The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-22
SUNDAY DECEMBER ~. 1907.
All vices ire less dangerous when
open TO be seen, md most ncrniciuus
when they Turk under II dtsscmbled
good nHturc-Scnccn.
REMEDY ron MINING ACCIDENTS.

ROUu nHIurCs-ScuccUs
REMEDY FOR MINING ACCIDENTS.
The Pittsburg Dispatch lately en-
ployed ]. l.. Dixon, mining engineer,
whose reputation as an expert is ma
tional to investigate the cause of re-
cent mine disasters in that district.
Ia his report, which has just been pub
lished. he not only gives the cause, but
points out the remedy.
He declares that nearly all the ex-
plosions in the mines are due to coal
DUST. AS to the origin of ,he dust.
be explains that the chain machine In
Undermining makes uniform slot or
channel four TO five inches nigh and
Six feet under; thus in each room
twenty-five feet wide, nearly two tons
BIZ explosive coal dust are manufac-
Eured. or In a mine havi e a seam five
feet thick and producing LOCO tons of
machine mined coal per day, 700 tons
Is dust, that is exclusive of fine coal
produced by blasting or breaking up
ENc COht lot IOdulUS. JeCauSS OF tns
nature of the undercut. very heavy
blasts are necessary to break down
the coal; the holes for these blasts
or shots are for the most part drilled
and charged By ignorant foreigners,
and without removing the dust or
Treating it in any way the shots are
aired. and in case shot blows out
the tamping (blown out shot) a long
tongue of flame is projected into the
room on the floor of which Is lying
bill exposed. two tons of dust which
when exploded. equals in destructive
Force eight tons of powder.
The remedy, 1t is hardly necessary
to say. is to get rid of the dust as
Fapidly as It accumulates. This, he
says, is easily done.
After a room or entry has been un-
dermined by machine and before a
shot has been fired, the dust should
be thoroughly soaked with water and the
roof. sides and floor of the room should
be sprayed for twenty We or thirty feet
back from the face. This should be
done in every room and entry. which
would make a coal-dust explosion in
the rooms and entries in juxtaposition
to the face an absolute mpossibility.
"ln plain words he concludes,
t'there cannot possibly be coal-dust
Explosion unless the coal-dust Is pres
ent. and there is absolutely no excuse
Tor its presence" a.
That puts the subject 'sauarely up
to the mine-owners and the law
making bodies. The Times Dispatch
Us opposed to needless meddling on
The part of government with private
Interests. But 1t is the prime duty of
against all avoidable accidents. Hence,
every State In which mines are oper-
sted should require the owners or
operators to adopt and employ every
scientific precaution. device and APP
pliance TO protect the life and limb
OF the miners. and there should be reg
snlar inspection by an agent or agents
OF the State to see that the regula-
lions are rig.dly enforced.
RAMBLING NTH ONES CHARACTER
Mr. e. Fl. Hartman has been Sc
vsrely and justly criticized for the
manner in which he juggled railroad
securities to his own gain. and yet t,
give the devil his due, the facts SHOW
THAT Mr.. Hartman has developed an,
managed his railroad properties re
uarkably we'll. He took hold of tn
Union Pacific when II was poverty
stricken and in wretchcd physical con
Sdttion. and he has made it one OF tn
best and most profitable railroad prop
srties In the land
The report of the Union Pacific Rail
Tread. for the year ended June got
last. shows gross operating earning
&of sTG.04o,127. an increase OF sS,T59lS
and total operating expenses OF $40
6T4sss. an increase of s5,sl3,71S. Ate
payment OF charges, including take
Interest, sinking fund, rentals, etc
s2:,5s9,9O3 remained. an increase q
Ebs.l5hot4, After payment of the div
and 6 per cent on the common stocl
The surplus was ss,s7s osa an increa.
pf s3.0B7.oso The company receive
Income other than THAI from the oper,
Won OF It's own lines amounting J,
fil.5s7,ols. an increase OF *l,257.2o
Out OF this dividend OF 4 per cen
was paid on the common stock. Aft
" appropriations of si,s5s,ooa for bette
fments. etc. surplus Of slo,esIsSs 4
the year remained. an increase
Sa.a55.saa, as compared with the pr
sEredips wear.
This report in itself IL q haadson