The Calumet news., 1912-09-30
MINES AND MINING STOCKS
MINING IS NOT
so DANGEROUS
Statistics Show II Is the Least
Hazardous In State

The state industrial accident boarC
has completed statistics for the frs
2S days OF it's operation. These fig
ures show the employees injured are
for the most part foreigners. More
single men are injured than married
men. and few aged men are among the
list
Judging from the statistics. mining
is the least dangerous occupation in
the state. while foundry and machine
work are the most dangerous.
A number of emploters are having
their employees sign a waiver when
they enter the employ OF the concern
Such proceeding is not binding. ac-
cording TO the new state law.
There appears to be some confusion
relative TO the wilful neglect of en-
ployes and II is understood that some
| manufacturing concerns seek TO take
care OF that phase of the question
Under the law the industrial accident
board has jurisdiction to define what
e wilful neglect.
we anticipate no trouble from the
manufacturerc. as they seem willing
TO comply with the law" declared
Secretary Drake of the board
Many manufacturers in the state arc
not yet reporting minor accidents az
required by law. but II is the impress
sion Of the board that it is because
they 10 not understand the law The
first report follows:
Three hundred and forty nine in
iuries were reported of which 329
We're males and 10 females tota
Of 125 firms made reports. -Four OF
the accidents reported were fatal 2f
classified as major accidents and 81?
rs minor The amount of weekly com
pensatlon specified amounted to ssS.5T |
and the injured. who were married |
number 1856. while 1913 were single"
Dependents Greatly Benefited.
"Michgans most beneficial singl, |
act" is the term applied to the work. |
mems compensation act now i'm force |
for 2S days
Already its tremendously beneficial |
effects are noticed in comparison be
tween what is now being paid for in
juries or violent death by accident o.
employees and the sums secured by thu /
injured or survivors in courts of law
The industrial court which admin Il
listers this law presided over by Johr \
E Kinnane of Bay City. has in an ex |
haustive investigation, found tina |
corporations. when sued. paid an aver
age of $33S.53 for every fatal accident
to their employees. This small sun /
was obtained usually after long. ex
hausting litigation attended by months
OF suspense and anxiety. often suffer |
of a dead employe receive sum equa 1
to one half of the dead mans wage /
for a period OF 800 weeks.
James Meyers, Grand Trunl |
brakeman, was killed September l. |
in wreck at Birmingham. His wage |
were $50 a week His widow receives
$4,000, or nearly ten times as much as
was paid on the average under the ole |
law. True, $4,000 is small compensa
tion for the death OF husband and |
father. but II relieves 10 times as
much OF tho material needs Of his de
pendents rs would be the case unde |
the old law.
The employer pays for injuries on
scale graded according to the injury |
\ number of employers have combin
ed and organized a mutual insurance
association which divides the heav, |
cost to the corporation among a mum
Der There are other important ef |
have already begun |
to interest themselves in providing |
81 eater safety for employees; railroads |
are educating their men to greatel
care The net result will be fewer ac-
cidents and increased efficiency in ev
cry line OF industrial and commercial
service.