Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-21

was the subject of discussion at the meeting
of the Western Pennsylvania Central Min
ing Institute, which opened its session ii
the Court House yesterday In the room
formerly devoted to license application
hearings. President Hugh McMurray
mine boss. Of the West End, presided, ant
Secretary Sedden had his hands full in fol
lowing the discussion, which was animated
at times.
After the chair had counseled member.
not to chew or smoke tobacco during the
session, Mr.. Shaw unlimbered in short, time.
He began by a spirited attack on the Col
hery Engineer, of Scranton, one of the
editors of which, Rufus j. Foster, was pres
ent. Mr.. Shaw said the Engineer had en-
deavored to delight certain lot of old fogies
and obstructionists by attacking his system
for the protection of miners lives.
Charges Against Mining journal.
He charged that the proprietors of the
Engineer had attacked him with an earnest
ness bordering on malice, and not only that,
but boasted their intention to fight the
Shaw machine and urge parties if
they expected to get on the right side OF the
operators, to write articles against the Shaw
safety system; that they issued circulars to
all papers in the State and all members of
the House of Representatives, and had be-
come the most active agents in the State for
certain class of operators who are SO
welded to old foky ideas as TO oppose the
slight expense, the maximum of which
would be within one-fourth OIL per cent,
for the safety equipment, which expense
could be put on the consumer by adding 2
cents on the price of ton Of Goa, and to which
no consumer would object when he knew
it was to protect the miners from the most
fearful disaster that besets his calling and
has cost over 100. 900 deaths in the mining
world and annihilated over 200 men in our
own State within few months, as we'll as
protect the property of the operator. Mr..
Shaw read kilograms and letters to show
that he could not get hearing in the Col
kery Engineer. To draw it mildly, this
correspondence might be called spicy, sar-
castle, ironical, and very much to the point
at times. Mr.. Shaw's arguments are as
follows:
A Flat Contradiction of Criticisms.
But for the benefit Of those who are not
posted in the controversy, propose to make
answer and treat the subject with all gravity.
lust the same as if answering reasonable OBJ
lection, and will treat all that part Of the ar
ticle frst that refers TO my proposed safety
system likely to cause great loss of Hfe" etc.
Here is where the paper shows what believe
TO be malice and prejudice, or else great igno-
rance Of the subject which 1t undertakes to
treat in a supposed scientific manner, as it
never once refers to the old system of tests by
the lamp in universal use. except where sub
stituted by my test instrument.
The paper seems totally ignorant of the one
great fact which brought TO prominent notice
in my lectures to the mining engineers, etc,
that in detecting dangerous gases with the
lamp test. the observer can be immersed in an
atmosphere laden with ignitible gases fully so
per cent toward the ignitible line, without any
positive evidence OF its existence in the lamp;
and that the observer with his lamp test can be
immersed in an atmosphere of choke damp C.
D. and c. o. 2, 80 per cent toward the death
it's It's presence. Il IS because 0' Of this
highly dangerous character of the lamp test
that I saw it was utterly incompetent to give
gases that induced me make many thousands
of tests and numerous experiments, and had the
final qualification of solving the one great prob
EN- of causing these dangerous gases to submit
20 instrumental control, so that the most un-
skilled can determine quickly the presence of
dangerous gases in the most positive manner to
The slightest fraction. bringing this invisible
enemy Of the miner out into most positive
presence.
Claims of Endorsement for Accuracy.
This invention has been submitted to the
most severe and crucial tests of the highest
authnritfAs and has he
highest possible Endorsements for accuracy,
and novelty, as it was new to all
he world, and patents granted upon the same
n the principal countries of the civilized
world. and has received the highest awards
,ranted by the Franklin Institute on separate
occasions bv special examinations of the Com
nittee of Science and Art. composed of men of
he highest scientific standing.
The C0tLte1y Engineer people, unfortunately,
re not experts on this subject, and therefore J
rho endorse the practcability of my safety |
vstem, are no more in comparison than the |
1erest infant who bangs its toy balloon against ]
be pyramids of Egypt, and the paper referred /
0 has no more chance of stopping the pro.
ress of this great invention than the child /
as of starting the pyramids.
The statement made by the paper that ''cer-
Ain parties not named, visited the mine oper-
ted under my system, and tnat they came
way declaring my system worthless and dan
u.s." stamp as direct falsehood, and chal-
.nge the paper to produce such statement over
ne signature of the parties referred to.
Standard of Test in Pennsylvania.
The reference to opposition Of Inspectors Is
mother direct falsehood. as hold both sigma
Tres and letters of the Inspectors of this State,
Ivlng my invention for detecting dangerous
ases the highest Endorsement; moreover, it is
le standard of test in this State, made so at
le solicitation of the Inspectors, who had wis
ON and foresight enough TO quickly see how
tterly incompetent the lamp test was to deter
ine with any certainty questions OF this kind.
The instruments are now in official use over
months, and 1 have yet to hear of them
reakIng down. or any complaint whatever.
Mr.. Shaw next read Endorsements of his
pparatus from Mine Inspector Keighley, Of
le Fifth bituminous district; John Full
IN, general manager of the Morrel mine,
National Trade Assembly 1876,
Miners, Mineworkers and Cokeworkers
I America; of the knights of Labor, while
session at Wilkesbarre, on September 20.
,89, and United Mineworkers of America,
!; their annual meeting in Columbus, o.,
anuary, 1890 and 1891.
After submission of these Endorsements
[r. Shaw added that the offending sheet
ther did not understand the subject or in
ntionally falsifed the subject to suit some
lish end incompatible with the
iners' safety. After submitting some re-
,ctions regarding the gravity Of the mat
T, Mr.. Shaw continued:
Where the Fire Boss Makes Mistakes.
The question arises: "Why is it we have so
any mines that are declared to be non-gase-
Is p The answer is, because the lamp test
mot be relied upon, which is proven on test
- a o. 49, 49, IL 4