The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-11
FOREIGN EXPERTS VISIT LOCAL MINES Dinner Given At Country Club
 to Visitors PLEASED WITH THE TRIP Party Pays Special Attention to Mine Explosions, Proper Ventilation and
 General Working Condi-
 tions Underground.
PLEASED WITH THE TRIP

The distinguished foreign mine experts
 who are visiting this country at the in-
 vftation of the United States government 1 are now in Birmingham. The party is 1 composed of Capt. Arthur Desbrough, 1 chief of the British commission on ex- plosives; Carl Meisner, chief of the Ger man mining service and Victor Wetteyne chief of the Belgium mining service. Ac-
 companying the foreigners are J. A. l Holmes of the United States geological survey and J. ". Paul, geologist of West
 Virginia. Some of the party arrived late
 Friday night and others came on a de-
 layed train shortly after midday yes- terday.
 The visitors have quarters at Hotel
 Hillman. They are being entertained by | the Alabama Coal Operators association and committee of which Ersklne Ram
 say is chairman is at the service of the
 party. After a spin around the South Highlands early in the afternoon the
 visitors were escorted to the Tennessee company's Pratt mine No. f. where an inspection was made with a view of aseertaining the devices in use for the safety of the men and for the protec- ton of the mine. In fact, the principal object of inducing the foreign experts to come to the United States was to have the benefit of their knowledge and ex- perience relating to explosives ventilation and other matters bearing on the safety of the miners and the health conditions under which they work
 This is in line with what the United States government is attempting to do through the bureau of which MT. Holmes Is chief. As pr. William B. Phillips ex- plained, in an interview in the Age-Her- aid of Friday, the extremely valuable work that has been done by this depart ment of the United States geological sur vey at St. Louis, during the exposition, so met the approval of congress that a con siderable appropriation was made for the purpose of extending the sphere of the Investigations and already a great deal has been done. Much careful work has been done on the nature and effects Of the various explosives in use in coal min ing, on the proper ventilation of coal mines, on explosive gases and the danger from coal dust, on rescue service fol- lowing accidents, etc. These visiting ex- perts wished to see what was going on here and to meet the principal coal oper- ators who are so deeply concerned in all matters affecting the proper conduct of
 mining affairs.
 On returning to the hotel from the Pratt mine all the visitors expressed themselves
 greatly pleased with the operations and
 with the appearance of the district or
 rather what little they had seen of it.
 Mr Holmes said he had visited Bir-
 mingham frequently before, but that it
 was about three and half years since
 he was last here. Birmingham, he said.
 had grown fast in that time, and coal
 mining operations had been developed in the district on broad and modern lines. Herr Mesner and MT. Wetteyne visited the United States a few years ago, but
 this is Captain Desbrough's first trip to
 America Until yesterday neither of the
 foreign experts had seen Birmingham, but Captain Desbrough remarked We l have all heard much about this wonderful l district and we are glad to be here. Our I only regret is that our time here is very | short. We have to leave Sunday night" 1 A dinner complimentary to the visitors i was given at the Country club by the coal men last night. Covers were laid for 20, and the following gentlemen were at the l table:
 J. A. Holmes, J. W. Paul. Victor Wat teyne, Carl Meisner, Captain Desbrough, Erskine Ramsay, Lieutenant Governor | Henry B. Gray, ". W. Crawford, w. F. ! G. Harding, E. ". Barrett, E. E. Cox, ] Guy R. Johnson, F. H. Crockard, w. A Green, Walter Moore, G. B. Grove, Con gressman Oscar w. Underwood, Dr. Will i liam B. Phillips. State Mine Inspector J. l NJ Gray and H. w. McMullin.
 Several speeches were made at the din- 1 ner and the affair was exceptionally | pleasant.
 Today the visitors, escorted by the oper- ators committee, will make trip to 1 Yolande A special train will leave the 1 Louisville and Nashville station at a. | m The committee consists of MT. Ram say, MT. Crockard, MT. Maben, MT. John-
 son, pr. Grove, Mr. Moore, MT. Bonny 1 man and MT. Green. pr. Phillips, J. M. l Gray and other mining men have been in- l vited to join the party.