The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-10
SHOW 1861
!. KILLED IN MINES
DURING YEAR 1918
DIR. Holmes Comments On
High Percentage and
Work for It's
Reduction

Washington December 9.-(Specal)
That peace hath her horrors no less re-
nowned than war was indicated today in
a report from the bureau of mines, show
ing that 1851 men had been killed in 1913
in American mines and quarries and ap-
proximately 10000 had been injured and
either permanently or temporarily inca
FACILITATED. With 1,o47,010 men employed in
the coal mines, metal mines and quarries
of this country the death rate ran to $40
in every thousand of such workers.
According to statistics from abroad the
mine fatalities in Belgium were one in
every 1000 employees; in England and
France, LIB men, and in Germany %
The general average for Europe was far
less than in the United States. Comment
ing ON the deaths in the mines of Amer
lea, DR.. Joseph. A. Holmes. director of the
bureau of mines, says;
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 me this report on
the death in one year of 1851 men en-
gagged in peaceful industry is quite as
discreditable. And when we consider that
this record is being repeated year after
year, the very thought of it becomes ap-
palling
In the last three years. as far back as
the records of the bureau covering GER
tain branches of the industry go, the
mines and quarries of the United states
have swallowed up 10.4S7 human lives and
have incapacitated temporarily probably
100000 men. And the saddest part of it
ali 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 l say that half of the
1861 men killed in the year 1918 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 gov
ernments done their full duty in the mat
ter. Perhaps no one of these agencies
has done its full duty. For the bureau of
mines, as representing the federal gov
eminent, | can say that, owing to lack
of adequate funds, this bureau has fallen
ohoit VI uoiii5 It's luli part III tillS great
safety movement and l therefore hest
tate to criticize the seeming shortcomings
of any other agency.
with such a grewsome re ord as has
the United States In it's mining industry
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 coun-
tries. 1t can be done it should be done;
and 1 hope that the American people
will see that it is done.
Before the federal government began
it's attempts to aid in reducing the NOR
tality 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 reduced. But
this is only a beginning of what | hope
will soon be much greater improve
ment.
What we really aim to do is to aid in
saving the lives of at least two men in
every 1000, of the three and one-half men
per 1900 now killed in our mining opera
lions. In an industrial army of over l.
100000 men working underground, that
will mean yearly saving of more than
1000 lives; and in the combined mining and
mineral industries, employing two and
ofie-thiIu iiiiiion iieii, l. nope we can AID
in preventing 10000 to 10000 accidents each
year.
1T must not be forgotten that mining
is and always will be hazardous indus
try, and that each year it will demand as
its tribute to modern civilization GER
tain death roll. We cannot avoid the
inevitable but we can avoid the unneces-
sary; and that would mean each year
the lives of at least 1000 miners spared
to the nations wage-earners and to their
wives and families, and reduction to
an extent of $4,000 to 40, 900 in nonfataI ac-
cioents in the mining and metallurgical in
dustries of the country. Surely this is
something worth striving for"