Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-19
THE LIVES OF MINERS
Must Be Protected by a Careful Re-
vision of Legislation.
FEATURES TO BE CONSIDERED,
Proof of the Presence of Oil and Gas in
the Coal Pits.
TESTS OF TIE VARIOUS SAFETY LAMPS

The Western Pennsylvania Central Min
ing Institute began a two days session in
the Sheriffss salesroom OF the Court House
Yesterday, President Hugh McMurry in
the chair, and Secretary William Seddon
on hand. as usual. The morning session
was devoted 10 the discussion of The Diff
ference Between Shaft and Drift Mining
in the Bituminous Region" The subject
was exhaustively handled, and on the whole
the members inclined to the shaft.
AT the opening Of the afternoon session
Mine Inspector Thomas X. Adams, of
Mercer county, read a paper relating to the
passage of a concurrent resolution at the
last session of the Legislature, creating a
commission TO revise the act relating
to the mining of bituminous coal.
He said the average citizen looked upon
such work as a useless expenditure of
money, but he said experience had shown
that the average legislator was incompetent
to frame the necessary safeguards to protect
q very dangerous occupation. Pennsylva-
MIA is not alone in such legislation, as Eng
land, France, Belgium and Germany had it
long ago, having scientific mining engi-
was important that the commissioners be
selected from the best talent of the State or
their work may not only be very burden
some TO the taxpayers, but of no benefit to
the industry they are appointed to serve.
No Unwieldy Body Wanted.
He urged that the commission should not
be composed of more than five or at most
ea,-ar me ou q s,no1l nur,hor ore NOT o,lv
easier paid, but more likely to do good
work The most efficient work of this kind
ever done in this State was that by the
commission of 1874, which was composed of
but three members-John O'Neil, coal
operator; Augustus Steiner and John Arch
ibald, miners. Mr.. Adams rehearsed the
struggle to get the legislation and
the benefcence of the law of
1877 though some of the best parts of what
the commission reported they were forced to
abandon in order to secure any relief.
Little or nothing was accomplished by the
large commission appointed in 1885, which
was composed of 25 men He showed the
necessity of revision of the legislation of
1879, owing to the growth of the industry.
In 1879 342 bituminous coal mines were
operated employing 21,0O0 persons and
the output 15,000,000 tons. Last
year 645 mines were operated,
81, 800 persons employed and output
40 SOC, 913 tons, not including the u, $50 out
sfde employees; a net increase in tonnage of
172 per cent in mines, SS15 per cent outside,
and los per cent inside increase in en-
ploves. Fatal accidents in 1879 were 81 and
in 1890 13l He asked if this statement did
not prove that additional legislative safe
guards were needed.
Mr Adams scarcasticallv and in caustic
be of ha1 1os r ouic
lature on this head not forgetting to pay
his respects to some professional labor
leader representatives in that body. In
conclusion, he urged that the Institute use
its utmost endesvors to have created
National Mining Commission, with power
TO effect the reform wanted.
A Test OF Safety Lamps.
The reading was followed bv tests of Grev,
Glennie. Davv, Musler and Nelson safety
lamps Mr. Nelson claimed for his lamp
that it showed the presence of one-half of
per cent Of gas in mine, as proven by
test in mine at Johnstown when the Shaw
indicator showed that to be the percentage
of gas in the mine. The matter was dis
cussed bv Messrs. Adams, Blick, Steiner,
Duncan. Evans, of Johnstown, and Secre-
tarv Sedden.
Mr.. Blick held that the Davy lamp was
more sensitive than any other he had
ever tested, and with him several
agreed 1t was held by them that the only
real difference in the lamps was in con-
sJruction and that some showed gas without
being pushed up into it as far as the Davv,
because combustion was furnished from a
higher plane and that fact made all the
difference; that otherwise the principle of
combustion was the same. No vote was
taken on the subject.
The subject of danger arising from drill
ing oil and gas wells through coal mines
was discussed during the remainder of the
session, and Mr.. Blick was first called on as
his district embraces the Mcdonald oil field
Oil in the Mines
Nh Blick stated that he had found in
some mines oil in considerable quantity
on the floors OF pits, notwithstanding the
testimony of experts before the courts that
oil wells were Theoretically closed so that
neither oil nor gas could penetrate the
mines.
He would not say positively that there
was danger but would not be astonished at
the reception of telegram at any time tell
ing of the killing of 100 or 150 men in those
mines. He was inclined to think that the
temperature Of coal pits might cause an
evaporation OF gas from the oil
that would be almost certain
to take fire. He would not
undertake to say whether the oil came from
the wells at the point of contact with the
mines, as the whole country was saturated
with oil, and it might come from the sur
face. He knew it was in the mines in con-
siderable quantity. He strongly urged i'm
mediate action. He would not reflect on
the courts, but thought Harrisburg should
know of the situation.
Not Depending on the Legislature.
Inspector Evans, of Johnstown, sug-
gested that it would be long time ere
relief could be had from Harrisburg Mr.
Evans was confident that the danger was
imminent, as he mad known gas to be gener-
ated from refined petroleum.
Messrs. McMUrry and Dearmit spoke in
a similar view and Duncan was canstic in
his structures on experts who testified that
oil and gas wells we've hermeticallv sealed
st the point where they passed through |
coal mines.
The unshot of the matter Yesterday was |
the appointment of committee of five to |
express the sense of the institute. and |
Messrs. Thomas X. Adams, James Blick,
August Steiner, Wm. Duncan and Secre- |
tary Sedden were charged with the duty
and they Will report action to-day.
False Economy
Is practiced by many people, who buy in |