The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-11
COAL MINE EXPLOSIONS.
An Old Miner Says the Galleries arr
Not Properly Ventilated.

Seattle, Apra Q, 1885.
To the Edlsoy: l see an account In your
paper Of today OF another disaster An OAR
arsnes, this time at Blue Canyon, What
com county, where twenty three miners
lost their lives. I hope Il IS the last OF
It's kind, but fear 1t is not, knowing fun
well how or mines are ventilated. The
mine Inspectors report and that OF the
foreman is generally that the mine Mas
well ven tiiated. but not SO the miner, Il
one should ask him. unless YOU asked him
in the presence Of the boss or che in
spec1or.
The writer had twenty-fofr years ex-
Terlsnce at mining, seven years In the
old corrtry and seventeen years IN the
United States In different parts. and has
found only TWO well ventilated mines,
one IN Illinois and one on tbs Coast.
In other words, he found only two COM
petent men who understood ventilation.
Many miners who have practical knowl-
esiga employed in the mines know more
about successful mana cement of q mine
than their superiors in office, hut they
are well aware thar they dare not sug-
gest or even hint al any Improvement.
unless he - ready 20 quit work They
know that they would be victfn:zed.
The people. or outsiders. viii say: We
have a mine Inspector; why should So
many disasters occur? Is il negligence?
What are they paid forf Yes. We have
inspec tors. and the writer has known
two who had 40 knowledge OF vensila-
ton or the dangers in the mine, as their
practical knowledge Of mining vas linn
tied, bqFt they had book knowledge, by
T,roourfng books from older mining states
on gases, etc. and after study az these
books for a time they would pass exami-
nation. While a man of practical knowt-
edge viii make use Of books. he knows
g a.4a
ny practise alone Can man obtain the
desired end. Put such "a man IN a re-
spenssbie position and there - not a
miner hut w&u have all confidence IN
1gsn and trust HIN with h-s life.
The wrlte~ quiz mining because he saw
the dangers approaching Ia our mines.
and he wrote articles on veusila tion in
the Seattle InteilSencer then and toad
the manager 81 one ~ our leading mines
what would DO the consequence unless
"A change was made. but the manager
saw no danger Trom fire then.
Look az oar mines today and see II thew
are free from flre. Can that be prevent
edF I sSy yes We have miners in this
csuBty who have Travelled from the At
iaafio % tle Pacific csoas.t. and a good
many across she Atlantic. and vet some
90 ou- css1lgsanles prefer something fresh
frNn the East. ! know ~ one instance
where enc % our cogupan se-s sent to
FNen0Sl yvausa fcr q superintendent He
woslld not come unless the ccrsrary en-
tsred inso al agreement - ray him a
stared salary Eor a certain period. which
they id. and before his tiTle expired tra
company found thst * had grla he a grand
nsguIer- Il 6aSzs- ssed hsFn and pad him
nearly tao years salary. A. the sane
tsnse the company had snsn IN lie en-
psoy who coslid have run the mine 20 the
i.a%t ativantaE. and saved Stse coyaoanv
thousands 81 dollars.
admit thar ACCIDENTS WILL haroen
sometimes IN che mines since every man
s3ssas slo, understand al ira danger t.,t
y s13essle slaughter car sse prevented
PRACTICAL MINER.