Necessity of closing up the space underneath the house.

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ILLUSTRATIONS.

PLATE I. A, old-style, cheaply constructed, and neglected company house;
B, drinking-water reservoir in process of construction at
Jenkins, Ky.; C, three-room miner's cottage at Dewaine, Ill__
II. Multiple-tenement dwelling of permanent concrete construction_
III. A, miners' brick house at Marianna, Pa.; B, rear view of com-
bination coal bins and privies for two dwellings_____.

IV. Miner's prize garden near Weyanoke, W. Va____.

V. A, change and wash house at Edgewater, Ala.; B, insanitary
arrangement of well, house, and privy---.

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VI. Plan and elevation of miner's frame cottage. VII. Framing plan for miner's frame cottage_-_. VIII. Details of miner's frame cottage_-_.

58

58

58

FIGURE 1. Map of model mining town in Illinois_

2. Diagram showing advantage of diagonal street for closely
grouped cottages__-_-

3. Right and wrong methods of arranging hillside houses.

4. Suggested arrangement for houses and lots..

5. Floor plans of two-story brick house.......

6. Cross section of chimney, showing construction__

7. Incorrect method of framing a house_

8. Correct method of framing a house

9. Self-closing gate

9

10

14

15

18

27

40

42

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PREFACE.

The organic act establishing the Bureau of Mines prescribes, among other provisions, the following:

That it shall be the province and duty of the Bureau of Mines conduct inquiries * * concerning mining

*

to

with a view to improv

*. That the

ing health conditions and increasing safety, efficiency * director of said bureau shall prepare and publish * * reports concerning * * * the improvement of conditions, methods, and equipment, with special reference to health, safety *

Although the actual loss due to an insanitary environment may not be as readily measurable as other losses, it is nevertheless real, and inquiries concerning improvements that go to shield the miner and his family from unnecessary sickness or discomfort plainly lie within the scope of the bureau's duties.

The author of this bulletin has visited the plants of many of the important mining corporations that control their own towns and carry on sanitary and welfare work. Much of the information contained in this bulletin is based on those visits, and too much credit can not be given to the mining officials for their friendly and helpful attitude toward his inquiries. This information has been supplemented by the observations of the mining engineers of the bureau and by data obtained by correspondence and from publications.

The bureau is indebted, for examination and criticism of the manuscript, to Morris Knowles, consulting sanitary engineer; Francis Feehan, Pennsylvania department of labor and industry; and J. B. Kuntz, architect.

JOSEPH A. HOLMES.

3