Show 1 1 1 £3 E3 1 1 Page 9 Wednesday Nov 6 1974 Mining accidents claim hundreds of lives annually EDITOR’S NOTE T More than 100 OU0 Voaf “miners have been killed in mine accidents in this country since the turn of the century The mines are less dangerous today than they used to be but mine safety remains a subject of hot dispute in the coalfields and at the bargaining taele when labor contracts are -- On the day in question three otrifef lften Tere working on a water pump near the bottom of a 2800-fosupply slope at the mine Suddently a voice began shouting over the safety phone some 75 feet up the steep dark shaft Associated Press Writer W Va FAIRDALE (AP) — A chewing tobacco commercial making the rounds on many Appalachian radio stations these days opens with a deep-voice- d country and western singer commiserating with the men who work in the coal mines “You have respect for the mine pay attention all the time” the singer tells his listeners before going into the particular pleasure offered by his product t ” “Pay attention all the time Here in southern West Virginia where many men spend their entire working lives in the dark dusty tunnels beneath the ancient hills the message strikes a responsive chord — especially in Tory Henderson who is 24 A slender fair-haire- man d from nearby Glen Daniel Henderson is a bituminous coal miner — one of the 120000 men who mine 95 per cent of the nation’s coal His empathy with the chewing tobacco jingle stems from events at the Maple Meadow Mining Co one recent morning ' ot Scraping Metal negotiated by Strat Douthat nd “I couldn’t make out what the hollering was all about” he recalled “But I didn’t have to I’d already heard it coming and had seen the fire where the pipe was scraping metal” ee momentum second every - - Henderson dropped his wrench and made a desperate leap for a narrow rock ledge on the tunnel wall No sooner had his feet landed on the ledge than the monstrous mass roared past and slammed into the face of the shaft 50 feet behind him The impact was deafening Dust and smoke filled the air Henderson jumped down from his perch and landed on shaky legs The only light came from his helmet lamp and there was no sound of human voices “I saw one body on the ground in front of me It was dark and four-foot-wi- - The three other men in the supply slope were killed instantly It was the second timd’ this year that a triple mine fatality had occurred in this part of southern West Virginia part of District 29 of the United Mine Workers of America Seven tons of twisted metal pipe had broken loose from a surface cable and were hurtling tunnel like down the a runaway locomotive By the time Henderson looked up from his work the tangled maze had slid more than a third of the way down the slope and was gaining criticism of safety policies of ths and- the raft far heipT'lursaWwfth arr State- federal' safety inspectors who are apologetic little shrug charged with enforcement of the Mines Since 1971 voluminous federal Coal Mine Seated in his cozy living room Health and Safety Act of 1969 Henderson showed little emotion were as he recalled that fateful morn Their sentiments where His two small children were in reflected in Washington the back bedroom and his wife mine safety became the most Meta was fixing dinner The controversial issue inthe complex accident was the first he’s been negotiations between the UMW involved in since he became a and coal company representatives for a national contract to miner in 1971 smoky and I was scared I broke arid - replace the -- three-yea- r agreement that expires Tuesday Nov 12 100000 Deaths The issue is packed with emotion More than 10000 miners have been killed snice the turn of “We’ve lost 16 brothers in our the century and safety is a topic district so far this year” sad" "that will quickly bring an Everett Acord the UMW’s chief argument here in the coalfields safety coordinator in the district where some 14000 miners are Under the expiring contract employed “And more than 100 UMW mine has an elected each have been killed nationwide” three-ma- n safety committee of miners If the composed The rate of disabling injuries committee thinks a section of among all coal miners is twice mine is unsafe it recommends to the national average for other management that the situation be industries corrected But the company is under no obligation to close the Acord and Jonathan Williams mine unless the committee are two of the 50 UMW safety members feel the situation coordinators across the country It’s their job to see to it that safety complaints from the men are quickly called to the attention of the companies and the federal mine safety inspectors constitues “imminent danger” under Prey the contract to immediately pull the men from the mine “There’s been a number of cases where the committees have done this” says Acord “But the trouble is that there’s a lot of miners these men are now in and many days the mines who don’t realize when they’re working under conditions 18-a- that constitute danger” imminent The United Mine Workers have argued for years that they must have the final say on all mine safety whether or not “imminent danger” is involved The com- panies reply has been that they would lose control of the mines if the union had the final decision on safety Acord said: “The companies have safety people and some of them are good But they’re some production-oriente- d under always And some of supervisor those inspectors are just plain As it is now our incompentent must work committeemen safety hours then and make ineight on own their time We spections want the companies to pay for the men for safety work and we want them to recognize the fact that we’re serious about safety” Both men are former mingrs Both are also outspoken in their Confirm Rockefeller says top White House aide — AP President Ford’s top aide Donald Rumsfeld said it would be “unconscionable” if Congress fails to confirm Nelson A Rockefeller as vice president before the end of the year WASHINGTON the first order of of lousiness Congress after Tuesday’s elections should be He said confirmation of Rockefeller the vice president-designat- e Rumsfeld appeared on the CBS interview program “Face the Nation” He said he was optimistic about the Congress that would be returned in the elections “I’m not in despair American people have a center of balance and they’ll a Congress the President The good elect can deal with” However he refused to be pinned down Sunday when asked whether Ford’s and Tossed Green Salad ALL FOR Includes: Special Hamburger 75£ Tossed green Salad 45£ j OFFER GOOD ONLY WITH COUPON Expires Nov 10 1974 til it 0?£ - estauf N 1 SUM SMJKKa 816 116 J WN i DRIVE 5 uci 5i 1'‘f3 W K- - 890 NORTH MAIN LOGAN Friday Nov Friday Nov 9 8 "Exchange of Ideas" IAWS Workshops Women in Politics Organizational coordination Women's self concept Steering Committee for National Convention -- -- -- Everyone s invited cross-countr- y campaigning had swung any votes to the Republican side' “I’m not in a position to make estimates” he said “I think the answer will come election day It’s important that human beings across the country participate and if his appearances across the country stimulated interest they were a success” Saturday Nov 9 3:30 pm Couple TICKET? 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