The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-26
DETAILED REPORT
ON VIRGINIA MINE
Assistant Mine Inspector Ruff
ner Gives Facts
MINE CLEANED UP WELL
Ventilation Good but in Three Head
lngs It Was Too Far Behind.
A Good Deal of the
Dust Damp.
MINE CLEANED UP WELL

Assistant Mine Inspector NJ NJ. Kuffner
has made the following report TO the
chief mine inspector:
Hon. ]. NJ. Gray, Chief Mine Inspector,
Birmingham, Ala:
MY Dear Sir-Aceording to your in
structions I went to Virginia mine on
June 20 and made an inspection of the
mine. l found the ventilation good, but
in three of the headings it was most too
far behind. This was caused by water
having accumulated In the entry air
ways 1t is now being removed by means
of water car. In one of the air ways
so much water was making in it that
Mr. Jordan, the mine foreman, decided
to slab off the upper rib and pull it a
little up hill: he also turned the heading
a little up hill, as it was going too much
to the dip. All of this work is being
rushed and the foreman thinks that he
will have it all caught up in few days.
The mine has been repaired and cleaned
up very nicely from the mouth down to
the sixth lift together with the headings
and rooms that the company expects to
work. All the dust that was left on the
haul ways after the explosion has been
loaded out, and they are at present prac-
tically free from dust.
THE dust in the COB of the rooms
could not be very well gotten at in the
way of removing it out of the mine
examined n good deal of this and found it
little damp, in some places very damp.
The rules governing the working of this
mine that was agreed to by and between
the company and the miners last year
are still In force, except that part of the
rule that applied to the shooting of the
Il IL
comply with the rule made by you for
the manner and method of shooting and
mining the COAL
"A shot firer has been employed by
the company, who does the shooting of
all the coal and top that is shot in the
mine, and no shots are fired until all the
men except the shot firer and his helper
are out of the mine.
THE miners mine the coal on the top
Of the middle, parting back in from three
to six feet, according to the thickness
of the middle man or parting, and no
holes are bored over six inches on the
solid Long fuse Is used in every hole
and clay brought in from the top is
used for tamping. This is all prepared
by the miner and put up at the working
face and the shot firer does the charging
and the tamping of all holes, and his in
structions from Mr.. Reed and Mr. Jor-
udn u lildl IL III Ills opinion any nOle
Is improperly placed or the coal not
mined sufficient not to shoot 1t until 1t
is prepared right | am glad to say that
the miners are mining their coal and do
ing all other work, including timbering,
very nicely, and 1t don't seem to work
a hardship on them. In fact, they seem
to be perfectly satisfied with that way
of working the coal They say that 1t
mines easy They never have to prepare
Three shots a day is the maximum for
two men in a place. This breaks them
enough coal to run them the next day
and allow them time to do their other
work and prepare for the next days
coal. AS a whole | consider this one
of the best systems that we have in any
of our mines for the working and shoot
ing OF the coal. If this rule is observed
and carried out to the letter, l have no
fears of a repetition of the terrible disas-
ter that occurred at this mine on the
10Th of February last, when Ill souls
were hurled into eternity.
God forbid that this should ever again
occur in any of our mines, and If all par
ties concerned will only study these great
questions as they should and listen to
those who have not only given them
great deal of study, but practiced them
successfully for years, and obey instruc-
llOllS given lntIn lOI lit DIOltCllOn VI
life | believe that the death rate in our
Alabama mines will be reduced to a very
small percent. The mining of the coal
before it is shot has proven to be a sue
cess in this mine so far, and ] believe II
will continue to be SO IL carried out in
good faith. 1t is also proving a success
in the Flat Top mine, and in the Central
Iron company mine at Kellerman, Ala,
and the coal in all our mines should be
ON eli Ia
before it Is shot. 1t will be cheaper on
the miner to do this, which is certainly
consideration But, above all things,
1t will be protection to life in the mine
by reducing windy or blown out shots
to n maximum.
"These suggestions are not imaginary.
but facts gained by experience, and l
earnestly hope that you and the board
of mine foreman examiners will give them
serious consideration. Under the law you.
and you alone, have the right to make
this rule, subject however, to the APP
prevail of the board of mine foreman eX-
aminers. The reason that this method
of working coal In our mines was OBJ
jected to was that It would reduce the
earnings of the miner and decrease the
output of coal but l am glad to say
that such is not the case for Wherever
1t has been tried the output per man
not a consideration for this department.
for our duties are, and should be, to
try and protect life in our mines, ana
to do this we must have the cooperation
of both operator and miner, and l be-
lieve that when they come to realize
the fun Importance of these vital ques-
lions that they will join hands with and
assist us in this great work
LAS - gas in the Virginia mine, was
told by the foreman and number OF the
miners that all working places IN the
mine were examined every morning pc
fore the men were allowed to enter the
mine. and that there was very little gas
found in the mine at any time | tod
the miners to pay strict attention to tne
mine foreman's and IRE bosses orders
and take no chance on anything, ana
also told them that IL any of them DIS
covered anything or practice In the mine
that was dangerous or defective to re-
port it at once to the mine management.
and If ii was not looked after and reme-
died at once to report 1t to this depart
ment. Very respectfully
IN. NJ. KUFFNER,
Assistant Mine Inspector