The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-17
EREsHsETs SHOULD RE GUARDED
AGAINST.

IL Is OF Inc recent past That the collier ell
tered the coal pit, to commence his daily
labor, oppressed with the sickening, sad
dcning doubt whether he had not seen the
last of earth. There is, even now, too
much Of doubt and danger connected with
the underground work of these humble,
but Invaluable SONS of toll, but these are
mainly owing TO disregard of the wise
and humane provisions of protective laws,
or the parsimony Of the owners of the
mines. To these we do not refer, particu-
larly, any further than to say that an
obedience to the law, a humane regard for
the safety of the cmploye, and the use OF
known and tried preventativcs would have
prevented any loss of life in connection
with the greater number, if not all OF the
so-called explosions and fires reported from,
and In the several colleries during the past
ten years. At the time first referred to,
the miners were compelled to work by the
light OF candle or lamp. The coal being
dug underground and in darkness, there
could be no work without artificial light
AS the miner worked away in the darkness,
seemingly made more visible by the dim,
dingy clip,--ln o moment in twinkling of
an eye, at an unexpected timc--his pick
dislodgcd the coal, but, at the same time,
opened that dangerous fissure from which
that fatal gas rushed forth but to meet and
explode IN the feeble light of the workman,
the light Of whose life was cNinguished
with that OF his candle. Then, by study,
Investigation and experiment, George
Stephenson, and Sir Humphry Dayy, a.
most simultaneously, invented, or dis
covered the principle of, the safety lamp,
by the use of which the hitherto fatal gas
was rendered as harmless as ordinary at
mospheric air The result il, that by the
use of the safety lamp, an obedience to the
requirements Of law, and the use of those
precautions which experience and inyes-
tigation have suggested, the occupation of
Il collier Ia as safe ms that of farm laborer.
So TO with lightning, the electricity Of the
atmosphere, once considered the most dan
gerous of fluids against whose bolts there
was believed to be no protection for life
or prop rty Commencing with the cx-
periments of Franklin, and thence to the
present time, science has dsarmed it of its
te,rors and, to use an original idea, it has
been harnessed for the use of man. If
ones property is destroyed thereby, the
loser must ascribe it to hisown carelessness
and neglect for complete, adequate pro-
lection Is at hand, and that, too, within the
moderate means of the owner of every
building.
Fire, not long ago, was most useful
servant but, at the same time one of the
most cruel Of task masters. But how Is il
now2 Man, If he wills, is the master, fire
the servant. Many can remember the
time-it is so now in many parts of the
country-when If a building was discovered
afire, nothing but most merctul inter
position of Providence could prevent its
destruction, as well as the loss of all others
that were within its reach. Now man, as
1t were, holds the extent of its rayages in
the hollow of his hand. Buildings can be
erected, that fire cannot extend from one
room TO another, while all other structures