United labor bulletin., 1913-03-06

| DR.. Joseph A. Holiness director of the
United States bureau of mines, in his an
nual report to Secretary Fisher, attrib-
utes the decrease in The mortality to the
federal governments work in the mining
fields and points out how the enormous
death list may be still further reduced.
While much remains to be done, in
Guiding a broad extension of the investi-
cation of accident and rescue work so
that it will include metal and other min
eral mines as well as coal mines. Dr.
Holmes shows that whereas there was
an average of G.9s men killed for every
| 100000 tons of coal mined in 1907, this
number decreased steadily to sos in
| 1908, to So the next year, 5.66 in 1910
and 54S in. the calendar year 1911. The
| figures for the year just closed, it is
estimated will show further decrease in
| the death rate.
The death rate in the metal mines of
the country is nearly as high, he de-
clares, as in the coal fields, averaging
more than three men per thousand en-
ployed: the death rate in the quarries
| is larger than it should be, averaging far
more than that in foreign quarries and
the same is true in metallurgical plants
! He recommends. therefore. that the bu-
reau be given money TO carry its mine
/ accident Investigation into these other
| fields i'm larger measure than the limited
appropriations so far granted have al
/ lowed
The enormous annual loss in mining
and preparing coal Tor 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.
The extravaganza of natural resources,
he asserts, should be checked.
Health conditions in and about mines
should be investigated, in the opinion OF
DR.. Holmes. Preliminary inquiries, he
says, have indicated the prevalence of
tuberculosis and the presence OF hook
worm as miners diseases in several dif-
ferent localities in the United States II
is 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 Influenced by
conditions susceptible of easy improve
ment.
THE large and continuous influx OF
foreigners into the mining regions OF the
United States may bring to an increas-
ing extent the hookworm and other dis
| eases that exist in the mines in parts OF
certain European countries. various
questions that concern the healtn OF
workers in mines quarries and metallur-
gcal plants cannot be answered hnally
without investigations and inquiries that
are national in scope Among such ques-
tions are the most efficient methods OF
preventing the diseases peculiar to min
| ing and metallurgical industries, and the
most effective sanitary precautions 10 ne
observed in and about the mines, both
by the government and individuals, from
the bureaus fuel Investigations. saw
ing of money and the delivery OF better
grade of coal than would have been oD-
tanned otherwise, are mentioned In TINS
connection. More than $5,00O,OO0 worth
of coal is bought annually by the govern
ment under specifications prepared by
| the bureau of mines, and additional iuel
| to the value of $3,000,000 is bought by IL
under the general advice OF the bureau:
The benefits have been both general ana
special. the real saving being seVerai
| times as great as the actual money
saved because of the securing of a bet
| ter coal.
In all but two of the mines where
large disastrous explosions nave taken
place during the last few years, open
lights were used, he says, ana II saiety
conditions are to be improved, 1t seems
probable that the use OF eiectrlc lamps
| will be widely extended. The bureau
has made tests showing how electric
motors should be encased to render sa1er
their operation in gasoline coal mines.
1t has shown that explosive mixtures OF
mine gases may be ignited by the break
ing of an electric light bulb.
The director dwells on the necessity
| of trying to prevent explosions ratner
than check them after they are started.
In this connection he calls attention to
the fact that there has been "revoiu-
ton in the use of explosives in coal min
ing" and the work of the bureau in In
vestigating explosives has alone value
far greater than the entire cost OF main
tanning the bureau since Its establish
ment" He says that now more than 49,
100000 year are used of permissible
explosives" whereas few years ago
practically none was used. Much can
still be done in this direction he adds,
"and it is of great Importance that In
vestigations should be conducted with
explosives for use in the metal mines
and quarries OF the country"