The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-09-27


the mine at Hanna when the explo-
sion occurred. Forty volunteers went
down to bring them out and second
explosion killed every one in the
mine, including one of the state mine
inspectors and all the superintendent
OF mines from the vicinity. Every man
In authority at that mining camp lost
his life in that second explosion.
At Cherry, it will be remembered
how twelve men went down the shaft
to the rescue of the men entombed
in the burning mine. When the cage
finally came up, the rescuers were
piled up dead on it.
At the Pancost disaster in Pennsyl-
vania, it will be recalled that one of
the Bureau of Mines trained rescuers
lost his life while wearing the oxygen
helmet. AT the time some said that
the helmet had proved failure, but
this was not the truth The rescuer's
death was caused by the zeal in his
efforts to save life. He worked harder
in the helmet than he ought to have
done and he died from over exertion,
just like some athletes have done
when they attempted superhuman
endeavor. The Bureau of Mines res
cuer was practical miner who had
spent years underground and he was
imbued with that heroic spirit that
seems to characterize all men who
share uncommon dangers
Long before the Bureau of Mines
entered the field to encourage the es.
tablishment of rescue and first aid
corps at the mines, the American Red
Cross had been 1T work Several
years ago it established First Aid
department In charge of Major Chas.
Lynch, Medical Corps, u S. Army aud
employed DR.. NJ. ]. Shields, of Scran-
ton, Pa, a pioneer in this work. Doc
tor Shields confined his efforts at
first to the anthracite fields of Penn
sylvania and the result is that that
region is far in advance of any other
mining section of the United States
The volunteers first aid, rescue and
ambulance corps in the anthracite
y.
Contests between the teams are held
every year and the war department
details three distinguished officers to
act as judges. The coal mine opera
tors and the Red Cross award medals
of honor to the members of the win
ming teams.
These teams viii compete at the
National mine safety demonstration
before the president and are now
drilling for the event. The winners
will be given souvenirs offered by
the coal operators and the presenta-
ton will be made by President Taft.
After that there will be parade of
miners which will be reviewed by the
president
The Bureau of Mines, under Her
bert NJ. Wilson, engineer-in-charge of
the Pittsburg Experiment station.
the Pittsburg Coal Operators Associa-
ton and the American Red Cross are
bending every effort to make this
demonstration great success. They
believe that the actual seeing of these
explosions by the miners will give
| then a new sense of responsibility as
| to their dangers and the contests be-
tween the first aid teams will lead to
more enthusiasm and better organiza-
ton along this line The assertion is
made that proper emergency medical
attendance such as first aid is, will
save number of lives that are now
being lost and that many of those
who are injured will not be crippled
for life as formerly. Pennsylvania
alone loses regiment of men a year
in its coal mines and is therefore tax
ing an intense interest in the coming
demonstration.