Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-11-06

the bureau of mines in co-opera-
ton with the Pittsburgh chamber of commerce.
One of the biggest features of these ceremonies
was the nationwide frst-aid and mine-rescue con-
test held during the last two days. About 100
teams from the coal and metal mining companies
throughout the country entered the lists. The last
day there was a holiday for the miners of the
PITTSBURGH district and thousands witnessed the
awarding of the prizes to the winners.
In addition to the usual prizes for these con-
tests, the Joseph A. Holmes Safety association, an
organization created in 1916 In honor of the men,
"y OF the hrSt director for the purpose of giving
recognition to persons who had performed meri-
torlous and heroic deeds in the saving of human
Ine In the mining and metallurgical industry. or
VINO had developed some safety appliance to fur
lheF the saving of life in those industries, made
Its first awards. DR.. Van H. 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 had that II gold medals be
awarded, all for heroic deeds performed by miners
IN coal and metal mines in efforts to save the lives
of fellow workmen.
Speaking of the accident conditions generally in
the mining Industries and of the outlook, DR.. Van
ii. Manning, director of the bureau of mines, SAYS:
4 am often asked, What has the bureau Of
mines accomplished in saving of human life in the
minesT 1t Is difficult to say, as there are so
many varying factors involved. l may say, how
ever, that if you consider the prevailing average
death rate in the mines for a period of years be-
fore the federal government took up this work and
compare it with the average fatality rate since the
bureau was created, you will find that 5000 less
miners have been killed. In other words, had the
old fatality rate been maintained through the last
few years 5000 more men would have lost their
lives. 1t must also be remembered that the situa-
ton was gradually becoming worse, and who
knows that there might not have been 1000 or
e,OO0 lives lost? We also have to take into consid-
GRAFTON that, thanks to the many improvements in
life-saving methods and the greater understand
ings of the causes Of accidents, this saving of
5000 human beings will be increased as the years
roll on until we can show several times 5000 lives
saved.
ut Is indeed a glorious record of human prog
ress. Five thousand lives saved! Perhaps 1000
less widowsl At least 5000 children who still
have fathers. Take away all the other manifold
duties of the bureau of mines and this one accom-
plishment Is worthy of all its costs to the govern
ment since its establishment and for wears to
come.
81 do not mean that the bureau of mines de-
serves all the credit. It was, however. the agency
that picked up the isolated, sporadic efforts of a
few well-meantng men and companies and welded
them into a great national movement for greater
safety In the mines. 1t at once gained the CO.
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.
at was in 1911 that the bureau held under II.
auspices a great national frst-aid and mine-rescue
meet at Pittsburgh, which was attended by 22OOO
miners. The slogan of that meet was safety first
and that was the time that the slogan. since inter.
nationally famous, first became a national battle
cry for this humanitarian movement. Not onlv
was safety first Immediately adopted by the
mining companies. but 1t was also taken nm nv
the railroads and by industrial plants of the
country. Safety organizations appeared every.
where. Determined campaigns were fought 70 re.
duce the number of deaths and injuries. In quite
a number of mills and factories and railroads
there was a reduction in the fatalities of more
than 30 per cent. Further Improvement was slow.
er, but the original gains were made and added 70
"Just how many thousands of lives were saved
may never be known, for there are no statistics
that adequately cover Industrial accidents, but we
do know that the bureau of mines and its asso-
ciated agencies started a movement that not only
spread throughout the entire United States. but
1t also reached the other countries of the world
with an equally good effect. And it all started
with the modest mine safety meet we held In Pitts
burgh In 1911.
once thal lipc IN puredu mas gone It's way,
improving its methods, interesting the miner In his
own safety and that of his fellow man; doing
what 1t 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 stHl greater safety.
To-day the bureau Of mines maintains in every
mining field of the country a mine rescue car. fully
equipped with modern llfe-saving apparatus, that
responds to disasters and assists In the rescue
work. In the meanwhile 1t visits the mines In its
district and gives the miners training In both
mine rescue and first aid to the injured. As a re-
suit there are several thousand miners throughout
the country who are expert in the use Of the oxy-