Even though this mentions the Pittsburgh area, I thought it might be interesting to all the coal regions. Dec. 18, 1908 McDonald (Washington Co.) PA "Record" Louis V. DELOCHE, well known in this locality of which prior to 1905 he was a resident, has an interesting and enlightening article in last Sunday's Post on "Mine Accidents and How to Reduce Their Occurrence." Mr. DELOCHE says that mine accidents in the Pittsburg district are traceable to three principal causes: (1) Falls of room and slate. (2) Explosions of gas or powder and (3) cars or machines hauling the same (cause in which victims are run over and killed or hurt). The first is due to a relaxing of vigilance and precaution. The coal miner, the same as any other workman, the same as every other person in America, is too greedy after the dollars and in his great haste to acquire these he becomes foolhardy and negligent to the extent of risking his life. Knowing that "time is money", he tries to save time to acquire the dollars and rushes to his death. Then the coal miner's wages are such that Americans shun the work and foreign laborers have to be employed who do not! know anything about detecting when slate or roof becomes dangerous: much less do they know how to secure the same properly when someone detects it for them. Mr. DELOCHE advocates a system of apprenticeship as a means of guarding against accidents. Explosions of gas or powder he argues may be prevented by compelling the general use of safety lamps, and placing charge of a room and the banding of explosives only in intelligent and competent hands. While some consider the electric power for operating mines such a source of danger that thy advocate forbidding its use entirely, Mr. DELOCHE points out that if proper method are adopted and enforced no fire damp explosions can result. Accidents caused by mine cars or the machines hauling the same are the results of hurry, carelessness, or negligence and incompetence of those engaged in hauling the same. The only remedy is to have a system of apprenticeship, engage none but competents for the different branches and parts, have! proper rules enacted and enforced. In conclusion Mr. DELOCHE advocat es the establishment of an accident, death and pension fund, conducted by the State through the department of mines. The writer began his life work as a trapper boy in a 600 foot shaft at La Grand Combe, France, when in his eleventh year. Since then he has worked in the mines of Cape Breton Island, of Calamity, Laurel Hill, Willow Grove, Brier Hill, Black Diamond, Catsburg and Bunola in Pennsylvania, and for a time in mines of Belmont County, Ohio. He passed the examination for fire boss in 1902 and that for mine foreman in 1903. He has for some time past been employed by the Monongahela River Coal Co., sometimes as fire boss, and sometimes a mine foreman. He was chairman of the miners' arbitration committee at the time when Father HICKEY of Braddock and the Rev. E. R. DONEHOO were umpires. The father of Mr. DELOCHE was killed by a fall of slate in Laurel Hill mine No. 2, January 23, 1876.