The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-01-20
A CRY FOR BETTER LIGHT.
The Risks o Miner Runs Because He Can
Not Soc.

The Risks Miner Runs Because He Can
Not Soc.
For every fifty thousand tons OF coal
mined in tho anthracite regions, writes
Scranton. Pa, correspondent, one hu.
man life is lost. This is at the rate OF
fifty lives month, or almost an average
of two day for every working day 10
the year. When the price OF coal is
adjusted for the season the cost of pro-
duction and transportation is all care
fully summed up in the estimates, but
this ono factor Of the cost of human life
in mining tho coal does not get into tho
calculations. and is never rcckoned in
tho price current. Tho chief causes OF
fatality in tho mines are explosions Of
gas and falls of roofing. While the most
dreaded form of destruction, that of cx-
plosion, docs not appear from statistics
to be the most fatal numerically, yet it
is attended by q fact that adds to the
melancholy of the fate of its victims.
Every life lost in n mine explosion is
sacrifice to cnrclessncSs, either the care
less and culpablo act Of n miner or to
tho moro deliberate carelessncss of mi =.
owners in emitting to provide better
light and ventilation in the mine.
Scarcely week passes in the coal
region without news of some disaster
from explosion or the falling OF mine
roof, and every accident is followed BY
the cry. that has been made ever since
coal-mining began in the region, that
there must be better light for use in
mines. The cry Is soon forgotten, be-
cause it has never been followed up by
any practical effort on the part of the
men most interested to make it of prac-
tical effect
Accidents in mines are enormously
increased by the darkness. A danger
greater than that from gas explosion
constantly mcnaces miner. Of the
deadly presence of the tirc-damp he may
frequently trust his sense of smell to
warn him, but the other danger he can
only discover with his eyes. This dan
ger is that from tho fall of face-coal in
the roofs, and onc-third of the lives lost
in tho coal-mincs are lost by these falls
of coal.
n bl 81 n mine may shattcr q larger
area of ~cai than is thrown down If
tho miner sees n crack in the wall ahead
OF him, or in tho roof above him. he
knows no is in danger, and he can tell
whether it Is imminent by his never
failing test Of the piece of wet clay. This
clay, plastercd over the crack, will
shortly tell him whether the crack is
stationary or is slowly but surely en-
larging and advancing toward the time
of the fall of rock or coal. If the crack
Is cnlarging the clay will soon show n
crcvice in itself Then there Is DANGER
swift and near.
The miner has the reputation of be-
ing a most reckless and needless person.
and the evidence of many mine acci-
dents show plainly that except for some
careless act Of n workman it would not
have happened The danger of fire
damp is as well known to the miner as
the fact that he is alive, and such an
act OF bravado or thoughtlcssness as
striking match to light his pipe or the
going forward with naked lamp or a
burning candle while there was strong
suspicion that the deadly frc-damp was
lurking at his side would seem to ho tho
madness Of sclf-destruction, Not even
tho most rcckleSs would be supposed
capable of thus deliberately inviting a
horrible death or doom himself 10 see
his chance of life and escape slowly
wear away while he is imprisoned in a
locked-up gallery. Yot the interior of
mine after an explosion too often bears
the mute but unmistakable witness as to
the cause. 1t may be half-burncd can
die, sometimes still clutchcd in the care
less miners hand, or huS of matches
half emptiod. or n naked or unlocked
lamp. 1t Is common thing to hear
tho report OF mine accident of this
kind ending up with the statement:
Caused by miner working with a
naked lamp"
But in making the clay test to dis
cover the danger that may be present in
g cracked roof there is not much won
dor that the miner riska ono danger to
the moro surely determine the immi-
nence Of another. His lamp is dull, and
tho testing clay is surrounded by dark
ness. The miner, to note more certain
ly tho working of the clay. frequently
removes his candle, and holds it nearer
the crack to give him better light, thus
impcriling his own life and that Of
Others by tho danger Of exploding gas in
the effort to more surely escape the other
danger that he knows may be present.
IL instead of tho FREELY lamp the miner
10 now compelled TO use because of the
still backward state and scientific neg
lect OF invention in regard to the bet
ter and safer Lighting Of mines he had
light by which he could see clearly
what was threatening him in the con-
fines OF tho gloomy chambers he would
not, as now, constantly be tempted to
brave the risk Of fire-damp.
Tho electric lighting Of mines has
been suggested and experimental with,
but 1t does not sHcm to be practical in
the winding galleries and isolated cham
bers Of the anthracite mines The lights
would have TO be so numerous that the
cost would place the lighting of mines
by electricity, as rule, beyond the con-
sideraton OF the mine-owncrs "What
10 needed" says an old Scranton mine
boss. "is q portable lamp, easily carried,
and capable Of a brilliancy so great that
the necessary safety-screen can not re-
duce II n dullness that will tempt tho
miner to bring the naked famo of o
match or candle in contact with p,;po