The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-26

"a
Il yonring monster travelling With In.
tcredibse nv, Transforming almost
instantly wifi Its fiery tongue tha al,
cunitilat lions Of coal 5dnst into Count
1 less millions Of cubic feet 81 deails
4 poisono ,lss gas. which expands with
such resist ble force that nothing
built by human hands can withstand t,
4 Ventilation Removes Gas Dancer.
"a properly ventilated mine, is, i'm.
der. ordinary condl tions., In no LANCER
tof! a gas explosion, The extraordinary
conditions to guard against are gas
wells. which may be drilled IN the ter.
! ritory. and the sudden breaking out OF
gas from natural assures. The first
OF these can be guarded against by &C.
lcurately locating these on the mine
map and taking the proper precau.
tons. The second Is more serious
and in gaseous mines can only be
guarded against by eternal vigilance,
In which must be observed the inviola.
bility Of the safety lamp, the exciu.
sion of all sparkling electric machin.
cry and all the rules In force locally
and by law for the prevention OF eS.
plosions. Much more could be said
along these lines, but hesitate at
making this article too long. I have
said enough to convince the unpreju.
diced mining man that many OF our
explosions are needless aud can be
prevented. and that so FAR as coal
dust explosions are concerned. which
are by far the most numerous ana
most destructive, they can be pre-.
vented altogether.
Laws should be passed as follows:
First-Nachine cuttings to be thor.
Ioughly dampened before shots are
fred and before dust Is loaded out.
Secopd--Roads to be kept free ot
coal and coal dust by loading out same
after sprinking.
Third--No shots to be fired while
the men are in the mine except by
special permission OF mine foreman.
and In no case before all dust in work.
Ing place has been soaked with water.
Forrth-Nr e'pct.-- from the solid.
Firth-The alss!s.f. prohibition OF
electric ata &ihery In gaseous mines.
siyth-Punishment by imprlson.
ment for violation of law by either
mine officials or workmeh, and In case
OF fatal results traceable to non.ful-
fllmcnt OF law guilty parties to be
sent 10 penitentiary not less than one
year or more than twenty.
Seventit-'rhe establishment OF safe.
ty chambers which can be used rs
places of refuge by the survivors of
explosions.
safety Chambers.
Now n word In conclusion in rela-
ton to safety chambers. I read a
paper on this subject one year and u
half ago before the Mining Institute
OF America. Which was most tavorably
commented upon by State inspectors,
mine managers and saRerlRtendents,
also by several New York. philadel-
phia and Pittsburg newspapers. and
learn from good authority that my,
suggestions are being adopted in Ger
many. append part Of this article,
which think will give you a clear
idea of this system:
"ln most explosions the majority
OF those lost are asphyxiated by the
after damp. In numerous cases they
have sufficient time to travel consid.
cradle distances before being over
taken and overcome by the deadly
gas: In very many cases men have
lived for hours. but at last their prIs-
on house becomes entirely devoid OF
oxygen, and they fall into
that last sleep which knows no awak
ening. Had there been some definite
point 10 which these men could have h
directed their steps where fresh ally
and food in abundance could be found
II is likely that the death list would
have been diminished. 1t is singular
that in most towns effective arrange.
ments are made for the protection Of
life from fire, while all along the coast
lines. both OF ocean and hikes, life.say.
Ing stations are established for the
protection OF the lives of those who |
90 down to the sea in ships, yet moth
Ing has been done for the preservation
OF the lives OF those who work in per.
petual danger and may at any hour
be imprisoned deep down in the bowels
Of the earth.
Mine Life.savina Stations. 4
1.-THE plan | wish TO suggest is thati.
In every mine lle.savIng stations w
chambers OF refuge should be estah
iished They should he cxcavated In
the solid coal. the approach should be
by n long. narrow entrance. which Z.
could easily be rendered explosive
proof. The chambers should be about :,
fifteen by thirty feet and should be
with the surface by com.
pressed air line. which should be put
down n bore hole directly into the
chamber. or should be laid in the mine
in such way that no explosion would
disturb it. This should be done by
laying It in ditch made for that pur.
pose, Or by covering It IN such n man
ner that tho line would not be broken
by falls of rock Connections should
be made from this pipe into ench cham
Der OF refuge, which, when turned on.
would give q sufficient supply Of mir
to any refugees who may be so fortu.
nate ms TO reach them. These cham.
chNu1l L., la