PROGRESS OF INVESTIGATIONS.

A summary of accomplishments of the past fiscal year has been given. The purpose of the different investigations, the results achieved, and the significance of these results are stated in detail on succeeding pages.

WORK OF MINING DIVISION.

George S. Rice, chief mining engineer, is in charge of this division, and gives his personal attention to the various branches of the work. His headquarters were in Pittsburgh, Pa., until December 31, 1915, when he was transferred to Washington, D. C. The organization of the mining division and the names of the officials in charge of specific investigations have been given elsewhere (pp. 14 to 16).

Among the activities of the mining division for the past year are included investigations relating to the causes of mine accidents and methods of prevention, mine rescue work, rescue and first-aid training, mine sanitation, and investigation of miners' diseases, especially hookworm and miners' consumption. Coal and mineral mining investigations, such as mining methods looking to the lessening of waste, subsidence from mine operations, roof support, and tunneling methods, were carried on. Other investigations conducted were the study of mine gases and improved ventilation of coal and metal mines, research work at the experimental mine at Pittsburgh and in the field regarding causes and methods of preventing explosions of coal dust and gas, physical and chemical tests of explosives for use in gaseous and dusty coal mines and in metal mines and quarries, testing of miners' safety lamps, and testing and improvement of mine-rescue apparatus.

RESCUE AND FIRST-AID INVESTIGATIONS AND TRAINING WORK.

The engineers, foreman miners, and first-aid miners of the minerescue cars and rescue stations were engaged chiefly in investigating the causes of mine accidents, in rendering aid at mine disasters, in training miners in the use of first-aid and rescue equipment, in giving first aid to the injured, and in conducting first-aid and mine-rescue contests which stimulate and sustain the interest of miners in the work.

During the period in which the crews of the bureau's cars and stations conducted active training 62.693 miners visited the cars and stations, 43,060 attended lectures and safety demonstrations, 285 received mine-rescue training, 5,598 were given first-aid instructions, and 2,610 received both first-aid and mine-rescue training, the total number trained being 8,493.

Details of the instruction, training, and demonstrations in safety methods given from the mine-rescue cars and stations of the bureau are shown in the following tables:

Training record for year ended June 30, 1916 (by months).

STATES AND TOWNS AT WHICH MINE RESCUE AND FIRST AID TRAINING WAS GIVEN BY BUREAU OF MINES MEN FOR YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1916.

Alabama.-Acmar, Acton, Altoona, Bessemer, Birmingham, Blocton, Brilliant, Empire, Brookwood, Dora, Margaret, Maylene, Palos, Patton, Piper, Porter, Pratt City, Townley, and Volande.

• Training given in 28 States and 313 towns.

Arizona.-Bisbee, Chloride, Douglas, Hayden, Humboldt, Jerome, Mayer, Prescott, Ray, Tombstone, Tucson, Twin Buttes, and Wickenburg.

Arkansas.-Bonanza, Hackett, Huntington, Jenny Lind, and Midland. California.-Amador City, Angels Camp, Campo Seco, Copperopolis, Grass Valley, Hodson, Jackson, Jamestown, Mammoth, Marigold, Melones, Needles, Nevada City, Plymouth, Quartz, Randsburg, San Francisco, Shawmut, Soulsbyville, Sutter Creek, and Whitehouse.

Colorado.-Berwind, Cokedale, Delagra, Forbes, Frederick, Gorham, Hastings, Lafayette, Louisville, Morley, Pearmont, Primero, Segundo, Sopris, and Tellersburg.

Georgia.-Durham.

Idaho.-Burke, Kellogg, Mace, Moscow, Mullan, and Sunset.

Illinois.-Benton, Springfield, and Urbana.

Indiana.-Bicknell, Clinton, Evansville, Jasonville, Linton, Paxton, Terre Haute, Vincennes, and Winslow.

Iowa.-Bear Creek, Bidwell, Boone, Bussey, Carney, Des Moines, Enterprise, Foster, High Bridge, Knoxville, Madrid, Marquisville, Ogden, Oralabor, Scandia, and Zook Spur.

Kansas.-Arma, Dunkirk, Franklin, Girard, Gross, Lawrence, Mulberry, Pittsburg, Radley, Roseland, Turck, and Weir.

Kentucky.—Baskett, Earlington, Harlan, Henderson, Kitts, Madisonville, Morganfield, Nortonville, and Providence.

Michigan.-Bay City, Bessemer, Ironwood, Ramsay, Saginaw, St. Charles, and Wakefield.

Minnesota.-Biwabik, Chisholm, Coleraine, Crosby, Cuyuna, Elba, Eveleth, Hibbing, Ironton, Keewatin, Kinney, Marble, Nashwauk, Pineville, Riverton, Stevenson, and Virginia.

Missouri.-Ardmore, Bevier, Huntsville, Keota, Lexington, Marceline, Richmond, and Waverly.

Montana.-Bear Creek, Butte, Red Lodge, Tracy, and Washoe.

Nevada. Ruth, Tonopah.

New Jersey.-Franklin Furnace.

North Carolina.-Cranberry.

Oklahoma.—Alderson, Brewer, Calhoun, Cambria, Coalton, Commerce, Creek, Dewar, Dow, Gowen, Henryetta, Lehigh, McAlester, Miami, Sampsel, Savanna, Victoria, and Wilburton.

Pennsylvania.-—Acosta, Antrim, Barnesboro, Beaverdale, Bernice, Boswell, Bruceton, Castle Shannon, Crabtree, Cresson, Crows Nest, Darragh, Dilltown, Dunlo, Ellsworth, Expedite, Federal, Forbes Road, Gallitzin, Greensburg, Hannastown, Harwich, Hastings, Herminie, Hooversville, Jenner, Jerome, Kingston, Luxor, Meyersdale, Nanty Glo, New Alexandria, Patton, Peckville, Pitts, Pittsburgh, St. Benedict, Schickshinny, Snow Shoe, South Fork, Star Junction, State College, Sugar Notch, Twin Rocks, Vintondale, and Wehrum. South Dakota.-Lead.

Tennessee. Coal Creek, Ducktown, Jellico, Knoxville, Mascot, Prudence, Soddy, and Whitwell.

Virginia.-Arno, Dante, Imboden, Keokee, Norton, Osaka, Pardee, Stonega, Toms Creek, and Wilder.

Washington.-Burnett, Carbondale, Pullman, Republic, Seattle, and Wilke

son.

West Virginia.-Accoville, Big Creek, Black Betsy, Boomer, Burnwell, Cannelton, Craneco, Crown Hill, Earling, Ethel, Gary, Holder, Huntington, Kings

ton, Logan, Longacre, Marting, Milburn, Monaville, Omar, Putney, Slagle, Standard, Ward, Widen, Wilder, and Winifrede.

Wisconsin.-Hurley, Montreal, and Platteville.

Wyoming.-Acme, Cambria, Carneyville, Crosby, Cumberland, Diamondville, Dietz, Elkol, Frontier, Gebo, Gunn, Hanna, Kirby, Kool, Lion, Monarch, Reliance. Rock Springs, Sheridan, Sublet, and Superior.

RESCUE AND RECOVERY WORK AFTER MINE EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES.

It is increasingly evident that the value of oxygen rescue apparatus is becoming more and more appreciated for rescue and recovery purposes after explosions and for fighting mine fires. This is borne out by the fact that there has been a steady growth in the establishment of rescue stations throughout the country. Particularly is this true in the eastern coal flds.

The possibilities and the limitations of the existing types of apparatus, which are being gradually improved, are becoming more thoroughly understood from year to year.

There were two noteworthy instances during the year where men engaged in combating mine fires donned the apparatus with presumably little or no previous training in its use. One instance is recorded where an apparatus crew consisting of only two men undertook to make an exploration of considerable length; one was overcome and lost his life. Until such practices as that of having less than five men in a rescue party are discontinued, the dangers incident to wearing apparatus in irrespirable atmospheres will not be reduced to the minimum.

Some wearers of the apparatus fail to properly appreciate the fact that, owing to the added weight of the apparatus, they become exhausted much more quickly than when working without it and may suddenly collapse when the apparatus is used up to the limit of its capacity.

Systematic methods of recovery and rescue work following mine disasters are being improved each year, and it is believed that the increased efficiency of such methods is largely due to the work of the men trained by the bureau, and those receiving training at State and privately-owned rescue stations.

During the past fiscal year representatives of the bureau attended and investigated 89 accidents of various kinds throughout the country and in six instances the bureau's men wore apparatus for rescue or recovery purposes. There were three fatalities (all employees of mining companies), during the fiscal year, among men wearing rescue apparatus.

L. M. Jones, a mining engineer of the bureau, was asphyxiated while assisting in recovery work after a mine disaster at Barrackville, W. Va., on October 20, 1916. He was the fourth member of the Bureau of Mines rescue corps to meet death while on duty.

ACCIDENTS IN WHICH LIVES WERE SAVED.

The following are summarized accounts of mine accidents at which lives were saved:

JULY 17, 1915, EXPLOSION AT No. 7 MINE, ARMA, KANS.

A miner named Obe Dray entered the mine 15 minutes after the explosion and rescued a miner named Lamberton, who was overcome at the shaft bottom. Lamberton was given artificial respiration on top and revived. The accident was caused by ignition of gas from an open light.

August 7, 1915, SUFFOCATION IN SHAFT, BOLEN-DARNALL No. 16, at Craig, OKLA. A miner, Edward Lewis, was overcome by damp while shaft sinking. J. W. Stephenson, the mine foreman, and R. C. Foster, a miner working in an adjoining slope, were overcome while attempting his rescue, Foster falling from the bucket as they were being hoisted to the surface. Hugh McCoubrey, mining engineer, then tied himself to the bucket and was lowered to the bottom. As Foster apparently was dead he brought Lewis to the surface, then returned and brought Foster to the surface, and later revived Lewis by means of artificial respiration. Lewis was overcome at 7.30 a. m. and was resuscitated before rescue apparatus arrived. At 9.30 an engineer from the bureau's station at McAlester reached the scene and gave Foster artificial respiration, but it was discovered later that he had suffered a fracture of the skull, which, no doubt, caused instant death.

SEPTEMBER 6, 1915, SUFFOCATION AT ALBION MINE, NEAR SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

Two men, Andrew Ekrem, of the Salt Lake City fire department, and James Hendrickson, mining engineer, entered the Quincy Tunnel and went into a drift, which led to the Albion mine. Each wore a mine rescue apparatus of the helmet type. Hendrickson was overcome shortly after entering the drift and lost his life. It is reported that Hendrickson had not received a complete course in rescue training. Had there been five men in the crew, as recommended by the bureau, Hendrickson probably would have been rescued.

SEPTEMBER 27, 1915, BLAST AT RAHN COLLIERY, NEAR COAldale, Pa.

A blast caused a rush of water and coal which cut off and entombed 11 men. Two of the men were rescued 12 hours after the disaster, but the others were not reached until October 3, after an imprisonment of 6 days and 5 hours, during which time they had no food except that in six dinner buckets, which they carried. No lives were lost and all of the men fully recovered from their experience. Three hundred men working three shifts per day drove the tunnel through which the rescue was effected. There were many delays in this work, owing to the dangerous character of the ground through which the tunnel was driven and the quantity of black damp encountered. Sixteen of the company's rescue men were on duty throughout the work.

OCTOBER 4, 1915, RUN OF COAL AT CONTINENTAL COLLIERY, CENTRALIA, PA. John Tomaschefski, a miner, was rescued after 187 hours' imprisonment by a cave-in in the Continental Colliery. This was one of the most thrilling and successful rescue attempts in the annals of American mining. Tomaschefski was caught behind a run of coal at noon, September 26. The first attempt