The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-12-16
KILL 10000 MINERS IN
LAST THIRTY YEARS
Continued from Pare 1,

the deaths of the miners:
Thirty thousand children left faith
erless!
This terrible record represents not
only the accidents in the coal mines,
but also in the metal mines.
It is the story of the tragedy, of the
mines of the United States in those
ten years had had the same standards
of safety as in the European coun-
tries; If the United States had killed
two in every 1000 employed, instead
of three, four, or five:
Fifteen thousand of the 80, 900 Am
erican miners killed might have been
living today. ~.
Slaughter Was Preventable.
Forty thousand out of the $4,000
injured might have escaped injury.
Five thousand five hundred wild
oWs might not have been widows.
Fifteen thousand orphan children
might still have fathers.
This is the whole grim tragedy of
the mines epitomized. It is one of the
most serious problems of the coun-
try, and the one that brought the
Federated Bureau of Mines into be-
Ing. 1t is the great problem that the
Bureau. of Mines, under, the leader
ship Of DR.. Joseph A. Holmes, its
director, is attempting to solve.
While the experts of the Bureau
Of Mines concede that carelessness is
a factor in such accidents, they de-
clare that it is not nearly as import
ant as asserted. They rather be-
lieve, and they say that their investi-
cations have borne thissout, that the
United States is still a new country
In the mining business, and that It
has not yet learned some of the fun
damental safeguards that have come
to older countries through bitter ex-
perience.
Coal Dust Menace.
The experts cite the fact that be-
fore they began their Investigations
very few coal operators or miners be-
Eeved that coat dust in a mine could
explode without the presence of gas.
The Bureau of Mines has demon
strated beyond a doubt that bitumin-
Gus coal dust alone is more of q men,
ace to the miner than firedamp. Coal
dust has been the cause of big ma
jority of the mysterious explosions in
coal mines within the last few years
and has caused great loss of life.
In the Tennessee disaster of last
week there seems to have been one
safety device which appears to have
been neglected in this as in practical
~ all coal mines in which such disa St
ers have occurred, and that is the lack
Of proper means of escape from the
underground tunnels and workings.
The telegraph reports state that
some of the workings are two miles
from the mouth of the shaft and min
ers. If caught by cavein at that dis
lance, could not be reached for weeks.
1t would seem to the layman that
some law or regulation should be
adopted ma king g. condition Of this
kind impossible.
Escape Is Impossible. 49,.
When workings extend any consid-
cradle distance from the mouth of the
shaft, it appears that common regard
for the safety of the men working in
the mines should compel the establish
ment of additional avenues of escape
from dangers underground.
It should be impossible to endanger
the lives of mine workers by afford
lEg but one avenue of escape for them.
The likelihood of explosions, cave
ms and other accidents near the en-
trance to a mine should furnish all
the incentive necessary for providing
additional exits, and it is not too
much to demand that every precau-
ton possible be adopted, regardless
CT the expense entailed, for the pre-
vention of such disasters as that which
placed Grape on the doors of most OF
the homes in the Coal Creek mining
district. .sss ~, l.g..