The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-01-15

w me HuCH ICIudlllS lC bt iOHt
including a broad eX/nsion of tn
investigation of accident and rescu
J work so that it will include meta
and other mineral mines as Well a
coal mines. DR.. Holmes shows tha
C.93 men killed ;or every 1000, ~
tons of coal mined in 1907, thi
number decreased steadily to COS il
1907 to l75 the next year, 5.66 Il
1910 and 5.4S in the calendar yea
1911. The figures for the year jus
closed, it is estimated, will shCy
further decrease in the death rate.
The death rate in the metal mines
Of the country is nearly as high, h'
declares, as in the coal fields, aver
aging more than three men per thou
sand employed; the death rate il
the quarries is larger than it shoulG
be averaging far more than that il
foreign quarries; and the same il
true in metallurgical plants. I!r
recommends, therefore, that the bu
reau be given money to carry its
mine accident investigation into these
other fields in larger measure than
the limited appropriations so far
granted have allowed
Tba annual Iocc in In
ing and preparing coal for market.
the huge waste of natural gas, as
well as lack of efficiency and waste
in the metal mining Industries are
mentioned by DR.. Holmes. This eX-
travagance of natural resources, he
asserts, should be checked.
Pioneer educational work, tempo.
rary in character" is the way in
which the director refers to the mine
rescue and first aid work among
the more than 100000 miners in the
$4,000 mines of the country. Ulti-
mately this must be taken care of,
he says, by the coal mining com
ranies through the training and or
sanization of miners at each of the
larger mines or groups of mines. He
states that already ulmber of cont
ranies maintain rescue stations at
their own expense. The chief pur-
pose Of The bureau Of mines is to
train miners in first-aid mine res
cue and fire-fighting methods; and
he adds that during the year more
than 10000 miners have attended the
lectures and demonstrations given
from the mine safety cars; more
than 1000 additional miners received
sufficient to enable them to
in actual mine-rescue
work, and more than twice that
have been added to the list
of miners trained in first aid prac
tice."
Health conditions in and about the
mines should be investigated, in the
opinion of DR.. Holmes. Preliminary
he says, have indicated
the prevalence OF tuberculosis and
the presence of hockWorn as min
ers' diseases in several different To-
calities in the United States. 1t isl
important that this work should be
extended rapidly, because of the fact
that the health conditions, as well
as the risk of accidents may be in.
Iluenced by conditions susceptible OIL
easy Improvement.
THE large and continuous influx
IF foreigners into the mining re-
-ions of the United States may bring
% an increasing extent the hoolt
worm and other diseases that exist
n mines in parts Of certain Euro
>ean countries. Various questions
hat concern the health of workers
n mines, quarries and matalluraicai !
'lants cannot be answered finally |
Without Investigations and inquiries |
hat are national in scope. Among
uch questions are the most eff
lent methods of preventing the dis
'ases peculiar to mining and metal
urgical industries, and the most eff
ective sanitary precautions to be OBJ
'erved in and ABOUT mines and in |
he various metallurgical occupa- |
ions"
Especial attention is called to some !
# the benefits derived, both by the
government and individuals, from the
fuel Investigations. A sav-
ng of money and the delivery of
etter grade coal than would have
een obtained otherwise, are men
ioned in this connection. More thar
100000 worth OF coal is bought
by the government under
peclfications prepared by the bureau