The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-07-06
THE MINER.
Increased Safely in WORKING Coal.

We fnd the following interesting paper
On Increased Safety in Working Coal,
as having been read by MIR Samuel Firth,
at meeting Of the mining Engineers, IN
the London Colliery Guardian. The
writer thus proceeds 10 compare the "Bord
and Pillar system and the Longwall prop
or, viz
In bord and pillar there is liability to &C
cidents from the following causes
l. Deranged ventilation owing to its
being split up in great many parts, trav-
erslng long distances and turning many
courses.
,. That when stall men to do all branches
of the work themselves, viz Hohng
blowing down, filling and proping, there is
apt to be carelessness especially being
paid, as they think only for coal sent out.
They are proved often to run many risks
rather than spend little extra time to
make all safe as they 60 along.
3. That there is difficulty in exercising
proper supervision over the men and work
ings, isolated as they are in different parts
Of the mine.
T. That when pillars Of coal are left, they
prevent a thorough subsistence Of the roof
and cause breaks or hollows to be left in
the goaves and these often become full Of
gas, which may at any time burst out.
Moreover, there is difficulty IN ventilating
the goavcs.
8. That when small coal mixed with
oyrltes, is left in the partially open goaves,
there is danger from spontaneous cumbus-
ton.
g. The use of gunpowder is almost uni
versal to bring down the coal
In Long wall there is less liability to
accident, As compared with " Bord and
Pillar, ON the following grounds
L. The same amount IF ventilation Is
more effective, and safer from its greater
simplicity.
2. 1t presents much better opportuni-
" for mdicious division IF labor. This
can be done by having relays Of men to do
the holmg, packing, filling, and, where
necessary, blowing down, thus each relay
having its distinct branch of labor, there
is not the liability Of any part Of the work
being carelessly performed
g. That. as the working, AS well a. the
men are more concentrated, better SUI
pervislon can be exercised.
4 That, By general subsistence Of the
roof, the goaves become closed up, allow
lllS no TcStTNouS LOT Jas NhoiCoNCir AhN
goaves can be ventilated rs required.
8. That where there Is known danger
from spontaneous combustion II can be
obviated by driving to the boundry and
working home.
g. The use Of gunpowder is not univer-
sal to bring down coal. In LOngwall,
however. the miner is more liable To acct
dent from falls of coal and roof than in
Burd and Pillar" work for the coal,
being unsupported 10y pillars, has great
er tendency TO part from the roof and
the depth Of underwriting being, in some
cases, i've or SIX feet the miner Is often
entirely under the coal, and liSble At any
moment to be injured by the falling mass.
This great depth Of holng, however.
sometimes enables the coal 10 part from
the roof without having recourse Ia blast
ing, but gives great width Ut roof tn be
supported, and IS apt to bring the latter
down with the coal or separately. Owing
however, 10 the great height of manual
holng At the face uf the coal its arched
form, and irregular depth, the coal does
not always part from the roof by Its own
weight, 50 that the use Of gunpowder Is
found to lie more or less requisite.
We thus see that. however advantage
Gus in other respects, there is still danger
in Longwall' from
L. Falls nf coal
2 Falls Of roof
5. The use 81 gunpowder, more or less
and it is from these three sources Of dan
ger that the greatest number of accidents
arise
Now l BEG ~ suggest that by working
"LOngwall BY coal cutting machinery,
the above dangers are almost entirely obvl-
ated.
l. The workman is removed from dan
ger by falls % coal.
2 A less depth of underwriting being
necessary 70 bring down the coal by me
chanical means than by hand labor, there Is
a less width of roof to support, hence less
risk cf its b.ing brought down with the
coal or separately, and the working face
being straighter, the roof can be supported
with greater regularity.
3. The Use Of gunpowder Is unnecessary,
for the coal being cut away at the face, and
the back Of the groove being straight
along with other reasons which Will be at
once apparent, but to numerous to give III
detail-the parting of the coal from the
roof. by its own weight, can be assured.
In concluding, Mr.. Firth says the com
binations have named, enables us to Use
the forces uf nature, So that they assist
our operations instead of impeding them,
and by these means it is possible Tor miners
To work and raise coal, without the oper-
alton being perpetual tight Tor life
SitcUds Coal Trdds CirruldT.