The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-25

Article II. section . Of the mine ven-
tilution law reads:
THE owner, operator or superintend-
ent of mine or colliery. shall without
delay give notice to the inspector Of
the district in which said mine or col
liery Is situated in any or all OF the
following causes" Case sixth: Where
q squeeze, or crush. or any other cause,
or change may seem to affect the safe
ty of persons employed in any mine, or
where fire occurs, or a dangerous body
of gas is found in any mine
Now, not only was the Twin shaft
mine affected by terrible subsidence
of the overiIowing strata, but a large
body of gas had accumulated west or
No. 3 slope This gas. no doubt, had
collected there by reason OF the ar
passage being obstructed by fall of
the roof, and the fracturing of the roof
strata lberating the confined gas. Gas
is a very dangerous element to contend
with, especially so when crush OF the
roof strata takes place. 1t was known
that all the workmen at the foot or NO.
3 slope We're using naked lamps,
and that the gas was ShoFiib
OUT to that point. The sGreezt
had assumed certain proportions
which made 1t possible at any
1noment for fall to take place oi
such dimensions as to displace the gas
causing it to come into contact with
the naked lamps, when terrible eN-
plosion would have been the result.
He also take into consideration the
fact that mems lives We're in imminent
danger from an explosion of gas, even
if they had been using safety lamps
for. should Il local fall of the roof have
taken place, it would have forced the
gas out at such a high velocity that
the flame of the safety lamps would
have been forced through the gauze
and ignited the exterior gas. After
the extensive fall, however there was
no evidence left to nroVe that there
had been an explosion of gas: yet there
is reason to believe that an explosion
may have occurred for, according To
the evidence, precautionary measures
We're not taken to prevent it. The an
sence of indications which generally
follow an explosion oi Sas would not
prove, in connection with this accident,
that the gas was not iSnited. because
the caVe-in may have occurred subse-
quently to the explosion, which, in
this case. destroyed or buried all in
dications such as scattered fragments
of timber. Again. the residue from
combustion called Choke damp" could
have been diluted before the rescuing
party could have reached the point
where it was likely to be found.
Whether an explosion occurred or not
we have no positive proof We have
evidence. however, that naked lamps
We're used on the night of the accident.
and the character of the squeeze and
the results produced thcrefrom We're
such as would lead us to presume that
an explosion did occur.
CAUSE OF A SQUEEZE.
Different opinions are advanced by
mining men as to what is the original
cave of Il mine squeeze. This subject
needs but little discussion, because a
squeeze will never occur where the pill
lar supports are strong enough to sus-
tain the everything strata. Where the
roof strata is friable and dislocated or
"slippy," the chambers or breasts must
be driven narrower than where the
roof strata is comparatively stronger,
The roof strata. however, at the Twin
shaft mine was not unusually friablc,
and no fears We're entertained that a
sudden displacement of a large area of
the everything strata would take place,
ana We failed to learn that ii has be-
come publicly known that cave-in
WAS likely to occur. 1t is true we often
meet with a dislocatiOn in the strata,
such rs the mud crack" found near
the bore hole in front of the workings
marked on mau "Eley Sur. 5j6.27."
These features in the coal formation
very often give much trouble in keep
ing the roof of the vein from falling
down, as they generally weaken the
surroundings. Still the trouble will be
nlNv ,,iIl a
large enough to sustain the load over
them under ordinary conditions.
From our experience. however. all
mine squeezes, general or local, come
on gradually and the indications are
always very manifest to the ear or IL
the eye, such as the cracking Of the
roof rock before an entire separation
takes place, and an occasional fall.
These are evidences that sooner or lat
er we may expect Il collapse unless
the squeeze can be arrested. a grad
ual subsistence may continue for days
weeks. or even months. before the final
separation takes place; yet plenty OF
warning and time are given for all t.
escape from under the fall. In view of
this fact il will be readily seen, even
by the uninitiatol. that loss of life does
not necessarily attend Il mine squeeze
l,
use all precautions to prevent the work
men from working under it.
MIR. LANGAN'S JUDGMENT IN
DORSED.
Mr.. Langan, mine superintendent
had directed what size the pillars
should be formed in the Twin shaft
mine. and his judgment in this respect
was endorsed by Mr.. Mcdonald. mine
inspector, who testified that he con
siderCd the pillars IN that mine largt
enough. Mr.. Langan not only had con.
iNence in the strength of the pillar
throughout his entire cOlliery, but 1t
was personally directing the work thai
was necessary, in his opinion. to ar.
rest the squeeze ON the Saturday night
he ard hia faithful men We're buried
under the collapse Of the roof strata.
The pillars throughout the en- tire
workings in the Twin shaft collerI
have, as a whole, been very regularly
formed, in our opinion. ana the dimon.
sOns of most of them were fairly good
The map shows a large pillar $50 feer
long by 80 feet wide under the I.acka.
wanna river, extending from the meIid
ian line ives. to and under the ccntc,
Of the SusGuehanna river opposite
Scoveils Island. Where the two Wien.
illNt Dtfi NUIktu, dS SHOWN on tnl
man, the pillars and chambers of tn,
upper vein are not ali immediatelS
above those in the lower This. Il
some extent, superinduCed the suueez,
and caused the alling down of Goa
and rock into the No. vein. and. al
though the oncninas made by thes,
falls were filled W. with refuse anc
"cogs" built with logs. these subgti
tutes could by no means be considered
equal in strength to the coal in its un
broken state; because. in proportion t,
the height of even closely built pii
iar-suppCTt of either rock or wood. a.
they are generally built in mines 9,
will be the distance they will be com
pressed by the weight of the overlyin,
strata. Therefore. if we would have tn.
roof supported properly. it is safer anC
cheaper 10 leave enough unmhed Goa
for that purpose. Where two veins ar.
so intimate as those at the Twin shaft
the upper vein should be mined first
for oven with tb, ora1ta-t ,,r.