The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-12-02

ors eighty-three years ago II he could
have foresccn that nearly a century
later accidents would still be occurring
In the depths Of the coal pits due to
the use OF ordinary open lamps In the
presence OF the doath-deallng hrc-
damp, says the New York Tribune.
The inventor would have been forced
to conclude that his lamp had In some
way failed to prove its efficiency and
yet such Is far from being the truth.
So well has the Davy lamp maintained
It's value as a safeguard for the coal
miner that In spito OF many later de-
vices In the way OF mining lights Il
has always been found. on the whole,
the most satisfactory. and. with slight
notifications. Is tho one used wher-
ever a safety lamp Is desired.
But Just here Hes the point men
toned In the FIRST sentence: A vast
number Of coal miners eth lightly dis
regard the dangers they work In daily.
prefer an ordinary lamp or candle and
cannot be induced to use any other.
In the report OF tho explosion IN the
Empire mlpo az Brownsville. Pa,
whore several lives were lost, there
was this simple but significant SON
tcncc:
"Tho men wore open lamps. such as
arc used IN all tho Monongahola river
Mines
No explanation or excuse accom-
panied the statement. Il merely do
Scribos a state OF things which has
long existed In that part OF Ponnsyl-
yania. The mines OF Fayetto county.
along the Monongahola. and also those
a few miles TO the northeast. IN West.
moreland county. have been regarded
for many years as being comparatively
FREQ from frcdamp. This reputation
has caused even moro than the usual
carelessncas among tho minord who
work there and the safety lamp Is an
article seldom seen. Yet tho occur
renee n few weeks ago shows that even
mines which are not fiery" as the men
say. are subject 10 occasional explo-
alons and that the deep cayorns and
passages from which coal Is excayated
are never 20 be rcckoncd safe. The
Brownsville disaster Is only tho last
OF a series OF tho same kind In its
nelghhorhood. Seven years ago last
January came the frlghtful explosion
OF the Mammoth mine. near Young
wood. about twenty-five miles from tho
scene OF the recent accident. AZ that
time 1O7 oharred and mangled bodies
were taken out OF the galleries aftor
the explosion. The Mammoth was an
other "6afo" mine and all lts men used
open lamps. though they had plenty OF
davies" furnished 10 them free by tho
company. How little confidence II 20
DO placed IN the fact that a mine has
always hitherto enjoyed freedom from
noxloua yapors may be Judged from
this particular case.
Every morning an inspection OF tho
galleries OF the Mammoth for purity
OF air was made by the FIRE boss. As he
finished with each section he scratched
upon It's wallS his mark Simplifying that
Il was safe 20 be worked that day. AZ
3 o'clock IN the morning OF Jan. "a,
1891. the Gre boss made his rounds AZ
usual, and the men, coming to work
at Q o'clock. at once began work where
his "27" assured them OF safety. Ten
minutes later there was tremendous
shock, which made the mountain
tremble for miles. OF the 1873 miners al
work In the fatal gallery 1917, includ'
ing the Aro bosa himself. were killed
II was supposed that a miners pich
had CHANGED to open an unsupported
pocket OF nredamp, Aud the report
from Brownsville can glye only the
same theory regarding this accidents
"Tho explosion II said to have beer
caused by the loosening OF large
block OF coal, which opened pocket Of
gas"
SO there are pont-up masses OF Are
damn even IN safe" mines, and yet Il
Is not At all probable that the miner
along the Monongahela will be fright
sned into abandoning their open lights
Miners, as class. are superstition
regarding their work. They have {
belief that they viii not do unit
their time comes" and that a greater
or less amount OF daily risk does no
make any difference, Then. again
they have certain objections for one OIL
two OF which there IS some slight ex
cuse, TO the safety lamp.
Before mentioning these, the gen
eral features OF the "dayy" and It's i'm
itators may be given. The lamp con
slsts OF a metallic clstern for the oil
and a cylinder OF fine wire gauzo
about eight incnos In height and Al
inch and half In diameter. which
protects the namo from direct contac
with the outside afr. Thus any ga
which this air may contain oanno
be fired by the lamp n there IL an,
considerable quantity OF fredamp pres
ent, however. some OF Il finds It's wa.
In through the gauzo and causes IN
fame TO expand slightly and 10 bur
with q weird, pale-blue light, Thl
ought TO De a warning TO tho miner
but often he Is too busy or too careles
20 notice Il. and N the damp continue
10 Increase the gauze becomes hot an
glowing, In some cases Il may burs
or become inoandescent enough to &C