228 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1910. 



motor from the different floors, but had considerable difficulty in 

 getting a safe arrangement on account of the fact that a high- voltage 

 current was used. For several months experimental work was con- 

 ducted and various devices and expedients were tried, until finally a 

 satisfactory arrangement was secured. Shortly after the installation 

 was completed an operator was caught on the second floor of the 

 building and was drawn to the block; his assistant pushed a button 

 and stopped the machinery almost instantly, preventing any serious 

 injury. Without the stopping device this man would probably have 

 been killed, as it would have been necessary to go from the second 

 floor to the basement to shut down the motor. There have been three 

 specific instances in the last year where these motor stops have been 

 similarly effective. 



There have been several cases during the same period v/here acci- 

 dents have occurred in places covered by recommendations of safety 

 inspectors, before these places could be safeguarded, showing con- 

 clusively that it is possible to anticipate trouble of this sort. Dur- 

 ing an inspection tour of a plant outside the American Steel & Wire 

 Co. the writer went over various features of the electrical installation 

 with the chief electrician of the plant ; among other points which were 

 mentioned was the provision of sweep binishes in front of the crane 

 wheels, as some of the cranes had these while others did not. The 

 electrician acknowledged the value of this device, and said that it 

 would be placed on all cranes as promptly as possible. The day fol- 

 lowing a man had his arm cut off by one of the unprotected cranes ; 

 he was holding to the girder with his arm across the track while 

 adjusting an electric wire and had failed to notify the crane operator 

 that he was there. If the crane had been equipped with brushes the 

 most serious result, regardless of his lack of ordinary precaution, 

 would have been a fall of about six feet to a platform.. Numerous 

 instances of this sort could be cited, and while it is generally impos- 

 sible to point out a particular safeguard and say it has prevented 

 an accident, it is obvious that the thousands of protective devices 

 which have been installed in the various plants of the company must 

 frequently prevent injuries which would otherwise occur. 



RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS. 



In concluding it might be well to mention briefly the methods used 

 by the American Steel & Wire Co. in caring for injured men and 

 those who are incapacitated by siclniess or who have reached the age 

 limit for retirement. 



There is an emergency hospital at each plant to give prompt aid 

 to the injured; these hospitals are fully equipped with surgical in- 

 struments, dressings, beds, etc., and each is in charge of a competent 



