Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-05-12
MINE L|FE-SAVER
HAS HEOR|C WORK
MOST HAXNRDOuS OCCUPATION
KNOWN TO MANKIND IS RES
CUING FROM EARTH.
Diving NOT As DANGEROUS
Mortality is 80 10 Each 1000; How
Men Willingly Give Up Lives
That Others May BE Saved.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., May IL
The most hazardous occupation known
TO man Is that Of life-saver in the SER
vice of the United States bureau of
mines. 1t is popularity supposed that
deep sea diving has the highest NOR
tality rate among all the dangerous
callings, but II is not to be compared
with rescue work. In the first year
of this service, two out of the twenty
four experienced miners employed by
the bureau in this desperate work,
have given their lives while attempt
ing to save others Seven others have
fallen unconscious in the poisonous
yapors of the mines and have been res
cued only after the most heroic ef-
fc rts of their comrades, and then re-
suscitated by the use of the modern
oxygen apparatus in the skillful hands
cf the employees of the bureau.
Statisticians have a cold, calculating
method of finding out the compare
tive risk of the different Industries
and they usually figure on the number
of men killed per 1000 employed In
a years time on this basis. the NOR
tality rate among bureau OF mines res
Cuers is eighty in 1000 men-the
highest death rate known to any oc-
cupation. With such a fearful record
before them, 1t might be thought that
miners would hesitate about engaging
in such business but this Is not the
case. Miners are as brave Il BODY o.
men as can be found In any industry.
and those who have been trained in
rescue work by the bureau of mines
and have sought employment as life
savers, are imbued with the spirit that
they are engaged in a great work,
which promises within a few years to
materially reduce the disgraceful
death rate in American mines.
That the llfe-savers have made
good beginning is shown In the rec
crds of the bureau of mines In the
period of one year. forty entombed
miners have been rescued directly
through the efforts of the bureau :
men, and perhaps as many more by
/ lrdvidual miners who were trained In
rescue work by the bureau OF mines.
/ Best of all, the federal rescuers have
stopped the death roll among volun-
tcer life savers mt disasters. In the
past, 1t is said that a rescuer has given
uu his life for every man saved. Forty
Iescuers were killed at Hanna, Wyo.,
two years ago trying to save fourteen
hA ~ a
fire in Illinois. twelve volunteers who
went into the mine were brought up
on the cage lifeless.
Since the bureau of mines took UP
this great work. but one volunteer
rescuer In the last eight or ten disas-
t,rs has lost his life. and this was a
hero in Colorado who loaned his hel
met to a dying miner. The latter was
saved. but the rescuer was found dead
where he had given up his helmet.
In the accomplishment Of this, as
said before. the bureau OF mines has
| had two martyrs--Joseph Evans, of
/ Wilkesbarre, Pa. at the Pancoast coll
/ l,ery fire. Throop, Pa. April Z, 1911.
and John Ferrell, Ellsworth Pa, at a
fire in the Cherry Valley mine. Wash
ington county. Pa, January 10, 1912 !.
Evans. who had been an experienced
miner and mine forman for years, had
been trained by the bureau Of mines
and had charge of the min rescue car
! that responded to the call for aid. He
| lost his life while pressing forward in
/ the suffocating gas to locate entomhed
miners and bring them to a place of
safety. All indications show that Ev-
ans died from over -exertion In his he
roic efforts to save the lives Of men,
some of whom he had know person
ally, having worked "a a miner In
that section OF the coal fields.
Ferrell was exploring a burning
mine with the idea OF determining
whether 1t would be safe for the min.
ers to enter. when ne met death. He
had gone into the mine with another
. a. k..s. .