The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-06-08
MINERS WELFARE
CAUSE OF TAFT
Bureau Of Mines Marks Great
Step Forward.
SAVES HUNDREDS OF LIVES.

discovery OF Danger OF Coal Dust Inn
portant - Handling OF Explosive,
Made Safer - Governments Expert.
. mental Coal Mine.
The saving OF many lives annually-
the lives OF miners throughout the
United States-wll be one OF the splen
ala results that VIII follow the estab.
iishment OF the bureau OF mines. one
OF the great achievements In the inter.
est OF labor OF the administration OF
President Taft.
The excessive and unnecessary loss
or life IN the mines OF this country
was one OF the primary causes for he
creation OF this bureau. For years
hundreds OF miners were killed in mine
disasters. and practically nothing was
done to check the terrible loss or life.
Spurred on by President Taft. an
act creating the bureau OF mines was
passed by congress aud became effec.
i've on Jelly !. 1910 John A. Holmes
or the United States geological survey
was appointed as the first director.
MT Holmes was reputed and certified
10 he the best trained man for the
place obtalnable In the United States
The chief experimental station was 60 |
tabllshed Mt Pittsburgh where the In |
Vestgations OF the problems intrusted |
TO the bureau have been prosecuted so
successfully for nearly two years.
In the year 1907. the most disastrous
or all year In the American coat mines.
5'l2o miners lost their lives. This rem
resented SO or men killed for every
LOCO employed. In coal mines In En.
rope less Than two miners are killed
out or every 1000 employed. Az re-
suit or the work conducted by the bu.
reau OF mines and the wise use OF an
appropriation of $4,000 made by con.
gress, the death rate has been already
reduced TO practically one.half what II
was 10 1907.
one or the notable achievements OF
the bureau OF mines was the demon.
stration OF the fact that coat dust I'm
q Dltuminous mine Is more Dangerous
aud deadly than gas IL had been the
Deiier heretofore that gas or fire damp I
was the greatest menace 20 the min. /
RS ana little attention was given 70 Z
ne accumulation or coal dust. The \
bureau or mines proved TO the salts I
action OF the miners as well as opara. '
ors that coal dust would explode and. s
mike IRE damp. carried no warning n
With It. The keeping or dnstv mines ii
ret. as recommended by the bureon n
I mines, was found 10 reduce ma. Ii
erlaily the chances OF explosion OF coal
ust. !,
The number OF deaths In the mines c,
rs been greatly reduced as result n
the testing or explosives under the 81
ERECTION OF the bureau OF mines In nj
le year 1903 the coal mines in the Unit.
! States used 100000 pounds Of as
lort fame explosives. and at present 9,
early seven times that quantity is be-
= used with greater safety. due 10
le cooperation Of the coal operators
ld the bureau OF mines. i,
The establishment Of an experiment -
conl mine at Brucetown. PA !,
relye miles from Pittsburgh. 4 SIN w
lother rstable achievement of the =.
lreau OF uines. IL places the United an
ates 10 advance OF other nations with yo
spect 10 this research and expert ~,
entail work IN mines. Numerous tests :
made az this experimental mine. az,
I'm which many excellent results are no
tanned
Still another important work which M
conducted under the auspices OF the ia
reau OF mines Is the rescue OF en-. 49,.
nbed miners. Since the creation OF "a,
bureau many hundreds or lives loo
We been saved AZ the big mining
aster In Ohio one OF the rescue corps -.
the bureau OF mines arrived M the sho
ne thlrty-two hours after the disas. no,
Three men were rescued who had ,,t
N given up as dead and allowed 70
lain In the mine. At another time
man was found alive among 100 r
a. and today he is the sole survivor ar
that terrible catastrophe due TO the !
endid work OF the rescue corps.
efore the bureau OF mines was
lie possible by the interest OF Pres
az Taft. which was followed by the 49,
essary legislation for It's establish. go
II. there was no organized effort In -. -,
Ing the lives OF entombed miners W.
u ond aoat, ,na,, 49,. ,..a.,a..,, aud
r lives In vain attempts 90 rescue -.
r companions This unnecessary Wv.
lice ~ life has been stopped by WI
cooperation or the state authori. ~,
with the federal rescuers attached nisn
he bureau of mines An nvestiga. NJ y
OF the fuel resources OF the Unit "
states y also being made with a ~
sine rho oac,e,cy r1,h 49,, 90, OF 81
'ed. This latter phase OF the work s'"
part OF the practical conservation =
" OF the Taft administration. r..
Or Wiley Supports Taft. 80