The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-18

/ r r0DlnanV
that the mine foreman must get a GER
tificate at once.
Plars Were Poor.
On the same date eff the accident to
the two men Mr.. Hlllhouse reported an
examination OF the mine He went over
the place wehere the men were hurt and
reiterated that the ventilation was not
| &c cd. He told the foreman that he could
not have good air with the plans of work
in use. He found No. l and and No. 2
headings very dusty and advised sprink-
lirg; also that all the coal dust on the
side of the track should be sent out
o. the mines. He found that the fire boss
| did not mark the day Of the month in
rooms and headings as instructed" At
| this time, the report said, there was no
| way for the miners to travel to and from
their work in the slope
| report of an accident in which Tom
| Pickett and Anderson Bell were slightly
| burned was made December Z. 1903, by
accumulated gas. They mad fired three
| she is and gone out for an hour When
| they returned tho gas had collected.
| There was not much air and the air
| course was ninety feet behind the head
ing.
Another accident is reported by Mr.
| Hillhouse on January 27, 1904, in which
James Shelby. Bob Stafford and viii
| Ham Lambert were hurt. This came from
| fire from a blast in the air course. The
burns were dangerous There was no
gas in the air course as the men had
been working with open lights. In the
| opinion of the inspector the shot was
overloaded with dynamite which caused
the flames to reach the men. At that time
Mr.. Hillhouse made the following sug-
gestion: Il suggest that the coal should
be mined with either picks or machine
to guard against accidents from ex-
cessive use of dynamite or powder. as, in
my opinion. there is liable to be a serious
accident and loss of life at any time"
On January &c. 1904. in the light of so
many accidents from windy shots, Mr..
Gray wrote L. II. Gafford at Virginia,
that all coal in entries, air courses and
rooms should be mined in the clear"
no shots should be fred ION the solid"
and that great care should be taken in the
use of powder and dynamite. Some adj
vice was given about "tamping' and it
was also suggested that the supply of
explosives to the miners be limited to
what they had immediate use of. 1t
was also suggested that shot firers be
put on to fire the shots at night.
Another report on an investigation was
made on March l, 1904, by Mr.. Hillhouse.
He found the ventilation good that while
the suggestions of the chief inspector
quoted above he had received them and
thought them good; also that the fan
would be running In two weeks according
to the superintendent
The assistant inspector found tho venti-
lation deficient on the same day. but
the superintendent promised him that the
fan would be in within six weeks which
the inspector thought would greatly Inn
prove conditions.
Mine Dangerous.
Mr.. Gafford was written further by Mr..
Gray about the precautions suggested by
him In regard to shooting coal, on March,
g. 1904 ut is needless for me to explain
to you," said Mr. Gray "the dangerous
condition of your mine. You have all the
characteristics there that go to make up
the disastrous dust explosion. You have
gas in your mine, your mine is very
dusty and you shoot the coal IN the solid
and use inexperienced labor to a certain
extent and it has been our observation
with the experience of windy shots we
have had in this state that they have
been principally caused from misplacing
and charging of shots" Mr.. Gray then
urges that no more shots be fired on the
solid and insists that such practice Is
dangerous in the extreme.
! In a report made June 10, 1904, Assistant
Inspector Huffman found that the venti-
lation was very good, though there was
some gas. He also found that the man
way had not been completed but was
promised in a short time.
| Chief Inspector Gray wrote A. w Reed
& Co. operators of the mine, on June Is.
1904, urging them to see that the man
way completed at once He also
calls attention to the letter sent Mr..
Gafford in regard to shooting on the solid.
| On September IA. 1O5. Assistant 1nspec-
tor Kuffner found the mine in much bet
ter condition than on his last Inspection
and that considerable improvement had
been made. man-way extended to the
third left The ventilation Is good except
some of the headings were behind. There
was very little gas and the mine was
being looked after every morning.
Mr. Gray wrote A. w. Reed s. Co.-the
papers at this point readverting to June,
1SO4-calling attention to reports of windy
shots In the mine and insisting that in
no case should coal be used for tamping
but clay or dirt instead.
| Inspector Hillhouse found the ventia
| tion good on December -. 1904, and
man-way in reasonably good fix. He sug-
gested some ovements-however, call
ing attention to the fact that because of
the steepness of the way Mine Boss Jor-
dan had fallen and broken his leg Mr..
| Gray wrote Reed & Co. at once suggest
| In that a railing be put on the man.
way in order to make It safer.
Here follows c list of the rules adopted
| at Virginia. ''to govern operations Of
mines" They are dated May 30 1904. They
! give minute instructions about firing shots
and tamping noles and preeaution against
the uses of explosives. The order Is also
| given in which firing shall be done and
a list of penalties Is catalogued for those
| who do not obey instructions. the fines
| running up to as high as S..
| The evidence taken by the inspectors Is
| then given in detail.
Governc Talks.
| Such accidents as that which occurred
| at Virginia City are of the greatest
consequence and excite. of course uni
versal interest and sympathy Such acct
dents occur in coal mines and, of course.
are only explained by the explosion Of
some explosive material. OF these there
are three OF special Importance.
| list. Firt damp. or corbonated hydrogen.
|