Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1906-03-15
EXPLOSIONS OF DUST.
GREAT DISASTERS CAUSED BY
SMALL PARTICLES.
Golfers, Maltsters and Sugar Work
ers Constantly in Danger of
Utter Demolition from
This Cause.


Coal is the carbonized remains OF
tree MOSES. Oddly enough, these
MOSES were the big forefathers of the
moss we know as lycopodium, which
in powdered state is used to produce
flash signals. This will help to give
an idea of the intensely inflammable
nature Of coal dust, says Pearson's
Weekly.
Some of the best coal in the world
Is cut from what is known as the Mer-
thyr four-foot seam, and this seam Is
one of the busiest in the world 1t is
a terrible fact that over 1000 men
have lost their lives on this seam in
the last half century.
Some years ago one Of the inspec-
tors of mines conducted a number OF
experiments on the explosive power OF
coal dust. A disused shaft $50 feet deep
was chosen for the purpose. Samples
of dust from different collieries were
collected for the purpose. When two
hundredweight of dust was emptied
down a shaft and charge of gunpow-
der fired the result was startling.
Huge tongues of flame 60 feet in
height shot up from the mouth Of the
shaft and enormous columns Of smoke
rose high in the air, forming a great
black pail over the scene Of the ex-
plosion. On the other hand, when high
explosives were used, no effect at all
was produced on the dust.
But GOLFERS ere not the only work.
ers who have to dread dust dangers
Almost every kind Of dust which is
composed Of inf1ammable material
will explode when touched by naked
light Maltsters are often heavy suf-
ferers in this way, for malt dust is
shockingly explosive. One Of the big
gest disasters of this kind in recent
years was the complete destruction OF
the premises Of the Ipswich Mating
company. These were six stories high,
700 feet long and 80 wide, and they
were completely Quilted by malt ex'
plosion, which set fire to them. There
were 10000 quarters of grain in the
building at the time, and the damage
was estimated at $4,000.
Messrs. Whitbread suffered in sim
liar manner, large building near the
Barbican used for grinding malt hav-
ing been badly damaged. In this case
the cause of the fire Is said to have
been the spontaneous combustion OF
the malt dust which was suspended in
the air.
The careless housemaid who uses
the contents of the sugar basin to light
the fire knows that nothing burns
more easily than powdered sugar.
Proprietors of large sweetmeat fac
tories have learned that there is
danger from this source.
In 1898 a serious sugar explosion
took place in a Boston candy factory.
1t originated in room where marsh
mallows were being made. These
sweets are coated with finely pulver-
lied sugar, and the atmosphere was
hot and dry, and laden with this fine
ly divided dust. Two girls were bad
ly hurt and the premises fired by the
explosion.
In the manufacture of linoleum no
unprotected lights are allowed in the
mixing department. This Is on &C
count of the great danger Of exploding
the cork dust floating in the air. An
additional danger in linoleum making
is that the mixture of cement and
cork dust has the unpleasant property
of spontaneously igniting if left in a
warm place. 1t is, therefore, custom
airy to mix the material sackful at a
time in order to reduce the risks Of an
explosion.