The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-12-29
TWO STATES REDUCE
DEATHS IN MINES
Michigan and Minnesota Are Commend
ed by the Federal Bureau OF
of Mines.

Washington, d. c., Dec. 29.-In re-
view of the work accomplished in the
campaign TO reduce the number of deaths
in the mines Of the United States, the
federal bureau of mines to-day placed
the states of Michigan and Minnesota IN
the honorable mention column.
The report, which deals with fatalities
in the metal mines of the country for
1912, shows that Michigan has reduced
It's total of deaths in the copper and
iron mines from 1874 in 1911 to % IN
1912; that Minnesota has reduced its
total deaths in iron mines from rs to 80
in the same period. The death arte for
every 1000 men employed in Michigan
was 4.24 in 1911 and 1926 in 1912; and
in Minnesota 4.59 in 1911 and 3.02 in
1912.
The 3s less lives lost in Michigan
represent one miner saved for every
900 employed and the 20 less lives lost
in Minnesota represent one and one
half miners saved for every 1000 at
work.
"The decreases in Michigan and Min
nesota in years time are the most
remarkable we have encountered so far,"
said DR.. Joseph A. Holmes, the director
of the bureau to-day, "and were largely
due to an active safety campaign during
the last three years. II is indeed graft
flying to note that the Lake Superior
mine operators are meeting with such
marked success within so short a time.
1t shows what may be done in other
states if special efforts are made to safe
guard all engaged in the mining indus
try.
81 do not wish to be understood as
agreeing that the death rates in Mich
igan and Minnesota are as low as they
should be or as low as they will event
ually become, but / do say that those
two states in the year have made more
real progress toward the desired goal
than others in the Union, either in met
al mining or coal mining, and that much
credit is due the mine owners in these
states for their activities in behalf OF
safety.
"From the very first, the bureau of
mines has noted the friendly co-opera-
tive spirit between the operators, the
miners. the state inspectors and the bu-
reau of mines. The aggressive, progress
sive spirit manifested by all persons con-
cerned. the desire upon the part of the
operators and the men to learn about
the work of the bureau along safety
lines, the enthusiastic, kindly greeting
of the men of our rescue cars, the Gag
erness of the miners to take the pre-
scribed rescue and first-aid training, all
those were sufficiently noticeable to bring
warm comments from the employees of
the bureau. And the result has been
so fruitful in so many less funerals,
so many less widows made and so many
children who have their fathers left to
them. If there We're lesson to the en-
tire mining industry for the year just
closing, / would point to the remark
able record made by Michigan and Min
nesota."
The bureaus report on metal-mine ac-
cidents in the United States in 1912,
shows 66I men killed, 4,502 seriously in
jured and 26,232 men slightly injured
out of total number of l69,l99 men
employed. The figures show decrease
of "a deaths from 1911, despite the fact
that Alaska with 81 fatalities is includ-
ed for the first time in the 1912 report.
The death rate for 1912 was 3.9l for
every 1000 employed, as against 4.l9
in the year 1911,
The report on metal-mine accidents
completes the mortality statistics for
the mining industry for the year 1912
and shows in coal mining, metal mining
and quarrying, a total of 1924 deaths
for the yeaF. with a death rate of 1922
as against 3,602 in 1911 and rate of
3.5S in every 900 employed.