The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-07-12
COAL AND METAL MINERS
IN FIRST AID CONTESTS
To Prepare Themselves for the Great
National Contest Which Is to Be
Held at Pittsburg Sept 80
and Oct. 1.

and Oct. 1.
That America can bind her wounds as
skillfully as she can fight will be shown
in the great national first aid and mine
rescue contest to be held under the aus
pieces of the bureau of mines, depart
ment of the interior, at Pittsburg, Pa,
Sept. 80 to Oct. /.
With the event still more than three
months away, it reaches the bureau of
mines that coal and metal miners all
over the country are engaging in first
aid and mine rescue contests to mt them
selves for the national demonstration.
In Is different mining states, local or
state meets have already been held or
will be held in the near future.
1t is estimated that out Of the million
miners in the United States more than
100000 are well trained in emergency
first aid work and have been instrument
tai in saving many lives in and around
mines 1t is said to be a frequent oc.
currence for hospital surgeons upon re-
ceiving an injured miner to declare that
the first aid treatment received in the
mine from the miners had undoubtedly
saved the mans life.
These first aid teams are scattered
throughout the United States where
mines are found, and are the results of
the pioneer work of the bureau OF mines
in maintaining a mine rescue car or sta
tion in each of the mining fields for the
purpose of training these men,
In addition TO this work, the bureaus
experts teach the miners how TO save
life in mines, and especially the use Of
the oxygen mine rescue apparatus that
permits the wearer, after a mine explo-
sion or disaster TO enter the deadly at
mosphere there with comparative safety,
and succor possible living miners. These
mine rescue teams, located at the various
mines, are also to participate in the ma
tional demonstration.
Already state first aid and mine rescue
contests have been held at McAlester,
Okla, and Lexington, Ky. The Colorado
Fuel 4 Iron company will hold such a
contest at Trinidad, Colo, July 4 there
will be state meet at Norton, Va, on
July A. the Alabama Fuel & Iron com
pany will hold similar meet at Bir-
mingham, Ala, on July 4 and there will
be meet of the Big Sandy district at
Pikeyille, Ky, on the same day. At
Butte, Mont, ON July %, the miners will
hold state meet and also on Aug 80 at
Trinidad, Colo Utah and southern Wy
oming will be represented at a first aid
and mine rescue meet at Salt Lake City,
Utah, Aug. %. Arrangements have been
made for the California state meet at
Sacramento early in September New
Mexico is arranging for similar meet
about Sept. ! but has not yet selected
the place. There will also be state.
wide meet for Washington on Aug. at
one of the cosl mining centers in western
Washington. In Pennsylvania, some
time during the summer, there will be a
number of first-aid meets for different
coal mining companies. At ST. Benedict
the Rembrandt Peale Coal company will
hold its meet during the summer, also
at Greensburg the Argyle Coal company
will hold meet the Richmond Hill Coal
company at Hastings, Pa, and the West
End Coal company at Mocanaqua, will
also hold a meet Of the local coal com
panies at Barnesboro, Pa, Tennessee
will have a meet at Jellico sometime in
September, and Illinois viii hold state
wide first aid and mine rescue meet at
Springfield at a time to be announced
later
Whether or not it is the reaction
from the killing of men in the recent
world orgie, or the release from the
strain of the tremendous war production
of coal" said Van H. Manning, director
of the bureau of mines, "the miner to-
day is bending his best interests to the
saving of life. From the reports that
come to me, there is the utmost enthu-
siasm in these trial first aid and rescue
meets and almost as much interest as if
the national meet were a great, country
wide athletic contest involving the whole
people. The national meet promises to
break all preceding events in numbers
and enthusiasm. 1t is to be the miners
own field day, in their own way, and the
honors are TO 60 to the most efficient,
the most skillful in the saving of human
life. | expect that this national miners
tournament will have a wholesome effect
on the industries of the country general
| ly."