Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-12-14
MINING LOSS MILLION A DAY
Director Holmes Of Bureau Of Mines
Reports Nation Wasteful
MAKE CAMPAIGN FOR SAFETY
Property Owners ana Government
Now oo-operaainE n an Effort
60 stop Unnecessary Toll
OF Human Lives.

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA national
loss OF not less than q. 10000 q day IL a
reasonable estimate Of the present waste.
in large measure unnecessary. OF the min
eral resources Of the United States, Dr.
rector John A. Holmes OF the bureau OF
mines declares In his annual report made
public today.
at the present increasing rate at which
we are using and wasting II, our one sup
ply OF a number Of these resources will
be either exhausted or largely depleted
while the nation is yet in It's youth" says
Mr.. Holmes
"Of the several lines Of mineral industry
IN which this waste calls for Investigation,
only two--of the most especial urgency
and importance-are included in the ur-
gent needs OF the bureau OF mines
namely, the waste and losses in coal
mining and in petroleum operations. But
the enactment OF pending legislation In
congress providing for the establishment,
mainly IN matchmaking states, Of a num-
Der OF mining experiment stations, will
render possible similar researches look
ing 10 the lessening or preventing OF
waste"
Probably the most notable accomplish
ment OF the bureau OF mines has been the
developing OF the movement for greater
safety and better health conditions in the
mining. metallurglcal and other mineral
industries OF the country and the gaining
! OF the cooperation OF all possible agencies
In behalf OF the movement.
Adopt Cooperative Plan.
In conducting It's campaign for greater
safety and efficiency in the mining indus
tries there has been adopted the follow
ing general plan OF cooperation between
the national government and other large
agencies; u That The national govern
ment conduct the necessary general In
quiries and investigations and dissemn-
ate In such a manner as may prove most
| effective the information obtained and the
! conclusions reached; (2) that each state
enact needed legislation and make ample
provisions for the proper inspection OF
mining operations within its borders; (D
that the mine owners introduce improve
ments with view TO increasing safety
and reducing waste OF resources as rap
idly as the practioabllity Of such improve
ments is demonstrated, and CD that the
miners and mine MANAGERS cooperate
both in making and IN enforcing safety
rules and regulations as rapidly as these
1 eAN HhVWh W w Bh11AAatNiNt AHN oN8NENf
the miners and mine owners, and other
agencies. such as the mining and engin-
eering societies, are now showing a will
ingness TO cooperate with the national
government in this work.
During the year bureau OF mines res
cue crews were responsible for saving the
lives OF seven miners; sixtysthree rescues
were made by miners and others not con-
4 s.stAts L.. eNk. a..l. .
these rescuers. for the most part. was
started by the bureau and continued by
the operators, or, in some cases by the
miners themselves.
Although there was n slight increase in
tho number OF fatalities in coal mines
during tho year owing TO two large dis
Rsters, thosa.-at Dawson. N. NJ. where
26S men were killed. and at Eccies, w,
1 vo.. where lSi were killed. there was q
reduction in the number OF disasters. In
both metal mines and quarries. substan.
tiai reduction in the number OF fatalities
were shown.
Educate Many Miners.
| In the short time this bureaus mine
rescue car and station crews were able
70 conduct active training. 1904 miners
visited the cars and stations. 2s.2s9 at.
i tended lectures and safety demonstra,
tons, 1926 were given mine-resoue and
b,7so fIrst-aid instruction and training
and s,T72 certificates were issued TO thos,
who had completed regular courses Of
training az prescribed by the bureau.
The bureaus investigations relating 4
mineral waste have thus far been con
fined 60 certain general inquiries and {,
specific Investigations dealing with sucl
topics as the waste from smelters an,
other metailurgical plants. the waste Ii
the treatment OF rare minerals ans
metals and the waste in the mining an,
utilization OF coal.
A preliminary inquiry as 70 the coSini
OF coal IN beehive ovens has shown tina
the total value OF the by-products an
nuaily lost In this country through tn
use OF such ovens amounts to s75,0Oo.o0o
Tho annual waste OF metals In bras
furnace practice amounts 10 more thar
tlb0o.0Oo. The bureaus work looking 4
the prevention of waste Of natural gas
by an expenditure Of less than $4,000 dur
ing the last eighteen months. has brough
about a saving OF natural gas worth no
less than 600 a sum many time
greater than the total cost Of all the worl
done by the bureau during the four year
OF it's existence.
, Chemists and engineers OF the bureai
, have demonstrated that a process the
have devised for the extraction Of radiuE
from It's ores can be successfully used o
n large scale and will prove more eff
. Client than that used by foreign producer
: OF radium Through this process II |
possible that the cost OF radium to IN
i, user will be reduced 70 one-third Of IN
present price. The process Il 20 b
patented and dedicated to the public.
A careful preliminary inquiry show
that In mining 6ooOoo.OOO tons Of cos
yearly sOoOoo.ooo tons are wasted or lei
UNDERGROUND IN unminable condition. Q
this waste 9Oo,oOooOo tons is believed I
be preventable.
Director Holmes states that the facil
ties for meeting the demands made o
the bureau. both by the government an
the general public. have from the begir
ming been entirely inadequate. Increase
appropriations Tor the work Of IN
bureau are urged.
sues Firemen'a Brotherhood.
1 SHENANDOAH. Ia, Dec lS-(Special