Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-10
SAFETY FOR MINERS.
Vast Improvementin the Management
of Mines in Recent Years, and
YET THE LAWS ARE IMPERFECT.
Mr.. Watchorn Says There Was Gross Care
lessness at Dunbar.
LARGE NAIL PLANT FOR EMENSITE

The inquest into the causes of the recent
Dunbar disaster has awakened widespread
intere in the means now used to protect
life and property in the coal regions and
those that might be brought into practice.
The question of blame for the Dunbar acci-
dent is not Of so much concern now as the
one relating to the means of preventing ac-
cidents of the same character in the future.
The victims at Dunbar are dead, and no
amount OF investigation can restore them to
their families and friends, while proper leg
islation may prevent similar disasters here
after.
A. G. Cooper, of Edeburn & Cooper, the
well-known mining engineers, said yester-
day that the present laws governing mine
inspection are sufficient in purpose at least,
and he could see no good reason why such
an accident should have occurred. He was
not prepared, however, to find fault with
anyone for neglect of duty.
SHOULD ENFORCE THE Law.
Referring to the act of 1885, Mr.. Cooper
said: "This act provides for inspectors whose
qualifications shall be determined by an ex-
amining board, to be appointed by
the courts. Each inspector is required
to provide himself with the most
modern appliances for carrying out the In
tentions of the act. 1t also provides that no
operator shall employ miners in any mine
which has not two openings. This is in
tended to give workmen a means of escape
in case of an explosion or accident. L am
not we'll posted on the conditions surround
ing the Dunbar mines, but am satisfied II
the present law were lived up to strictly the
same accident could not have happened In
any of our river mines"
Christopher Evans, Secretary Of the
American Federation of Labor, passed
through the city few days ago. Mr.. Evans
is an old miner, and he has had considerable
experience both in this country and in En-
gland in the mining industry. In speaking
of the Dunbar disaster, while in PIttsburg,
he said:
INSUFFICIENT SAFEGUARDS.
The safeguard thrown around the lives of
miners are not thorough enough. OF course
there has been a vast improvement in the
management of mines during the last 10 years,
but much remains to be done. The ventilation
some mines is very good. There is, how
ever, the danger that gas will accumulate in
spots out of the way of the current of air. The
fash from miners lamp will ignite it. An
explosion will follow and lives are wiped out
times, it is true, careless miner may do in
calculable injury, but in 10 cases out of 20 the
fault is in the mines and not with the men en-
ployed in them. The worst feature about these
explosions is that they generally occur when
men are at work in the mines, nearly 600 feet
below the surface of the earth.
Much can be done to prevent mine disasters.
The laws should provide for the thorough
ventilation of mines. They should be careful
ly inspected, and the system of lighting them
up should be improved. The use of the old
fashioned naked lights should not be permitted.
l think electric lights could be introduced in
coal mines. They would be little expensive,
but what does that signify when the question
of human life is at stake believe that the
electric light is now used on the surface OF
numerous mines out West. An objection raised
to the Use of electric lights in the mines is that
the workmen might be injured, if not killed. by
contact with the wires. The wires. think,
could be so placed as not tc present any dam
GER Another objection is that electric lights
do not illuminate as much space below ground
as they do above If that be true. well, the
proper thing to do Is to use two lights to llumi-
nate an area which one light would cover above
ground. Mine disasters are appalling calami-
ties. and no effort or expense should be spared
to prevent them.
MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
R. D. Layton, Immigrant Inspector, who
has charge of the relief fund for the families
of the Dunbar victims, said: 81 am not very
we'll posted on the laws now in existence,
nor what are necessary for the safety Of
mines, but am informed BY Mr.. Watchorn
that if there had been another opening in the
Hill Farm mine the accident would not have
happened"
Master Workman Evans, of D. A. 8,
knights of Labor, said: II have always
been an advocate of laws that will insure the
greatest safety to workmen, but 1 cannot
say what the mining laws should be-