Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-02-13
SUDDEN uUToCRsr o. Gas u
01N8A.

On the oooa ion of the two most seri-
Gus explosions IN our mines during ,he
present year We are made more familiar
with some of the causes which lead 70
these lamentable catassrOphss. Sudden
outburUts and blowers, II 70 said, are the
primary causes II most expl0si0ns. One
Of these 10 believed 10 have led to the
explosion at Mo0rfield o0lliery last week,
and frOnsthe evidence given On Taesday
last at Barnsley with respect TO the "a
txlIty at the Wharncliffe Carlton cOllisry,
u would appear that the gas ignited from
from sudden outburst, probably from
the roof. Al Moortisld heavy blower
was met with IN one of tho headings,
which could not be approached even
with the best Of safety lamps. The gas
came out in large quantities, and It Il
evident that some VI the tnen who had
Davy lamps. IN endeavorinS 70 escape,
tired II. luis ID very easiiy 10 he Hc-
counted for. In some mines there are
large quantities Of gas in cavities, and
these are at times cut into and the gas
escapes a. blowers, both from the coal
and from, the issures in the strata. 1t
usually escapes IN greatest abundance
uear faults Or other irregularities Of the
beds. Ii n said that these blowers of
gas are never found above the sea level,
and wnen blowers do take place the
greatest caution u necessary on she part
of tue men 70 ensure their safety. Bot
At the M0orfieid ooliiory some of sho men
had Davy lamps, and these may have
led ~ the serious ,oss Of life which took
place. Abe Dayy lamp usually remains
safe unless moved or carried in q cur
YNg nj NJ hfSi AAs char h. IL
OF the latter IL comparatively moderate,
Rauzo and set fire to the mixture outside.
IL would appear that at Moorfisld the
Davy lamp Was 50 exposed, at least such
u the theory advanced.
AT the inquest, which was terminated
on Tuesday, at Barnsley, with respect 10
the seventeen men whose bodies were
recovered from the WhArncliffs Carlton
solliery, tbs cause vas attributed to .
sudden outburst Of gas, for which the
district has been noted. At the wharn-
clifis Carlton oolliery the men were work
ing with protector lamps, burning
o0lxaline; but there Vas also . Davy
lamp IN she vicinity Of the place where
the explosion took placs, though Is had
not been used. BE- this rs it may, there
vas vast accumulation Of gas AN ex-
tensive outburst, in all probability, from
4 oroescut ON tho main air-way oourse;
bot whence il cams there vas no svi-
dsnce ~ show, the probability being that
gas was liberated in large quantity. and
thas tho outbuRse affected the vsl0oity of
The cir, thus bringing ont the flame Of q
lamp ~ the explosive mixture. The re
suit Of the evidence given was certainly
6y no means satisfact0ry, even to the
jury. Who returned . verdict that tho
seventeen persons brought oat Of the
ooll1esy after the 0courreoos were killed
BY N exploslon Of Raa bat how 10 vas
CAUSED there vas mot suficient evidence
70 show. In conclusion il may be said
that, a. blowers and outbursts take place
suddenly, and from places least expect
ID. IL 10 impossible 1t all tunes 20 guard
against them. All that can b done 10
% work fiery mines with lamps that
Sill DO ssli-sxtinRuishing in an ex-
plosivs atmospAsfe.- Losdes 1tsiss
Journal.