The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-10
SAFETY IN MINES.
Government Looking Into Very Impor-
.tant Subject in Coal Mines.

The coal mine death roll in Penn
sylvania during 1906 was 500: 250 died
as the result Of gas or dust explosions.
In West Virginia in the same year mine
explosions cost IS lives, and in the
early months of. 1907 the list Of fatal
ties was increased by more than 100
more.
That the United States is far behind
European countries in safeguarding the
lives Of its miners has already become
evident from the Investigations now be
ing carried or under the direction Of
j a. Holmes of the United States Geo
logical survey; but determined efforts
are to he made to bring about better
conditions at the coal mines, 10 stop
the appalling sacrifice of human life,
and incidentally to lessen the waste of
fuel in mining operations,
\ series of unique experiments is
about TO be undertaken by the fuel di-
vision of the survey, with n view TO de-
termining the safety Of the various dy-
namites and powders used in blasting
In the presence of the deadly fircdamp
and perhaps equally deadly coal gas
The explosives which stand the severe
tests for which plans are being made
will be classed as permissible explosives
and their use will be urged upon the
mine owners of the country.
The experimental station which is to
be established as the basis of the pro-
posed tests will be under the direction
of Clarence Hall, the explosives agent
for the Government Mr. Hall has re-
Gently returned from England and Bel
GUM, where he examined the splendid
experimental stations that have there
been maintained for years. In these
and other European countries the min
ers, the Government and the manufac-
tnT of Aln 10 ~, tha
effort to prevent such casualties as those
by which this country has recently been
Mortified, The English experiments have
resulted in establishing a number of
permissible explosives, whose use bv the
miners is compulsory. English miners
are also restricted TO a limit charge,
for exceeding Of which a severe penalty
is imposed. In tho coal mining States
of this country protective regulations
for the use OF blasting materials are
few, and in many States no attempt
is made to control the kind Of powder
used
The experimental station in Belgium
was intensely interesting TO Mr.. Hall,
the gas used in the tests coming from
an abandoned mine. In a test OF
safety lamps witnessed by Mr. Hall Mt
this station the lamp most generally
used in the mines of the United States
bNh'h WV NHS "oio iEhlllup Tue gas
each time. A elf-igniting lock lamp
made in Germany proved the best.
Another line Of investigations to be
carried on by the survey will relate to
rescue work, II is declared that I'm
serious gas explosions in mines many
lives could be saved were it possible
for the rescue party to enter immedi-
ately after the accidents. AS it is now,
the deadly fredamp often holds tho
men back for hours while their COM
rades are slowly being suffocated or
burned to death. At the Belgium
station Mr.. Hall found an apparatus
capable Of sustaining life in the midst
of fredamp or among the poisonous
vapors that follow mine explosions. This
apparatus viii be tested in the minia-
tpre coal mine which will be fitted up
as a part of the experimental station,
and if the tests are successful its use
will be strongly urged,
1t will not be possible, of course. to
compel the adoption of safety regula-
tions or appliances; but miners and
operators will be invited to witness the
tests, and the results Of the investiga-
tions will be given to the public in the
hope that great good may follow. The
location Of the experimental plant has
not been definitely decided on, but II
Will probably be in the Pittsburp dis
trict, and Mr.. Holmes states that fbe
work Of erection will be begun within
few weeks