The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-10-30
men i,aye been trained

~
hospital corps. All of these have been trained
by the bureau OF mines
"Hnppily great mine disasters have been be-
coming fewer und fewer the come to bet
ter understanding of the cnuses. Nevertheless they
do happen. and one thing TINT the bureau has
preached Is that upon such visitation there shall
be more orderly and systematic method Of rescue
work. for II has been demonstrated that life can
he snved in devious ways. The bureau has en-
tienvoret to tell the miners that In great cntas
trophe 1t Is often better for entombed miners to
barricade themselves In. keeping the poisonous
gases out of their working place and waiting for
relief. In this manner ~ men entOmbed In a mine
for four days were recently rescued. the men even
being able to walk out Of the mime. .
I'VE nre not content to rest on the progress
made. There now more than u million miners
In the United States and each year more than
5000 are killed In accidents and quarter Of
million injured Taking the cold. business cnlcu-
lntion OF the state compensation commissions and
eliminating the suffering and Of 5000 killed
each year. the economic loss from these fatalities
alone is $12.OOO.OOO year. for these commissions
are paying average OF $4.OUO for every life lost.
This is IA terrible toll for industry to pay ench
yenr. II is hard for realize that out of
every mining camp of loo men. three of them
sure to lose their lives within II months.
Mining will always be extra hazardous
business But the question is. Have we reached
my belief that down the present fatal
ity rates full one-half; that we can save each l6OO
of the 5000 killed
..The causes OF these fatal accidents much
better known. Operators and miners giving
much more thought to the dangers of the mines.
and the wide-awake among them have installed
more modern safety devices. Through the
detrimental mine Of the bureau mining men and
miners both have keener understanding Of the
dangers of coal dust and have learned how to COM
but them.
"In the mining Industry a human life is much
more valuable than ever before. and I believe
that can be said of NIL the Industries This Is seen
in the great advances in safety work, the millions
of dollars spent In safety devices and the humani-
tartan work of the different state compensation
commissions. The day Of the ambulance chaser
and those ghouls that preyed upon the widow be-
set with grief over the loss OF her husband have
happiy passed away. The state now steps In and
sees that the widow and the orphan protected.
and that alone is worth all the ight that have
endeay yored to mike. do not say that the bureau
Of mines is responsible for these state cOmpensa-
lions but l do know that these commissions came
after the mining industry started its great human
saving drive and that the disclosures OF the condi
tious In mining furnished the states with facts
that favored the establishment of these commits
siOns.
.(,ut the mine fatalities in half"
The dedication ceremonies brought to Pitts
hurgh for the three days the most prominent min
ing and metallurgical men of the nation not alone
those interested in the safety-frst movement. but
also those connected with the allied Industries that
.use the products of the Mines
The bureau of mines, In cooperation with the
Pittsburgh chamber of commerce. arranged
e,shorpte program of events calling for the pres
epce Of high government and state government
of1cinis besides the leading men Of mining throuRht
in the country. The first morning the new labora-
tories at 4SOO Forbes street we're dedicated, Dr.
Van H. Manning. director OF the bureau. presiding