reason to believe that they are going to find gas. All of the Arkansas valley in all probability will be a gas-producer before very many years. We have large amounts of bauxite or "boxite," as it is called in the trade, that are only beginning to be worked. We have very fine deposits for the manufacture of Portland cement. Probably no state in the union surpasses Arkansas in its clays. It is said by one of the leading authorities of the United States in clays, a man who has given this subject special attention, that Arkansas should be the leading clay-producing state of the United States. This, for three reasons. First, we have all varieties of clays from the coarsest to the finest. Second, we have the fuel at hand with which to manufacture these clays, and, third, the climatic conditions of Arkansas are such as to be greatly to the advantage of the manufacture of clay products. They should be manufactured there much cheaper than they are manufactured in St. Louis, because of the favorable climatic conditions which prevail in Arkansas throughout the year. These, gentlemen, are just a few of the facts relating to the mineral resources of Arkansas, and I will not consume your time further than to tell you that after you have looked about over the country elsewhere for places to invest your money and are discouraged, come down to Arkansas. (Applause.) PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The secretary calls my attention to the reports of the committees for this afternoon. The custom has been for resolutions to be introduced, read by the secretary, and without debate referred to the Committee on Resolutions for its action. We have the following standing committees to report: Report of Committee on Alaskan Mining Laws, Honorable James J. Godfrey, Seattle, Washington. SECRETARY CALLBREATH: The Seattle delegation has not yet arrived. PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Report of Committee on Vertical Side Line Law, Dr. John A. Church, New York City. THE SECRETARY: I would say that the death of Dr. J. D. Hague, of New York City, during the last summer made vacant the chairmanship of this committee. Dr. John A. Church was very recently made the chairman of that committee, so recently that no report can be expected at this time. PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Report of Committee on Prevention of Mine Accidents, Dr. H. Foster Bain, Urbana, Illinois. DOCTOR BAIN: The secretary of the committee will make the report. The report is as follows: Report of the Committee on Prevention of Mine Accidents. Soon after adjournment of the last session of the American Mining Congress a series of unusually disastrous explosions in the coal mines of West Virginia, Alabama and Pennsylvania called the attention of the general public as well as of the mining fraternity to the subject of accidents as it has never been called before. Consequently, much attention has been given to the subject during the past year both in the public and in the technical press and a large amount of experimental work has been carried on by individuals and by corporations since the close of the last session of Congress. These accidents probably also hastened the establishment of a Government Testing Station, and assisted in the securing of an appropriation for the investigation of mine accidents in the United States by the Technologic Branch of the United States Geological Survey. As a result of the widespread publicity given to the subject of accidents through the public and the technical press, and through various mining organizations, together with the organization of a testing station and the development of a distinct organization to investigate accidents by the Technologic Branch of the United States Geological Survey, it was unnecessary for your committee to attempt to carry on work along the lines for which it was originally appointed as the work would have paralleled that already being done by others. As it is entirely propable that this work both public and private will continue, we recommend the discharge of the committee, and in so doing would make the following comments: causes. We believe that the prevention of accidents depends upon (1) a realization of the relative importance of the various known causes to which accidents can be attributed, so that suitable preventive measures can be adopted to minimize as far as possible the accidents due to these known Under normal conditions in coal mining from 50 to 60 per cent. of the accidents are due to falls of rock and coal, about 16 per cent. to explosions of gas and dust and an almost equal number or about 14 per cent. to mine cars. Owing to the large number killed at one time by explosions, this cause of accident has attracted more than its due share of attention, and while not wishing to minimize in any way the importance of the attempts made to lessen the dangers due to gas and dust, we most earnestly urge that more attention be given to the great cause of mine fatalities which is every where present, namely, falls of slate, coal and rock. (2) The scientific investigation of the problems connected with mining both theoretical and practical and which are now only partially understood should continue. The most important of these are probably the choice, handling, and use of explosives; problems connected with explosive gases and dust in coal mines; better supervision and more careful timbering to prevent the great loss of life and the accidents due to falls of rock and coal. The training of vast numbers of emigrants from southeastern Europe who are so rapidly replacing the former mining population and who come to us with no knowledge of mining is one of the serious problems affecting the accident condition in this country. Attention is called to the efforts that have been made in the anthracite field to improve the condition of the mine workers through courses of lectures upon mining subjects by means of night schools carried on under the auspices of the anthracite mining companies. The conditions under which American mines are operated must be kept distinctly in mind and the vast differences between European and American conditions must be remembered in comparing the statistics of accidents abroad and in American mines. We believe that the mine laws now on the statute books if enforced and respected by employer and employe alike are sufficient in many cases to greatly reduce the number of accidents. There are, no doubt, instances where the laws can be modified to advantage to conform to present knowledge and conditions, but these modifications should be made by persons familiar with the conditions under which American mines must be operated, and who also understand the theory and practice of such new forces as electricity, compressed air, etc., that now play so important and necessary a part in mining. A greater uniformity in the mine laws of the different states where the conditions are similar would be advantageous. We believe that experience in one state should be allowed full credit in another for a person applying for a certificate as mine foreman, manager, etc., provided he can satisfy the requirements of examination as provided for in the state in which the application is made. We would also call attention to the fact that several persons are injured for every one killed, and we believe that a very useful work can be carried on in assisting those injured about the mines through the use of intelligent first aid measures. The various devices used in case of rescue work after an accident will undoubtedly be tested at the Government Testing Station as has been done abroad, and as the result of these tests become known it is to be expected that more adequate means for rescue in case of explosion, fire, etc., will be installed at many of the mines. The circumstances requiring such apparatus are, however, fortunately comparatively rare, while every day men are being injured more or less severely about the mines. The rendering of efficient first aid to such men while awaiting the arrival of a physician may mean in many cases the saving of life or the prevention of permanent deformity. We would, therefore, especially call attention to the very thorough first aid organizations which have been developed in the anthracite mines of Pennsylvania. Mr. H. V. Hesse, whose name appears as a member of the committee, found it impracticable to accept his appointment as a member of the committee. Respectfully submitted, PRESIDENT RICHARDS: H. FOSTER BAIN, Chairman. Heretofore, upon the making of reports of these committees, if anyone wants to discuss the matter it is always open for discussion or suggestion. What is your pleasure as to the report which has just been made? DOCTOR BUCKLEY: I move you that the report be accepted, and, as requested, the committee be discharged. PRESIDENT RICHARDS: You have heard the motion; all in favor of it SENATOR CHARLES DICK, of Chio: I would move to amend in that the report be printed with the proceedings of the convention. PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Under the by-laws of the organization that necessarily follows. Are you ready for the question? (The question was called for.) THE PRESIDENT: All in favor of that motion WILLIAM P. DANIELS OF COLORADO: I do not know that I am sufficiently familiar with the subject that has been given consideration by the committee to express an opinion in contravention of their recommendation, but on first thought I am inclined to doubt as to whether it will be wise for this Congress to dispense with a committee of that kind. I certainly should like to hear a little further from some of the gentlemen better acquainted with the subject than I before I vote to discharge the committee. I am very glad to vote to accept the report, but, as I say, Mr. President, lack of information makes me inclined to think this Congress ought to continue that committee, either with its present membership or some other. DOCTOR BUCKLEY: Mr. Chairman, I think I might state for the benefit of Mr. Daniels that the United States Geological Survey is now carrying on those investigations with much greater detail and with much greater efficiency than can any committee appointed by this Mining Congress, and that as soon as the United States government takes up any field of investigation in the manner in which they have taken up this subject, this Congress may very well let loose of it and let them have full charge of it. SECRETARY CALLBREATH: I would like to state in behalf of that committee that its work was very influential in securing the appropriation which has enabled the United States government to conduct these investigations. MR. DANIELS: And Mr. President, if I may be permitted again, it is because of the influence that that committee has had and because there is such action on the part of the government that I believe we ought to continue the committee or a committee, at least, with that matter in charge. I believe it is quite possible-quite probable-that there may be opportunities for a committee of that character to again exercise a very great deal of influence on these very experiments by the government, and certainly this American Mining Congress can have no better means of obtaining information than through a committee of that kind, who will give it particular attention and report to us. MR. HAWORTH, OF KANSAS: I certainly agree with Mr. Daniels. The great burden of the talk which we have had here this morning is that one of the main functions of this Mining Congress is to try to better the conditions regarding mine accidents. Now, right on the face of that fact and the talk on this subject, for us to dismiss the only committee we have in that connection at all, it seems to me certainly would be a mistake. I do not know and I do not care whether it was in the minds of the members of this Congress at the time the committe was created to have them do experimental work. They do not have to do experimental work during the coming year, or during the coming four or five years, but it does seem to me that one of the great fields of labor that we might engage in is to have a standing committee on this subject and let them do whatever comes up to be done, and for my part I think it would be a very great mistake if we are at any time within the next five or ten years without a standing committee on that subject, and I hope that we may keep a committee of that kind during all the future time that we exist as a Mining Congress. PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Any further discussion? If not the question is to accept this report and discharge the committee. Are you ready for the question? MR. DANIELS: I move to amend the motion by striking out that part which provides for the discharge of the committee. The motion was seconded. PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that the motion made be amended by striking out the latter part of the original motion, which provides the discharge of that committee. Are you ready for the amendment? The motion is now on the amendment. The motion was put and prevailed. motion as amended. The question now comes on the original Such motion was put and prevailed. PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The next is the report of the Committee on Protection against Mining Frauds, Mr. C. J. Downey, Denver, Colorado. SECRETARY CALLBREATH read the report of the committee, which is as follows: To the Members of the American Mining Congress and the Delegates of the Eleventh Annual Session: At the ninth annual session of the American Mining Congress, held at Denver, Colorado, provision was made for a committee of five to consider means of preventing the fabrication of fraudulent mining schemes. At that session, the Congress adopted a measure very similar to a law on the statute books of California and recommended its passage by the legislatures of the several states. This law was designed to punish misrepresentations in letters and prospectuses issued for the purpose of aiding the sale of corporation shares, and it was adopted the following winter by various states in the East and West. The delegates at Denver, however, considered that the effect of this measure was limited to punishing misdeeds after they were committed, and that it was within the province of the American Mining Congress to suggest methods of a preventative nature, designed not only to deter men from indulging in false finance, but to aid stockbuyers in protecting themselves. It was with this idea that the committee of five was provided for. That committee was composed of Charles J. Downey, of Denver, chairman; Henry C. Beeler, of Cheyenne, Wyoming; R. L. Herrick, of Scranton, Pa.; A. W. McIntire, of Everett, Wash., and William F. Clark, of Glover, Vt. It reported at length to the tenth annual session of the Congress, at Joplin, Missouri, last fall, and this report will be found in full in the proceedings of the Joplin session. In brief, it recommended the adoption of a law by the several legislatures, more especially those of the West, requiring the filing of extensive information of a vital nature by all corporations falling under the description of those sought to be reached. It was designed to take cognizance of the prospect character always present, in a greater or less degree, in mining property, and by reference to the notion of prospect value, to make its use dependent upon the proper certification of facts to the secretary of state; also to take cognizance of the stock prospectus and to provide what measure of information should be set forth therein. The committee also recommended the universal adoption of the cumulative voting privilege for minority stockholders and suggested other means of educating the investing public with respect to the best means of protecting itself against unworthy mining stock offerings. Lastly, the committee recommended that a standing committee of five be provided for, to be appointed from year to year by the president, this committee to contain at least three lawyers and to be known as the Committee on Corporation Legislation. The report was unanimously adopted, and the present committee was subsequently named. As the important recommendations of the Joplin session concerned the presentation of proposed legislation to the general assemblies of the states, and as none of these has met since the recommendation was made, by the very nature of the situation the legislative suggestion of the former committee stands where it did, it being the expectation that the matter will be brought before the lawmakers of the states at their sessions this winter. No member of the committee has proposed anything additional to what has already been done, as it is evidently feit that some disposition should be made of the recommendations already pending. In the nature of the case, therefore, a meeting of the committee, during the present year, was hardly necessary, and the chairman contents himself with suggesting, without authority from the committee as a whole, that the president of the American Mining Congress select a member from each state where there is no subsidiary branch of the organization, to offer the proposed measure for the consideration of the local legislature, leaving it to the subsidiary branches, where they exist, to submit the measure to the lawmakers of their districts. The corporation laws of the several states are not uniform; therefore, it is not possible to present a uniform law to them with the assurance that it will accord with local judgment. Respectfully submitted, PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection CHARLES J. DOWNEY, Chairman. MR. DANIELS: In case this report is accepted now will there be an opportunity to bring up any matter in connection with it later on? PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Certainly; you may present a resolution at any time. later. MR. DANIELS: I am not ready just now to do so, but I want to PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It will be on file for that use by this body. If there is no objection it will be filed with the secretary. The next report is the report of the Committee on General Revision of Mining Laws, Dr. W. R. Ingalls, New York City. MR. W. R. INGALLS, OF NEW YORK: Mr. President, I regret that this committee has nothing to report but progress. It has been giving its consideration to the subject during the year, but the subject is one that requires a great deal of time, and I anticipate that it will be several years before the committee will be able to make a final report. It has been suggested to me, however, by our esteemed secretary that the meeting would be interested in a few words of explanation as to the purposes of the committee, and if you will excuse me for taking your time, I will make such an explanation. This committee was appointed at the meeting of the Mining Congress at Denver two years ago, its purpose being to prepare a modern law governing metalliferous mining with a view to its adoption by the American Mining Congress and recommendation to the various states of the Union |