The Calumet news., 1912-08-30
THE CALUMET NEWS


session OF the institute was held.
President Denton intro luced Dr.
Holmes. director OF the bureau OF
mines. Of the department Of the in
terior, who spoke on the two leading
functions of the bureau. ,he safeguard
ing Of the lives OF miners and the re-
duction Of the wastes Of the mining IN
dustry. This is the first year in which
an appropriation has been made TO ap-
| ply the work of the bureau TO meta
mining. previous attention during the
short time since IL was established
having been confined largely 10 coal
mining. The appropriation for metal
mining is pitifully small. s5O.o0e. but
II serves as the foundation for work
that promises vast possibilities.
Dr. Holmes visit was I'm response to
an invitation of President Denton and
was accepted with the object of bring
ing the activities of the Lake superior
Mining institute into cooperation and
support of the bureaus work. He dweit
upon the breaking down Of barriers
effected by this institute, pointing ont
the change from conditions OF 20 years
ago when one mine scarcely knew
what another was doing.
lie said that following the lines of
technical discussion of the institute,
the bureau of mines wants 10 gather
an the Information possible regardine
conservation Of life and Of resources
in mining and give it out through
channels where IL will do the great
est good. Company secrets are not
wanted and the bureau refuses abso-
lutely to have relations with the
courts. Its officials have been called
upon 10 testify i'm cases of mine acct
dents where bureau Investigations
have been made directly after the cat.
astrophy, but they have steadfastly
refused TO comply and have been sup
ported in this by the attorney general
and the courts themselves.
Fewer Disasters Now.
As a result Of the bureaus work
there has been distinct diminishing
OF disasters. Besides seeking to induce
the homogeneous To introduce every
possible safety precauticn the bureau
stimulates discipline self-rcspect ANA
moral development among the men
with the object of developing greater
caution, and practical instruction is
given in the handling of explosives
and other departments of mining
which become dangerous II carelessly
performed. Mine rescue work is taught
Regarding the conservation of min
eral resources DR.. Holmes pointed
out that iron mining companies are
now laying aside and otherwise pre-
serving ores that at present are too
lean for commercial value, against the
time when these grades of ores will
be needed and used. Exhaustive re-
search has shown that the western
hemisphere has very little real coal
resources either north or south of the
United States. and in time this coun-
try must supply fuel to those coun-
demand this commodity.
If the United States can export coal
to South America In exchange for the
products Of that continent wtich VIC
need, great good will he accomplished.
TO this purpose il behooves our cooi
operators 10 save the 250 10000 tons
Of coal now wasted yearly by bal
mining. a half ton wasted for every
ton extracted. The yearly waste OF
natural gas. one of our most import
ant and readily available fuels, Is
greater than the total yearly consump~
tion OF manufactured gas in all the
plants of the country.
Conservation Of mineral resources
does not mean that We shall stint our
selves. The needs OF the country are
increasing faster than the population.