The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-06-02
D0kTs FOR MINERS Nh d 4
EfdahS Inspector Complies vaiu!
able List 81 Cautions.

AeOOS1 y ~ DCAi3 iuUpONoOA VA AnAuOsS
for Idaho. in his annua. report for
1904 has written afew don Is for min
ers OF that state that can very well
[be applied elsewhere. They are as
fellows:
"The following dont's may be prof
Iitably needed By powder users. Some
OF them will appear superfious to the
lay reader, but from PERSONAL expeF-
ienceI know them to be justified:
Don It start TO drillin new face
until you have thoroughly satisfied
yourself that there are no missed holes
or unexploded pieces Of powder left
10 the old butts, or that could angle
| into the line YOU are going TO point a
hole on.
/ Don't depend entirely upon reports.
It.often happens that tile upper part
Of a cifarge OF old powder will e1plode
and the lower part remain alive and
une1pioded without hitting of.
Don't be 10 toe. big a hurry to 20,
back on striker, OF burnt hole, or to
reprime . missed hole, but.it is safer
to replime It 10 an hour, say, than to
work over it for a whole halfshift.
"Duri ng the past summer missed
holes at the Snowstorrn mine in Sho-
shone county and the Cracker Jack
mine in idaho county, with fuse ap-.
parentiy burnt out and giving no sign
Fof AsfeyezpaeasG3 - staAaa aRjss-,
cent for four and one half hours
badly mafmiHg two men In one inst
ance and one In the ottIer, who we're
working over them.
"a round Of IS machine holes in q
three compartment vertical shaft 200
feet deep at the Thorn mine near
Idaho City last summer was fired;
only one report short was noticed;
when the round was finally cleared up
| it was found that the butts OF ten OF
the holes contained from one TO eight
inches of unexploded powder. The
powder used looked all right, but sub
sequently proved to have been in stock
| for a long time. Moral: Demand
fresh powder; use strong caps and
good fuse.
"Don't use any kind of a metal
tamping bar, or tap wooden one
with a hammer when loading.
"Don't jab too hard With wooden.
tampfng bar in case 8 piece Of powder
Ftftciiers Or sticks half way in a hole
when loading, and you cannot push.
lit home gently. Never mind your.
reputation asa loader. Let her spoil.
HIT should result in your losing your
lob. you lIave yourself left anyway.
Don't be q 1layseed and carry your
powder about your person to soften
lit, or attempt TO thaw stick In the
flame Of a candle or crimp cap with.
your teeth, or break stick in two;-
cut it, no matter how dull your knife
is.
Don't keep powder and caps In the
same box. .z -,fs
Don't lab a pick into a muck pile.
as il you were driving spike on the
railway. You.are liable to hit a stray
piece ofpowder that will explode and
blow your eyes out. Such an accident
has happened within the year. Use
your pack to work the stuff down with
more of raking motion. 1t is safer
and Just rs effective.
Don't take a naked light into any
storage place for powder Or srb-Inaga-
zines; leave IL at the entrances. as far
back as will serve the purpose.
"Don' take these admonitions too
much to heart, but bear them con-
stantly ia mind. With all the risks
Of a. mining occupation, including
the harding Of powder, they are no
greater than Those ot traInnietl, re-
oafre no more mechanical skill, aud
| With reasonably careful handling and
| inteiiigent precautions, the present.
source iof accidents 10 Idaho mines
ought to be reduced very materially"
az no Reward.