The Labor enquirer., 1883-11-10
DEATH TRAPS.
Poor Ventilation and Black
Damps inthe Coal Mines oi
Colorado.
A Perfect Disregard for the Law
Shown by the Mine Superin-
tendents.

An Open Letter from Inspector
Mcneil Ordering Compliance
With Law.
One of the most important measures OF
the last legislature was the passage of a
law for the appointment of an inspector
of coal mines. The mining superintend-
ents of the state haye not fully complied
with the demands of this law. Mr..
John Mcneil, the inspector of coal mines,
has recently made a tour of the state in
the discharge of his duty, and as the re-
suit of his, inspection, publishes the fol-
lowing open letter: I'D i.
| INSPECTOR M'NElL SPEAKS. .l
OFFICE STATE INSPECTOR Coal MINES, I ! (.
DENVER, November 2, 1888. J rs
To the mine operators, mine superlntendents
and working miners of Colorado coal mines.
The undersigned, state inspector OF
coal mines, recommended by board of
examiners, and appointed by His Excel
lency, James B. Grant, governor of Col
orado, ON July 81, 1883, has, since assum-
ing duty, visited the varions mining dis
tricts of the state, and finds by investi-
CATION that the mining law in many of
its important provisions has not as yet
been complied with. .'
DISCERNING THE LAW.
The attention of all concerned is re-
spectfully but earnestly called to the
following facts: Defective ventilation
prevails in many of the mines over part
or the whole of the working places, fire.
quently to such an injurious degree at
room faces that the combustion of the
miners lamps can only be maintained
with difficulty. In some mines there
are no artificial means of producing ven
tilation whatever. And even in such
places the natural current Is often Grip
Piled by poor, neglected airways. Where
furnace, fan or other ventilating power
is applied to increase the ventilation, a
good reading on the anemonetor is gen.
orally obtained, at inlet or outlet of the
mine, buI IN many cases the same Is
poorly conducted in and around the
workings, by having poor stoppings and
badly hung doors, and too much distance
between cross-cuts.
) POOR VENTILATION.
have found miners at work two hum
dred feet ahead of the ventilating cur
rent. When | looked in this close and
dirty hole I could hear the sound of a
miners pick striking the coal, but at that
distance l failed to see the miner, but
knowing from past experience, if went
in there l would find him, 80 after got
in little over one hundred feet in this
.densely-thickened air, could see glim-
mering light, which looked as if it had
great many lightning bugs around it.
When got to the face of this place l
found the miner had his lamp hanging
downwards, on the rib side, to enable ii
to give it light. l found the air almost
stagnant to all feeling and density charged
with coal dust, and in few minutes
could feel the effects of carbonic acid gas
better known 10 miners as black damp
This gas is given off from the lungs, and
from the combustion of workmen's
lights, decaying timber and explosions o.
blasting powder. 1t also exudes from the
assures of the coal and from the roof and
floor of the mine. This gas in its pure
state is most deadly poison, and vii
neither support life nor combustion.
THE BLACK DAMP.
T. E. Forester, Esq, a British inspec
tor of coal mines, in an examination be
fore royal commission appointed to in
ouire into the condition of mines, II
1874, gave the following answer to
question in regard to this gas: "It is my
opinion that there are quite as man!
men killed where is nothing but car
bonic acid gas as where there is iniam
mable gas. The mems health is natur
ally destroyed. They do not go immedi
ately, but they go on for few years ant
die"
Andrew Roy, inspector of mines, say
asthmatic diseases at an early period o
life are the unfailing results of bad ven
tilation, and when miners are attacked
in their lungs the shoulders rise, making
the head look like sinking as i'll ordinar.
consumption. The breathing apparatu
becomes clogged up, and there is ex
pectorated black spit, which finally re
suits in the black lungs, or coal miner
consumption.
COAL MINERS CONSUMPTION.
, Professor Graham examined the lung
of miner, the greater part of whicl
were obliterated with black, solid mat
) ter like lampblack, and above one ounc
, of charcoal was obtained out of tn
J mass. DR.. William Thompson has re
/ corded number of cases of miner
: lungs which were infeltrated with blac
matter. The following are some of tn
cases,
d. c., age IS years-Miner twely
I years lungs uniformly black and of
carbonaceous color.
: D. D., age SO years-Miner from bo,
hood lungs uniformly black not We
tige of natural color refers his diseas