The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-15
MINE RESCUE WORK
NOT BEING NEGLECTED
More Than Forty Lives Have Been Saved
In the Year and a Half Since
the Work Was Inaug-
tlratnd


Washington. d. c., March While
the efforts of the United States bureau
OF mines are being mainly directed to
ward a prevention Of the accidents in
the coal mines that are resulting in such
large death roll each year, the eX-
perts of the bureau are not neglecting
the rescue work which is necessary fol-
lowing a disaster The bureau has seven
mine safety cars and six stations in the
yalious coal Fields with practical miners
trained in rescue work. ready at mo-
ment's notice to respond to the call for
assistance Since the bureau was or
gained, year and half ago, its res
cuers have been instrumental in saving
more than forty lives of miners. Still
more important the bureau has intro
drced III the coal mine a new system
OF rescue work which has at last put
a stop to the killing Of volunteer res
cuers The heroes who died in the past
while endeagOring to save the lives Of
eltombed miners number in the hun.
dreds.
As every great movement has its mar
tyTs. the bureau of mines resGIes work
seems to be no exception. Two trained
rcscuers have already given up their
I've in this cause, and at the Pancoast
disaster, Throop, Pa, one year ago, and
the other at Cherry Valley, Pa, a few
weeks ago.
At the most recent mine disaster, at
Briceyille. Tenn "a few weeks ago, the
bureaus rescuers brought five men to
the surface alive and succeeded i'll pre-
venting the death of any OF the vol
unteer reseuers. In discussing rescue
work of the bureau, DIR. Joseph A,
Holmes, the director, said to-day, II
am glad that not a man was lost in the
rescue work at Brieeville. And ! may
add that ! have never anywhere seen a
more orderly and well directed res
cue work than at Briceville; nor bet
ter class Of miners The equipment of
the bureau mines and the number of
mer trained in the use of the helmet
wa entirely inadequate, and as re-
suit the progress was unfortunately
slow But few lives were saved none
OF the rescuers were lost The expert
enee gained will be most helpful in flu
ture.
AT the Hanna mine in Wyoming a
few years ago, some forty reseuers
rushed into mine in the hope of res
cuing fifteen or sixteen miners who had
been caught in an explosion, and all of
the forty rescuers were killed. 1t is to
be hoped that such an experience will
never be repeated in the history of Amer
lean rescue work. American miners OF
tc dav are Just as brave as those in
any other country. or those Of any other |
time. but they are learning bv expert |
ance that there is nothing to be gained |
ly rashness in mine rescue work
"Under the new system now being in |
PRODUCED men wearing different types OF
breathing apparatus are expected to g.
nto the mine in advance TO investigate
he condition of the mine ADOPT the +
necessary steps toward ventilation. and /
ind and extinguish smoldering mine /
Tres; also find and rescue any persons 1
Who may still be living in the remoter
portions of the mine. This modern type
# rescue work is new; it is still inn
perfect and open to Improvement II
arouses criticism on the part
# those who watch but do not take
art in its progress; and under such
this Is not be wondered
t. The special breathing apparatus
# to-day is heavy and cumbersome and
lie oxygen supply that it carries does
ot last as long as II should Never
heless, progress is being made and the
esults of each years experience will
rove more and more satisfactory and
ncouraging.
Recent experience in this new type
{ mine rescue work at Briceville and
Their mine disasters has taught some
Important lessons One Of these j. that
here should be at every mine or every
roup of mines a number Of young men
aimed in the use Of modern breathing
nd rescue equipment. who are familiar
nth the mines In that particular dis
rict also that the men who are trained
4 this work should be actual miners.
len thoroughly acquainted with the !
inning conditions These men should
> sound in health and they should be I
len who are not easily excited, but I