Arizona republican., 1914-12-13
1851 Killed: 1901 900 Hurt


WASHINGTON, D. c.. Dec. 12.-
That peaceful industry has its hor-
rors as we'll as war is shown in the
casualty list of American mines and
quarries for 1913, issued today by the
United States Bureau of Mines. The
number of men injured was not tab
ulated but it is estimated that it
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 consid-
Grafton, this list of death and injury
is excessive and unnecessary. and a
discredit to the industry and the
country.
In Three Years 10000 Killed
Commenting on the deaths in the
mines. Dr. Holmes said: 1--WE 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 1861 men engaged in a peaceful
industry is quite as discreditable.
And when we consider that this re-
cord is being repeated year after
year, the very thought of it becomes
appalling In the last three years.
as far back as the records of the
bureau covering certain branches of
the industry go the mines and quar-
ries of the United States have swal-
lowed up 10.4S7 human lives and have
incapacitated temporarily probably a
quarter of a million men.
Much Of It Unnecessary
And the saddest part of it all is
that a great part of this death roll
and still greater part of the in
juries are not necessary. | believe
am conservative when l say that
half of the 1851 men killed in the
year 1918 might have been saved and
three fourths of the 100000 men in
jured 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 bureau of mines, as represent
ing the federal government, | can
say that. owing to a lack of ade-
quate funds, this bureau has fallen
short of doing its full part in this
great safety movement; and | there
fore hesitate to criticise the seeming
shortcomings Of any other agency.
Death List Smaller in Europe
1T is not to the credit of the Unit
ed States that the very European
countries embroiled in the greatest
conflict of the ages kill in their min
ing industries but one-half or even
! one third of the number of men we
kill | refer to the number killed
for every 1000 employed. which is a
| fair basis for comparison. Accord
| ing to the latest foreign statistics,
| Belgium killed one man in every
| lUUU, TREAT bIlldln anu Oilc
and one-half men, and Germany two
| ond one-half men, as compared with
the American death rate of three
and one-half
with such a grewsome record 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 basis
that will be more favorably compar-
ed with other countries. 1t can be
done; it should be done: and I hope
that the American people will see
| that it is done.
Federal Aid Reduces Rate
Before the federal government be-
gan its attempts to aid in reducing
the mortality of the mines. the dealt
rate was steadily increasing; and al
though every year our coal mine
grow deeper and more hazardous al
with increasing depth the explosiv
gases increase. this increase in ia
talities has fortunately been stoppc,