The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-03-27
Continued from last weekly
State 0soIogist.

office is abolished in it, present form,
which seems to be growing senti-
ment, it should involve the further ex-
pense to the state Of the creation OF
a state geologist, for which there Is as
rich a field for intelligent activity In
Idaho as any other state In the Union,
and there are very few Of the mineral
bearing states Of America but which,
now enjoy the beneficial advantages
of such department.
Quite an important part Of my mail
is addressed to the state geologist for
information on that line. and corre-
spondents can not understand why a
state Of such an important position in
metal production can not afford de-
partment of this nature. Such de-
partment should be attached to the
state university. where it could be
handled to excellent advantage by
professional men in that line, and
where the moderate appropriation re-
quired will be duplicated for coopera-
tive work by the federal government.
Under the present law the combin-
ed duties of mine inspector and OFF,
cial mineral advertiser for the state
are conflicting. The mine inspector,
who is required to specifically encour-
age mine development, is likely to find
economic conditions in his inspection
work that demand considerable judg-
ment and latitude to operating condi-
lions, on that account, and the duties
of the mine inspector could be more
efficiently and unbiasedly executed
with the entire elimination OF this ad-
vertising duty.
Mine Inspection Results.
During my IA years of service the
Office has afforded absolutely no per-
quisites beyond the small salary pro-
vided, but has involved lot of hard
work and worry. 1t has been my en-
deavor to cover the field as fully as
the limited means provided would per-
NIT and to administer the law more
in its spirit than its letter with de-
? cided leniency towards small opera
tors, leasors and prospectors, without
whose persistent endeavor and en-
couragement the payrolls would soon
diminish and the few proftagle min
ing enterprises would become exhaust
ed.
Mining Is essentially a hazardous
business on both its labor and invest
ment sides and no amount OF mine in
spection can eliminate its natural haz-
ards. The only safe mine Is bonanza
prospect that has just been discovered
and the first ground broken with
prospect pick. After the first collar
set is put in on underground work the
hazards of the business are establish
ed and naturally expands with the
progress of development. Prior to the
creation Of the compensation COM
mission, accident and employment
statistics were difficult to get and the
new commission with its retinue OF
clerks is finding that feature OF Its
work problem of no mean import
ance.
1t has always been my endeavor to
record all the fatalities, and while
some omissions may have been made
in this connection they have been
rare. During my period of service,
including close contact with the work
in 1909 and 1910, the big center OF
mine activity has continued to be In
the Occur d'Alene district, which en-
braces some of the deepest and most
extensive mine operations In America,
and I am gratified to state that DUR
ing my long term Of service to that
district, and the balance OF the state
there has never occurred what might
be termed a mine disaster. While any
fatality is disastrous enough, no great
group fatality has happened. involving
more than three men, eliminating
snowslides and forest fires, at mining
camps, surface acts Of nature for which
mine operations were not directly re-
sponsible and the ratio of victims 70
the number of men employed In the
business around three per thousand
think will average about as low az
that of most other metal mining states
in the Union for like period.
Remark able Accident Record.
In all my service in the office have
never received a single regular COM
plaint from the workers. who probably
average as high in character and apii'
ity as the metal mine workers OF an!
state. In considering the relative I'M
munity from fatal accidents in tn
Occur d'Alene district, which has IN
volved labor employment rangini
around a million and a half shirt
worked a year during this long per
iod. there has never been disastrou
shaft accident, or any shaft acciden
in which more than one man me
death at the time. There has neve
been a magazine explosion, eithe
surface or underground. -Four min
fires have been recorded in the period
in each case confined to underground
stations and Of limited extent. involv
ing only two single fatalities. an
considering the enormous amount
powder annually used In breakin
from two to four million tons OF har
ground a year, the accidents due
h net