The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-10-30

of three days Arranged by
the bureau of mines in cO-opera-
tiOn with the Pittsburgh chamber of commerce.
One of the biggest features of these ceremonies
was the nationwide frst-ad and mine-rescue con-
test held during the last two days About 100
tennis from the cOal and metal mining companies
throughout the country entered the lists The last
clay there was holiday for the miners Of the
Pittsburgh district and thousands witnessed the
awarding Of the prizes the winners
Ia addition to the usual prizes for these
tests. the Joseph A. Holmes Safety association
organization created in 1916 In honor of the
Of the first director for the purpose of giving
recognition to persons who had performed meri-
t"rious and heroic deeds in the saving Of humun
NE In the mining and metallurgica industry
who had developed some safety appliance to fur
finer the saving of life In those industries. made
its first awards. DR. Van II. Manning, president
of the association announced the list OF recipients
of diplomas and medals and recited the deeds for
which they were presented. The committee on
awards hrd recommended that IL gold medals be
awarded. all for heroic deeds performed by miners
In coal and metal mines in efforts the lives
of fellow wOrkmen.
Speaking Of the accident conditions generally in
the mining Industries and of the outlook. Dr. vnn
H. Manning, director of the bureau of mines. says:
II often asked. What has the burenu of
mines accomplished in saving of human life In the
mines? II is difficult To say. there
many varying factors involved. I may say. how
that II you consider the prevailing average
death rate In the mines for period of years be
fore the federzi government took up this work and
compare II with the fatality rate since The
bureau created. you will find that 5000 less
miners have been killed. In other words. had the
Oid fatality rate been maintained through the last
Few years 5000 more men would have lost their
lives. II must aiso be remembered that the sItua-
ti'.n wus gradually becoming worse. and who
knows that there might not have been 1000
500 lives lost: We also have to take into consid
eration that. thanks to the many improvements In
1ife-sa wing methods md the greater understand
incs Of the OF accidents. this saving Of
5000 human beings will he Increased the years
roll until show several times 5000 lives
saved
-It In indeed glorious record of human prog
rrss. Five thousand lives saved! Perhaps 1000
less widows! At least 5000 children who xt
have fathers. Take away all the other manifold
duties of the bureau Of mines md this one accom-
plishnent is worthy of all Its costs to the govern
ment since its establishment and for years to
come.
II do not mean that the bureau Of mine. de-
serves all the credit. 1t was, however the agency
that picked up the Isolated sporadic efforts Of a
few well-meaning men and companies and welded
them into great national movement for greater
safety In the mines. 1t mt once gained the
operation of the miners, the mine operators. the
state mine inspectors and Others and without
these the bureau Of mines would have been almost
helpless.
.It was in 1911 that the bureau held under Its
meet mt Pittsburgh. which attended by % OOO
miners. The slogan of that meet safety first
and that the time that the slogan. since inter.
nationally famous. first became national battle
cry for this humanitarian movement. Not only
wns safety drst' Immediately adopted by the
mining companies but II was also taken up hy
the railroads and by Industrial plants Of the
country Safefy organizations appeared every.
where. Determined campaigns were fought to re-
duce the number Of deaths and injuries. In quite
a number OF mills and factories and railroads
there reduction In the fatalities of more
than 70 per cent. Further Improvement was slow
er, but the original gains were made and added to-
Just how many thousands of lives were saved
may never be known. for there are statistics
that adequately Industrial accidents but We
do know that the bureau of mines and its asso
ciatesi agencies started a movement that not only
spread throughout the entire United States but
It also reached the other countries of the world
with an equally good effect. And 1t all started
with the modest mine safety meet we held in Pitts
burgh In 1911
..Since that time the bureau has gone its way
inproving Its Methods interesting the miner in his
own safety and that of his fellow man: doing
what It could to point out to the owners Of the
mines the dangerous places that could be avoided
and making recommendations as the result of Its
experiments looking toward still greater safety.
To-day the bureau Of mines maintains in every
mining field of the country mine rescue fully
eou,pncd with modern lifesaving apparatus, tina,
responds to disasters and assists In the rescue
wurt. In the meanwhile It visits the mines In Its
d,.tr,r, and gives the miners training in both
mine. rescue and first aid to the injured As re
,,,, rbere vre several thousand miners throughout
eh. c.,untrv who are expert In the use OF the oxy