The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1912-04-25
MANY MINERS
LIVES SAVED
Bureau of Mines Republican
Measure for Benefit of
Laborers.

the hves of miners throughout th.
united States will he one OF tho sn,an
u'u results that will follow the estab
isnment OF the bureau Of mines on.
u the great achievements In the inter
est OF labor OF the administration
Inc excessive and unnecessary loo,
or life In the mines of this countrv
was one of the primary causes for the
creation OF this bureau. For years
hundreds OF miners were killed in mine
oisa AIRS. and practically nothing was
zone to check the terrible loss OF life.
opurred on by President Taft. m
ACT creating the bureau of mines was
passed by congress and became effec.
i've on July 1. 1910. John A. Holmes
OF the United States geological survey
was appointed as the first director
MI. Holmes was reputed and certified
TO be the best trained man for the
place obtainabls In the United States
Inc chier experimental station was es-
taoiished at Pittsburgh. where the In
Vestigations OF the problems intrusted
20 the bureau have been prosecuted 30
successfully for nearly two years.
In the year 1907. the most disastrous
OF Gil years In the American coal mines
o'lzo miners lost their lives This rep
resented 1856 OF men killed for every
LOO employed. In coal mines IN Eli
rope less than two miners are killed
out or every 1000 employed. AS re.
suit or the work conducted bv the br
reau of mines and the wise use of nm
Appropriation Of $4,000 made by con
gress, the death rate has been already
reduced to practically one half what II
was in 1907.
one OF the notable achievements of
the bureau OF mines was the demon
stratlon Of the fact that coal dust In
q btuminous mine Is more dangerous
and deadly than gas. 1t had been the
belief heretofore that gas or fire damn
was the greatest menace to the min
ers, and little attention was given to
the accumulation Of coal dust. The
bureau of mines proved to the salts
faction of the miners as we'll as opera-
tors that coal dust would explode and.
unlike fire damp, carried no warning
with it. The keeping of dusty mines
wet. as recommended by the bureau
or mines, was found to reduce ma
terlally the chances OF explosion of coal
dust.
The number OF deaths in the mines
has been greatly reduced as a result
Of the testing Of explosives under the
direction of the bureau of mines. In
the year 1908 the coal mines In the Unit
ed States used 100000 pounds OF
short flame explosives. and at present
nearly seven times that quantity is be-
ng used with greater safety, due to
he cooperation of the coal operators
md the bureau of mines.
The establishment of an experiment
al coal mine at Brucetown, Pa,
we've miles from Pittsburgh, is still
mother notable achievement Of the
bureau of mines. 1t places the United
states In advance Of other nations with
aspect to this research and expert
mental work In mines. Numerous tests
re made at this experimental mine,
rom which many excellent results are
btained
Still another important work which
; conducted under the auspices of the
ureau OF mines is the rescue Of en-
ombed miners. Since the creation Of
be bureau many hundreds Of lives
ave been saved At the big mining
isaster In Ohio one of the rescue corps
the bureau of mines arrived at the
Gene thirty-two hours after the disas-
er. Three men were rescued who had
cen given up as dead and allowed to
smain In the mine. at another time
ne man was found alive among $50 |
cad, and today he is the sole survivor
that terrible catastrophe due to the
1lendid work Of the rescue corps.
Before the bureau Of mines was
ade possible by the interest OF Pres.
ent Taft, which was followed by the
legislation for It's esta blish-
ent, there was no organized effort In
wing the lives of entombed miners
lme and again men have sacrificed
elr lives in vain attempts to rescue
eir companions. This unnecessary
critlce Of life has been stopped by
% cooperation of the state authori-
% with the federal rescuers attached
the bureau Of mines. An investiga-
IN Of the fuel resources Of the Unit
States IL also being made with q
ew Of checking the waste and in
easing the efficiency with which fuel
used. This latter phase Of the work
a part Of the practical conservation
licy of the Taft administration.