Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-12-03
$500 MEN KILLED
IN MINES IN YEAR,;
10 10000 IN u ne D

Washington, Dec. THAT peaceful In
dustry has its horrors rs we'll as war s
shown in the casualty list of American
mines and quarries for 1913, issued to-daY
by the United states bureau of mines
This list gives sol men killed in the year
The number of men injured was not tabu-
lated but it is estimated that it reached
10000.
Altogether in the coal mines, meta!
mines and quarrics 1,N7,00l0 men We're
employed, and the death rate for each
l,0V0 men engaged was $40, or nearly
three and one-half men.
DIR. Joseph y. Holmes. director of the
bureau of mines. comes forward with tine
statement that, taking the hazards of the
industry into consideration. this list Of
death and injury is excessive and unnec-
essary, and dscredit to the industry
uuG 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 terrible war that Is
raging. and We pride ourselves on our
freedom from war through the adaptation
of higher ideals and standards Yet to
mo this report of the deaths in one year
of 1851 men engaged in a peaceful in
dustry is quite discreditable. And when
We consider that this record is being re-
peated year after year, the very thought
of II becomes appalling. In the last three
years. az far back as the records of the
bureau covering certain branches of the
industry go the mines and quarries of
ha witt bo,
lo,4S7 human lives and have incapa cita ted
temporarily probably a quarter Of mil
lion men And the saddest part Of it all
is that a great part Of this death roll
and still greater part of the injuries
are not necessary. ! believe I am CON
serVativc when | say that half Of the
3,Gl men killed in the year 1919 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 ono Of these agen-
cies has done It's full duty. For the hu-
reau Of mines as representing the fed
eral government, | can say that, owing
to n lack of adequate funds, this hu-
reau has fallen short of doing it's full
part I'm this great safety movement; and
therefore hesitate to criticize the SEEM
ing shortcomings of any other agency,
THE FOREIGN RECORD
1T Is not to the credit of the United
States that the very European countries
emhroiled In the greatest conflict Of the
ages Kill in their mining Industries hut
one-half or even onc-third Of the num-
Der of men we kill. ! refer to the mum
Der killed for every 1000 employed, which
is a fair basis for comparison Accord
ng to the latest foreign statistics, Bel
GUM killed one man in every 900; 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 n grewsume record as has
the United States in its mining industry,
It Is high time something more drastic
Is done TO bring this excessive loss OF
life down 10 a basis that will be more
favorably comparable to other countries II
can be done; II should - done; and !
hope that the American people will see
that It is done
Before the federal government began
its attempts to aid in reducing the NOR
talty of the mines the death rate was
steadily Increasing; and although every
year our coal mines grow deeper and
more hazardous, as with increasing depth
the explosive gases increase this Increase
In fatalities has fortunately been stopped
and the rate is now being slightly re-
duced. But this Is only a beginning OF
what | hope will soon be much greater
Improvement. What we really aim to do
Is to aid In saving the lives of at least
two men in every l,0O0, of the three and
one-half men per 600 now killed In our
mining operations. In an Industrial army
of over million men working under
ground, that will mean a yearly saving
of more than 1900 lives; and in the COM
bined mining and mineral industries en-
ploying two and one-thlrd million men,
aope We can aid In preventing 10000 to 49,
"c accidents each year
1T must not he forgotten that mining
- --' -A"fau- will IN . haaardaIs indus