Number of lives lost per 1,000,000 tons of coal produced in the anthracite and bituminous coal mines of the United States, 1895-1908.

Number of lives lost per 1,000 employees in the anthracite and bituminous coal mines of the United States, 1895-1908.

There has been, during the fourteen years covered by the table, a slight decrease in the loss of life for each million tons of coal produced. The rate reported is 5.97 for 1908, as against an average of 6.01 for the period. This showing may be due to the fact that the use of machinery for mining has become more general and that it is, therefore, possible to mine a given tonnage of coal with less manual labor than formerly. It is clear, however, from the figures showing fatalities for 1,000 men employed, that the introduction of machinery has not materially lessened the danger to the workmen. In its relation to production, the loss of life in the mines is slightly less than formerly; in its relation to the number of employees, it is greater.

DISTRIBUTION OF ACCIDENTS IN COAL-PRODUCING AREAS.

The table presented below indicates the distribution of fatalities among the different States and Territories of the United States, together with the number of fatalities per 1,000 men employed, for the years 1907 and 1908.

TABLE 130-Number of fatalities in the coal mines of the United States and number of fatalities per 1,000 men employed, by States and Territories, 1907 and 1908.

[Compiled from Production of Coal in 1908. E. W. Parker. United States Geological Survey, Mineral Resources of the United States.]

It will be noted that the death rate is much higher in some States than in others. Much of the variation among the States and Territories is to be attributed to differences in natural conditions, or in mining laws, regulations, and practices.

COMPARISON WITH CONDITIONS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

The statistics of accidents in the coal mines of the United States appear in their true meaning only when compared with similar statistics for the mines of foreign countries. Table 131 and the chart shown on the following page make such a comparison possible. TABLE 131.-Number of fatalities per 1,000 men employed in the coal mines of France, Belgium, Great Britain, Prussia, and the United States, in recent years.

[Compiled from Bulletin No. 333 of the United States Geological Survey, 1907. "Coal-mine Accidents: Their Causes and Prevention."]

From the foregoing table and the chart it is seen not only that the death rate per 1,000 men employed is higher for the United States than for any other country producing coal upon a large scale, but that the difference is in most cases considerable. Upon this basis of comparison, the average yearly death rate abroad ranges from 27.2 per cent, in the case of France, to 61.5 per cent, in the case of Prussia, of what it is in this country. Moreover, the statistics for Great Britain and the continent of Europe indicate a general decrease in the average number of fatalities per 1,000 employees as against the increase recorded for the United States.

The loss of life for each million tons of coal mined is shown for European countries by the tables and statements herewith submitted."

The following statement shows the figures for Great Britain:

Number of men killed in the coal mines of Great Britain for each million tons of coal produced.

Number of men killed in the coal mines of France for each million tons of coal produced.

Bulletin 333 of United States Geological Survey, 1907. "Coal-mine Accidents: Their Causes and Prevention," pp. 12-13.

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