The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-02
AS BAD As WAR
Mine Casualties in United
States Reach Startling Figure.
Over 10000 Lives Have Been
Lost in Three Years.

Washington. Dec. 2.-That peaceful
industry has it's horrors as well as war
is shown in the casualty list of Ameri-
can mines and quarries for 1913. issued
today by the United States bureau of
mines. This list gives 1851 men killed
in the year. The number OF men in
jured was not tabulated, but it is esti-
mated that 1t reached 100000.
Altogether in the coal mines, metal
mines and quarries 1,O47. O1O men were
employed. and the death rate for each
1000 men engaged was 3.49. or nearly
three and One-half men.
DR.. Joseph A. Holmes, director Of the
bureau of mines. comes forward with
the statement that. taking the hazards
of the industry into consideration, this
list of death and injury is excessive
and unnecessary. and discredit to the
industry and the country.
Commenting on the deaths in the
mines, DR.. Holmes said: I'VE stand
aghast at the slaughter in Europe as
reports reach us concerning the ter
rfble war that is raging. and we pride
ourselves >on our freedom from war
through the adoption Of higher ideals
and standards. Yet to me this report
on the death in one year Of 1851 men
as discreditable. And when we cOnsid-
er that this record il being repeated
year after year, the very thought of it
becomes appalling.
I'm the last three years, as far back
as the records of the bureau covering
certain branches of the industry go, the
mines and quarries of the United
States have swallowed up 1O,487 human
lives and have incapacitated tenn
porarfly probably quarter of a mill
lion men. And the Saddest part Of it
all is that a great part of this death
roll and a still greater part of the in
Juries are not necessary. believe / am
conservative when I say that half of
the 1851 men killed in the year 1913
might have been saved and three
fourths Of the 100000 men injured in the
same year might have escaped injury
had all the various agencies involved,
the operators. the miners, and the state
and national governments done their
full duty in the matter.
perhaps no one of these agencies
has done its full duty. For the bu-
reau of mines, as representing the fed
eral government, 1 can say that, owing
to a lack of adequate funds, this bureau
has fallen short Of doing it's full part in
this great safety movement: and l
therefore hesitate to criticize the SEEM
ing shortcomings of any other agency.
1T is not to the credit of the United
States that the very European coun-
OF the ages kill in their mining indus
| tries but one-half or even third of
the number Of men we kill. 1 refer
to the number killed for every 1000 en-
ployed, which is a fair basis for COM
parison. According to the latest for
eign statistics, Belgium killed one man
in every 1000; Great Britain and
France one and one-half. men; and
Germany two and one-half men; as
compared with the American death
rate of three and one-half.
with such a grewsome record an
has the United States in its mining in
dustry, it is high time something more
drastic is done to bring this excessive
loss Of life down to a basis that will be
more favorably comparable with other
countries. 1t can be done; it should be
done; and I hope that the American
peOnle will see that it is done,