The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-01
MINE OPERATORS
ARE TO COOPERATE:
MINE RESCUE WORK TO BEGIN.
NINE STATIONS TO BE ESTABLISH.
ED, THREE ALREADY LocAT.
Ed, ONE AT HUNTING.
TON THIS STATE.

| WASHINGTON, Aug. lin the
near future Uncle Sam will construct
thre rescue stations for victims OF
niue disasters. They arc to be 10.
lcatcd at Wilkes sBarrcc, Pa, Hunting.
ton, West, Virginia and. Birmingham,
Alabama, all ccnters Of vast mining
districts. This is the first work under.
taken by the new Bureau OF Mines. In
|all nine rescue, stations are to be
presented this year, according to the
present plans OF the Bureau.
The purpose OF the new Bureau is
10 conduct investigations and COOP.
Ieratc with mine operators and miners
70 render mining in this country less
wasteful of; life and resources. 1t will
study the causes of mine accidents
and work to discover better methods
Tor their prevention. 1t will maintain
The rescue stations for aid to the in.
iured and instruct volunteer corps of
miners In rescue work. Information
viii be. supplied mine operators as to
more economical methods and use of
government coal which now costs,
American tax payers S35, 100000 an.
nually.
The federal appropriation for, the
Bureau was half million dollars. If
the new project yields 1t, Is. destined
to become one OF the most important
branches of the Federal Government
or tho demand for 1t even now is ma.
ton wide and no otlier branch OF the
government service save only per.
haps the Agricultural Department
with Its intimate relations with the
farmer, Is SO advantagcously placed
to arouse public notice, and sympathy.
The first great asset of this Bureau
is that 1t deals first hand with the
two most absorbing questions OF in,
tercsts human life and wealth. It is
the hgoVernments foster parent OF an
industry employing over 100000 men
otfwhom over'three per cent are killed
annually. 1t Is guardian to an indus.
try now adding to thcnations wealth,
wherein the yearly waste approx.
'rnthcs $800,9O0,0OO. nearly 81 ,OOO,OOO
for everyeworking day in the year.
j 1t Is "a conservative bureau not only
to conserve resources flor tho future
but to prevent waste: at the present
time--waste of, human life, which is
largely needless as the statistics OF
other countries prove, and waste OF
wealth, which s. properly applied
would ad to the comfort of the miner
as well as 10 the profits of the opera.
tor. ea,t,., ..yg ai,-.
Conditions, obtaining in many mines
In America are admitted to be most
deplorable hut, in many cases the
evils are not entirely prcvcntablc.
The growth of the industry has been
so hpIl having advanced swiftly
until now more than 100000 men are
employed, that now problems were
constantly thrust upon the operators.
In many cases disasters have result
ed from unforeseen situations but In
large mapjority Of cases 1t is believ-
cd that scientific methods could hav
saved heavy loses Of life and pro-
perty. 8 1000.
1t Is estimated that in. the last 90
years mine disasters have cost 10000
lives in America and that they have
left over 1000 widows with an aggre-
gate OF 10000 fatherless children.
America is the only mining country
In the world which did not establish
a Bureau of ines years ago. Experts
believe that this was because the vast
majority OF mine workers in the Unit
cd Staotcs are foreigners ignorant of
the English language and American
customs, spending their days under
ground and seggregatingr in commune
tics made up OF their own compat-
riots.
These foreigners have been known
TO the American public as a vague
mass of workers. possessing to the
ordinary mind no individuality. Be-
cause they have been. unknown to the
public their needs have passed un-
noticed.
Newspaper reports of mine horrors
astound the public and create much