The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1912-04-27
MlNERS'WELEARE
CAUSE OF TAFT
Bureau Of iaiReS Marks Great
Step Forward
SAVES HUNDREDS OF LIVES,
Disc every Of Danger Of Coal Dust I'm
portant - Handling Of Explosives
Made Safer - Governments Expert
mental Coal Mine.

mental Coal NINE.
The saving of many lives annually
the lives of miners throughout the
United States VIII he one of the splen |
did results that will follow the estab-
lishment of the bureau of mines. one
Of the great achievements in the inter
ast OF labor OF the administration of
President Taft
The excessive aud 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 We're Killed in mine
disasters. and practically nothing was
done to check the terrible loss OF life
Spurred on by President Taft. all
act creating the bureau OF mines was
passed by congress and became elfec
tive OH July /. 1910 John A. Holmes
Of the United States geological survey
was appointed IA the first director
Mr. Holmes was reputed and certified
TO be the best trained man for the
place obtainable IN the United States.
The chief experimental station WAS es-
tablished at Pittsburgh. where the in
vestigatio's of the problems Entrusted
to the bureau have been pros uted So
successfully for nearly two ye y.
In the year 1907 the most disastrous
Of all years IN the American coal mines
1926 miners lost their lives. This rep
resented 1876 Of men killed for every
1000 employed. In coal mines in Flu
rope less than two miners are killed
out OF every 1000 employed AS a re.
suit Of the work conducted by the bu
reau of mines and the wise use OF al
appropriation of $3.50 $50 made by con
gress. the death rate has been already
reduced TO practically one-halr what y
was in 1907
One of the notable achievements o.
the bureau OF mines was the demon.
stratiou Of the fact that coal dGst II
a bituminOus mine is more dano erols
and deadly than gas. 1t had beel the
belief heretofore that gas o. fire camp
was the greatest menace 10 the ain
ers, and little attention was given 20
the accumulation Of coal dust The
bureau of mines proved to the salts
faction OF the miners "a we'll 80 o.le1a
tors that coal dust would explode and
unlike fire damp. carried 10 wa.*i'1%
with it. The keep'n% of dusty ftlaet
wet, as recommended b. the b&eau
OF mines. was found to reduce i1a
terialiy the chances Of explosion or coal
dust.
The number Of deaths in tie hlineS
has been greatly reduced AS re4ilt
OF the testing Of explosives under the
direction Of the bureau Of mines. n
the year 1865 the coal mines in the emit.
ed States used 100000 pounds oi
short fame explosives. and Mt rta ell
nearly seven times that quantity i be
ing used with greater safety. cue e
the cooperation Of the coal operators
ard the hu.eGu Of mines
Tile establishment Of an experiment
tai coal mine at Brucetown, Pa.
twelve miles from Pittsburgh. is still
another notable achievement Of eth
bureau of mines II places the Unito'
States IN advance Of ether nations will
respect % This research ana experi
mental wo..i. Il. mines Numerous test
are made ut this experimental miAe
from which many excellent results arr
obtained
Sill another important work Whiel
is conducted under the auspices Of to
bureau Of mines is the rescue OF en-
tombed miners. Since the creation o
the bureau many hundreds Of live
have been SAVED. st The bic Ininln
disaster il Ohio one OF the rescue corp
Of the bureau of mines arrived at tn
scene tbirty-two hours after the disa'
ter. Three men were rescued who Ia
been given UP as dead and allowed
remain in the mine. At another tim
one man was found alive among Il
dead, and today he is the sole snryiy;
of that terrible catastrophe due to IL
splendid work of the rescue corps.
Before the bureau of mines W.
made possible by the interest OF Fle
ident TAFT. which was followed BY Il
necessary legislation for It's estab.is
ment. there was no organized euort
saving the lives of entombed miner
Time and again men have sacflrc'
their lives In vain attempts to resc'
their companions This unnecesso
sacrifice Of life has been stopped
the cooperation of the state autho
ties With the federal rescuers attach
10 the bureau OF mines An invest9
ton Of the fuel resources Of the I'm
cd States Is also being made with
view OF checking the waste and
creasing the efficiency with which II
is used This latter phase OF the wo
Is n psr, Of the practical conservati
policy of the Taft administration.
Or. Wiley Supports Taft
DR. Enryay X Wiley who fecen