The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-02-28
1850 COAL Mine
Deaths FOR 1922
Many Big Disasters Occur Dur
ing Year Despite Efforts to
Promote Safety.
WORKERS BLAMED IN REPORT
Shows a Reduction of Twenty-Thres
Fatalities From Total for 1921,
but viii Not represent Low
erinq of Death Rate.

observation-disclosures received by
the United States bureau of mines
from state mine inspectors Indicate
that 1850 fatalities was the toll of
human lives exacted in the coal in
dustry during 1922. This is a tenta-
tive figure based on actual reports
covering II months and on an esti-
mate for December based upon the
probable output of coal for that
month. The estimate represents a re-
duction of % fatalities from the total
for 1921, but will not represent a low
ering of the death rate.
In relation to the quantity of coal
produced. the accident rate will be
actually higher thar for the previous
year, the report said.
IN a summarization Of the years
record. bureau statisticians point out
that from April l to August 81 a large
part of the industry was closed down
on account of the miners strike. the
production of fresh-mined anthracite
was completely stopped and the out
put of soft coal was cut in half. This
stoppage naturally eliminated acct
dents that would have occurred had
the mines been in operation.
Thirteen Major Disasters in Year.
The reduction in loss of life despite
the strike was not as large as It might
have been because of the great num-
Der Of lives lost by mine explosions.
The outstanding feature of the mine
year was what the bureau officials call
major disasters. accidents in which
at least five lives were lost. There
We're 10 Of these during the year, Il
OF which were explosions, which to
gether cost the lives of 2G1 men.
During 1921 there were only five
major accidents. with a loss of 81
lives. Only three of these were mine
explosions. which resulted in only p
deaths. The most disastrous in 1921
killed II men that Of the last year
eEacted 81 lives, while another took II.
On the basis Of number of fatalities
per million tons Of coal mined the death
rate from gas and dust explosions In
1921 was only 233. while for the first
II months of 1922 it was 731.
The records Of the last six or seven
Years had furnished grounds for the
hope that the coal-mining industry
was no longer to experience the terri
BILE explosions Of gas and dust which
formed so distressing a part of the in
dustry's record in earlier years, the
statisticians declared. For many years
The bureau of mines and other agen-
c1es have been investigating the causes
Of these explosions and have been en-
deavoring to find ways to stop them,
and when they occurred to stop them
from travelling through an entire
mine.
Preventive Measures.
Proper ventilation to prevent dan
gerous accumulation of gas; wettlng
the mine to aIlay dust; the use Of
rock-dust to obstruct the progress Of
explosions and other safety measures
have been investigated and devised.
However. the grave loss of lives is
not entirely attributable to explosions.
It was declared. Less than 10 per
cent Of the fatalities are caused by
explosions nearly so per cent result
from rock and coal falls.
For this lack of Improvement" the
report stated, commenting on the In
creased death rate, ct Is perhaps fair
to place the larger part Of the respon-
sibiIity upon the miners themselves,
They are continually at the working
place where most of the falls occur,
and are best able to observe the con
ditions under which they work and to
tell when rocks should be taken down
or props put up. A miners natural
desire. however, TO increase his earn
lngs through larger tonnage and his
dislnelination to take down a rock OF
put up a prop when needed, have beer
the cause Of many needless deaths
and Injuries in coal mines"
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