The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-15
GREAT TOLL TAKEN
BY MINING INDUSTRY

mentioned by DIR. Holmes This extrava-
eance OF natural resources. he asserts. should
be checked
Pioneer educational work. temporary IN
character" is the way in which the director
refers TO the mine rescue and frst aid work
among the more than 20 900 miners In the 1900
mines OF the country. Ultimately this must
be taken care of. he says. by the coal mining
companies through the training and organi-
zatfon of miners at each OF the larger mines
or groups of mines He states that already
a number of companies MAINTAIN rescue sta
tions at their own expense The chief puf-
pose Of the bureau of mines IS TO tram Ininers
in frst-aid mine-rescue and fire-dghfing meth
DDS and be adds that during the year more
than 5000 miners have attended the lectures
and demonstrations given from the mine
safety cars; more than 900 additional miners
received training sufficient to enable them 70
participate in actual mine-rescue WORK. ana
more than twice that Number nave oeen
added to the list OF miners trained IN nrsS-aio
practice
Health conditions in and about mines
should be Investigated. in the opinion OF D..
Holmes Preliminary inquiries. he says nave
Indicated the prevalence OF Tuberculosis anu
the presence of hookworm As miners diseases
in several different localities In the Cnitea
States. It is important that this work snouio
be extended rapidly. because OF the fact ina.
the health conditions. as well as the riss OF
accidents. may be Influenced by condiuons
susceptible Of easy improvement
THE large and continuous Influx of for
eigners into the mining regions OF the uni,eo
states may bring to an increasing exten, tne
bookworm and other diseases that exist IN
mines in parts OF certain European countries
Various questions that concern the health OF
workers in mines. quarries and netzhurslc~
INVESTIGATIONS and inquiries that are nation@i
in scope. Among such questions are the
most efficient methods of preventing the as
eases peculiar TO mining and metaiurg1cai IN
dustries. and the most effective sanitary pre-
cautions to be observed il and about mines
and 10 the various metaliurgcsi occupations
Benefits Derived.
Fspeciai attention is called to some OF the
BENEFITS derived. both By the government ana
;ndividuaIs. from the bureaus fuel investigs-
tons A saving of money and the deiiNery
of better grade coal than would have Deen
oonnection' More than 10000 worth Of
coal Is bought annually by the government
under specifications prepared by the Bureau
of Mines. and additional fuel 20 the value OF
a. a. 90 eao IS bought by IL under the general
advice OF the bureau The benefits have been
both general and special. the real saving
being several time as great as the sc.uel
money saved because Oh 'oe secu''"e VI
During the year every mine in the United
states at which an explosion or hre OF any note
occurred was visited by one or rsore engineers
81 the bureau. says Director Holmes. who in
cooperation with or with the approval OF the
state or mine officials. Investigated the cause
~ the disaster and gave such aid ss was pos
s,b,e in preventing further loss OF life and re-
sources. Many other mines were investi-
gated
disastrous explosions have taken place during
The last few year, open lights we're used. be
saws and ~ safety conditions are 20 be i'm.
nrovcd u seems probable that the use OF
,lrrtric lamps VII Be widely extended The
bureau has made tests showing how electric
motors should be incssed 20 render safer Their
operation IN gaseous coal mines IL has
stour that explosive mixtures % mine gases
may be ignited by the breaking OF an electric
light bulb.
To Prevent Explosions
The director dvcIis on the necessity OF
irving 20 prevent explosions rather than
eheck them after they are started. 10 this
ronnerficn he calls attention TO the fact that
tbere has been . revelation In the use OF cx-
nlosives IN coal mining" and the work Of the
bureau in INVESTIGATING explosives has alone
a value far greater than the entire cost Of
r,.Intafulnz the bureau since its establish
ncnf lie says that nov more than - so 90
ooupds a year are being used Of permissible
erolc~ivc~- whereas a few years AFRO practi-
csiiv none vas used. and - 4 OF great TIM
nortance that Investigations should be con-
dartod Nth explosives for usc In The metal
mircs aud qusrries Of the country.