The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-04-19
MINERS WELFARE
CAUSE OF TAFT
Bureau of Mines Marks Great
Step Forward.
SAVES HUNDREDS OF LIVES
Discovery Of Danger Of Coal Dust I'm
portant-Handllng Of Explosives
Made Safer-Governmen
Experimental Coal

The saving Of many lives annually
the lives of miners throughout the
United States-will be one Of the
splendid results that will follow the
establishment Of the bureau of mines,
one of the great achievements in the
interest of labor by the administration
OF President Taft. The formation of
this bureau is likewise q notable
achievement, and will prove far-reach-
ing in its effects to a class of wage
earners which. has been in great need
OF some practical relief.
The excessive and unnecessary loss
Of life in the mines of this country
was one Of the primary causes for the
creation of this bureau. For years
hundreds of miners were killed in
mine disasters, and practically moth
ing was done to check the terrible loss
of life. There was also need for an in.
Vestigation to determine what could
be done in the way of handling the
high explosives, as well as to improve
the conditions under which the men
worked.
Spurred on by President Taft, an
act creating the bureau of mines was
passed by congress and became effec.
tive on July 1, 1910. John A. Holmes
of the United States geological sud.
vey, was appointed as the first direct.
or. Mr.. Holmes was reputed and Ger.
titled to be the best trained man for
the place obtainable in the United
States. The chief experimental sta.
ton was established in Pittsburg,
where the Investigations of the prob.
lens entrusted to the bureau have
been prosecuted so successfully for
nearly two years.
In the year 1907, the most disastrous
of all years in the American coal
mine, 3,125 miners lost their lives.
This represented 4.S6 men killed
for every 1000 employed. In coal
mines in Europe less than two miners
are killed out Of every 1000 employ.
ed. AS result of the work conducted
by the bureau of mines, and the wise
use OF an appropriation of $4,000
made by congress. the death rate has
already been reduced to practically
one-half Of what it was in 1907.
One Of the notable achievements of
the bureau of mines was the demon.
stration of the fact that coal dust In
bituminous mine is more dangerous
and deadly than gas. 1t has been the
belief, heretofore. that gas or fire
damp was the greatest menace to the
miners, and little attention was given
to the accumulation OF coal dust. The
bureau of mines proved to the salts
faction of the miners as well as opera.
tors that coal dust would explode, and.
unlike fire damp, carried no warning
with 1t. The keeping of dusty mines
wet, as recommended by the bureau Of
mines, was found to reduce materially
the chances Of an explosion of coal
dust.
Good Work Of Bureau.
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 lines in the
United States used two million pounds
OF short flame explosives, and at pres.
emit nearly seven times that quantity
Is being used with greater safety, due
to the. cooperation Of the coal opera.
tors and the bureau Of mines.
The establishment of an expert.
mental coel mine at Brucetown, Pa,
twelve miles from Pittsburg, Is still
another notable achievement of the
bureau of mines. 1t places the United
States in advance of other nations
with respect to this research and ex.
perimental work in mines Numerous
tests are made at this experimental
mine, from which many excellent re-
suits are obtained.
Still another important work which
Is conducted under the auspices of the
bureau Of mines is the rescue of en-.
tombed miners. Since the creation of
the bureau many hundreds Of lives
have been saved. At the big mining
disaster in Ohio one Of the rescue
corps of the bureau Of mines arrived
at the scene thirty-two hours after
the disaster. Three men were res
cued who had been given up al dead
and allowed to remain in the mine.
At another time one man was found
alive among $50 dead. and today he is
the sole survivor Of that terrible ca.
tastrophe-due to the splendid work of
the rescue corps.
Before the bureau of mines was
made possible by the interest Of
President Taft, which was followed
by the necessary legislation for its e.
Establishment, there was no organized
effort In saving the lives of entombed
miners. Time and again, men have
sacrificed their lives in vain attempts
to rescue their companions. This un-
necessary sacrifice Of life has been
stopped by the cooperation of the
state authorities with the federal res
cuess attached to the bureau Of mines.
An investigation Of the fuel resources
Of the United States IL also being
made with a view of checking the
waste. and increasing the efficiency
with which fuel II used. This latter
phase Of the work is a part of the
practical conservation policy Of the
Taft administrators.
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