The Colorado statesman. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1895-1961, 1908-12-05
MEMBERS OF AMERICAN MINING
CONGRESS ATTEND LABoRA-
TORY DEDICATION.
SAFETY APPLIANCES
CONSIDER FEATURES FOR I'M
PRoVEMENT OF COAL MIN
ING INDUSTRY.

Pittsburg.-Coal operators, mine
owners, engineers, practical miners,
scientists and national and state Of
ficials, all here for the meeting of
the American Mining Congress, Thurs
day afternoon participated in the for
NAL dedication of the federal govern
ment's laboratory and testing station,
recently established in this city.
Tests were made at the artificial
mine. The first test was safety pow
der, dry fire clay and bituminous coal
dust, the latter placed on shelves rep
resenting lodges in real mines. The
powder was ignited for the blast and
did not explode the dust.
There was a terrific explosion dur
ing the fourth test, when one and one
tenth pounds of black powder and 20
pounds of road dust (actual mine dust)
were used. The recoil was strong
of the artificial mine. The test
proved the combination to be exceed
ingly dangerous.
At this point experts of the station
appeared wearing the Draeger oxygen
apparatus, including metal and glass
hoods, chemical chamber and air bag.
designed to render breathing normal,
or nearly so, while the operator is sur
rounded by the most deadly gases and
vapors.
The men hurried into the gallery,
still filled with the fumes of the eX-
plosion, and apparently were not af-
fected by any of the gases. This de-
vice is designed particularly for res
cue work, and was used with good re-
suits at Mariana
A plea for the conservation of the
nations natural resources was the
keynote of the annual address of J.
H. Richards, president of the con-
gress, delivered Thursday night, at
the Hotel Schenley, where a regular
session was held and a dinner given
for the delegates.
Secretary Garfield told of the eff
forts of the Interior Department for
conservation of resources and preser-
walton of the lives of those engaged in
mining. The burden, however, he said,
was upon the several states, rather
than the federal government, each
state to enact legislation according to
its need.
DIR. j. A. Holmes, head of the Geo
logical Survey for this district, said
the big question of the hour is how to
use the waste from mines-the refuse
coal and other mine products that are
not now marketed. The testing sta
ton, he said, is making experiments
with this waste and has developed
great energy.
In an address, former Governor A. S.
Fleming, of West Virginia, director
of the Monongahela mines, said
81 wonder sometimes if there is such
a thing as too much ventilation in the
mines?'
The American Mining Congress has
recalled that in all the recent mine eX-
plosions, the mines were the best ven
tilated in the world.
One of the most important actions
was the introduction of a resolution
providing for tax of one-half cent
ton on all coal mined to provide for
pensions and other relief in mine ac-
cidents.
John Mitchell, former president of
the United Mine Workers of America,
was given close attention when he
spoke on conditions in the mines here
and abroad.
Taking up the subject of fatalities in
the mines, Mr. Mitchell said that pro-
vision should be made to pay every
widow of a miner who was killed in
mine $1,000 and an injured miner
$500.
This money, he said, could be Sc
cured through small tax on the coal
that was taken out and the tax would
be such that it would not bear heavy
on the coal operator. He told of the
experienced miners formerly employed
in the mines, whereas at present the
miners are mostly foreigners and
wholly inexperienced.