign of educational work among
the miners, who will not only be
taught the use of the rescue appa-
ratus, but also the proper way to
take care of an injured mnier. There
will also be lectures on many phases
of the mining problem looking to-
ward greater safety. There will be
little excuse for the miner not bene-
fitting himself, for the mine rescue
cars will &C to the miner in his own
town or camp. Each car has been
given a specified territory and it is
expected that every mining commun-
ity of any Importance will be visited.
A mining engineer and surgeon Of
the Aemrican Red Gross will accom-
pany each car and deliver illustrated
lectures on the use of explosives,
IL
sanitation and first aid surgical treat
ment. These lectures will be given
in the cars where a suitable meeting
place can not be procured. The cars
will remain long enough at each
place so that miners may go through
the train and get instruction in res
cue work, which will be in charge
of the foreman of the car, practi-
cal miner Every effort will be made
to encourage the miners to form
rescue corps at the mines where they
are and to have the operators equip
them with rescue apparatus.
The cars will each contain eight
so-called oxygen helmets, a supply of
| oxygen in tanks, one dozen safety
| lamps, one field telephone with 1000
| feet of wire, resuscitating outfits and
a small outfit for use in demOnstra-
ton and actual practice of equipment
relating to aid-to-the-injured in
connection with mine accidents. One
end end of the cars will be fitted up
as an alright room to be used in
training the men in the use of the
so-ca1led 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 i'm
mediately following an explosion
while it is still filled with poisonous
!; gases, and breathe artificially. The
absence of the helmets at great ca
tastrophes in the United States has
, il is believed, resulted in a greater
loss of life than necessary. Ere
J quently miners who have not sui.
} fered physical injury by an explosion
J have been entombed in the mine tt
: the poisonous gases. Had it beer
possible to reach these men within
few hours, their lives might have
been saved. The helmets proved
their worth at the Inflated Cherr,
mine when the rescuers succeeded IL
getting 20 men out alive after the.
had been entombed seven days. In 1
number Of other instances, miners
have been saved from terrible DEATH
by the prompt arrival of the helmet
, ed rescuers.
Car No. 1, which will be in charg
of Charles Enzian, mining engineer
will leave Pittsburg, Pa, the morn
ing Of October 31st, for Monogahel
B City, Pa, where the first demonstra
: ton of rescue apparatus and 1ectur
: will be given. This car will thel
I visit Mariana, Brownsville, Union
town, Connellsville, Scottsdale, Indi
ana, Johnstown, Windber, Soutl
| Eork rreeco-