The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-30
Excepting Fairinont Gath
ering the Biggest
Held
.35O PElREE PRESENT
Standing Only Sign Was
Hung Out Early Sun
day Afternoon

SHfNNSToN, Jan 30.-Fully $50
people were present at the safety
meeting held IA Rex.s theatre, this
city, ON Sunday afternoon under
the auspices of the safety depart
ment of the Consolidation Coal
company. Every seat in the the
atre was taken a%ndadozens of peo,
pie stood during the Meeting. Az.
though there we're perhaps forty
boys present the vast percentage
were men and they affiliated with
the coal mining industry. With
the exception Of F%airtnont this was
the largest safety meeting thus
far held in this series.
c. II. Higginbotham Shinnston,
superintendent Of owings and sev.
erai other operations OF the Con.
solidation Coal company, presided
oyer the meeting and introduced
the Speakers. Mention was made
that the Sunday meeting was held
after the approya1Softhe mayor and
clergy in the city had been Sc
cured
More Scientific Mining.
Adam Crawford, Fairmont, in.
strnctor In the mining extension
school In Northern West Virginia,
vas the first speaker. Mr.. Craw
ford in the way OF a preliminary
thought said IL he would be asked
what was the great industrial slo.
gan OF today he would answer,
safety first It's application fol-
lowed q universal demand to curb
accidents and crippled man power.
Whether on q visit TO the factories,
the mills or mines It Is safety
first on all sides. The speaker
then quoted the definitions of safe
IT, and first aid from which he
cleaned the most applicable from
freedom Of danger and "assur-
ance against harm or loss or the
Condition or state Of being SAFE"
The last live years gave more wide.
spread growth to safety first than
any other time During the war
when the men were at the front
every effort was made to preserve
the Industrial army at home. He
summed up the meaning OF safety
first "as an act OF being in maxi.
mum security at all times"
Since the war safety first has a
more humanitarian phase to it. All
men have certain duties and obi.
cations 10 society and these they
must discharge. MANNED and Grip
pied or depriged OF sight it is i'm.
possible torsthem to dlscharge,these
obligations 8 tttose who are sound
IN all Of their members. AS a re-
suit accidents should be prevented
even from anaeconomic viewpoint.
Here Mr. Crawford tcld OF the ex.
haustfge sinuy given to this work
as Well rs the careful collection oe
data Incident to accidents. State
Department. Of mines seek such
Information.
The coal mining industry In West
Virginia is in infancy because
there are millions Of tons OF coal
yet itascratched, beneath the sur.
face. Mining problems will in
crease and more difficult ones will
present themselyess in the years TO
come. These conditions will make
II necessary for mining men in the
future especially miners, to be bet.
ter acquainted with their work. The
idea that Won can stick a pick into
coal anywhere will soon be a thing
OF the past the speaker dropped by
the way o. fntimation. Miners will
have 70 he taught more about their
jobs.
The public generally believes
that II takes no brains to mine
coal which OF course is not true.
AS a matter of fact some OF the
greatest problems and feats in en-.
eineering have been worked out in
coal mining Too frequently min
ors believe that after four or five
years OF Unemployment at the work.
ing face that they know all about
coal mining, You may work there
twenty-five years and .knowS very
little indeed about your work, be.
cause you have failed to study the
principles involved as well as the
dangers NJ the working face.
Blow ont shots. cars breaking
loose4at the working face and other
accidents al the working face,
where seyentytfye per cent. of tho
mine accidents occur. Study your
mining laws attend mining extern
sion school, take first aid and
mine rescue work and join mining
Institutes an with the view OF in.
creasinE soEir mining knowledge.
Nh. Riauieman Speaks.
William b Rtggleman, Fairmopt,
state mining inspector, then I'D,
dressed The meeting He pointed