The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-13
EXPERTS WILL SEEK
 ID SAVE MINERS
Will Make Experiments At
 PittSburg Station
LOWER FATALITY RECORD
Scientific Investigations Into Causes of Disasters In American Coal Mines To Be Made By the
 Government.
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post.
 The United States government within the next few weeks will begin series of scientific investigations into the causes of disasters in American coal mines in the hope that the present frightful mor- tality may be reduced to a minimum. | By August 1, in accordance with plans approved by Secretary Garfield, the inte- rior department will have a complete ex- perimenta station in operation in the grounds of the arsenal in Pittsburg, Pa ] For some time before the Hemenway amendment to the legislative approprla- tion bill, making an appropriation of $150OOO for this work, became law and the money available, government officials were busy making tentative plans for the station, in order that there might be no delay This advanced the project to such an extent that the material for the station will be on the ground by July 1, and it is expected the station will be in operation month later.
 This prompt action was considered nec- essary because of the fact that the terri ble mortality record of last year Is being continued into this year, although 1907 was considered an unusual one, 3200 being killed in the coal mines as against 2061 the year before- From unofficial esti- mates 1t appears that Is men have been killed or injured each week day of the year. Just the other week 23 miners were killed and 30 injured in and about Wilkes barre, Pa.
 Some Interesting Tests.
 At the Pittsburg experimental station tests of the various dynamites and pow ders used in blasting coal will be made with view to accurately determining their safety in the presence of the deadly fire damp and equally deadly coal dust Explosives of all sorts will be hurled by means of a mortar into a mammoth boiler plate cylinder which has been pre- viously filled with gas, and the effects will be carefully noted. If ignition falls after severe tests, the use of these ex- plosives will be urged upon, the mine owners Of the country.
 That part of the experimental station in which the explosives are to be tested will be in the form of a cylinder 100 feet long and feet in diameter, lying on the ground An explosive mixture of fire damp and air in one case or coal dust and air in another will be pumped into the cylinder, and the explosive to be tested will be shot into it from one end by big steel mortar so that the flame and product of combustion will go right Into the explosives.
 Why Plttsburg Was Selected.
 Pittsburg was selected as the site for the station because the government is al ready in possession of available land and buildings there, but this site Is especially favorable because 1t Is in the heart of the eastern coal fields, and the state where 1514 men lost their lives in the coal mines in 1907 (nearly half the total for the en- tire United States). It is also an advan- tage to have natural gas easily obtain able as this gas corresponds nearer to fire damp than any other.
 The cylinder in which the explosions are to occur are to be made of heavy boiler plate. Safety valves will be placed all along the top and will be left unfas- tened in such a manner that whenever there is an explosion the valves will fly open upon their hinges. A series of port holes on the sides, covered with one-half inch glass; will enable those conducting the experiments to witness the explosions from the observation house, 60 feet away. The steel mortar which will hurl the ex plosives into the cylinder will be fired by electricity from the observation house. which is to be parallel with the cylinder itself
 While these tests are being conducted operators and miners will be invited to be present In order that they will be able to see clearly the explosions of gas or dust a piece of oil paper will be placed across the face of one of the safety valves with a piece of gun cotton sus- pended about inches away When an explosion occurs the flames will burn the oil paper and ignite the gun cotton.
 Experiments in a Miniature Mine.
 In connection with the experimental station there will be a miniature mine, with drifts, headings, rooms and ladders This place will be filled with smoke or gas, and experiments will be made with apparatus capable of sustaining life In these vapors Miners will be taught how to wear this apparatus and how to save their comrades who may be unconscious in the mine following an explosion.
 It Is believed that with some such ap- naratus in use last December. when 800 men were killed In four mine explosions, a number of the victims of these dsas- ters might have been saved had they been reached in time AS 1t Is now, following an explosion, with the mine filled with poisonous vapors, no one will venture In the mine for some time after the acci- dent sad illustration of this is seen in the explosion at Hanna, Wyo March 2S. in which 70 miners were killed. No one has vet entered the mine the bodies being still there.
 The investigation will be conducted by a trained mining engineer. experienced In such work. The station itself will be In charge of Clarence Hall. the govern ment's explosive expert with Dr. Walter O. Smelling as explosive chemist
 The results of the investigations will be published for the benefit of the mine bu- reaus of the various coal producing states, the mine owners and the miners themselves. Simple instructions will be issued from time to time to the miners in half dozen different languages There is no intention of interfering in any way with the inspection work of the state bureaus. The work is wholly investiga- tive in character and educational in pur- pose. It is the purpose of the United States officials to cooperate with these bureaus to the extent of supplying in- formation concerning the mysteries of the oatastrophes .n the mines. It is expected that the results will be accepted by the state bureaus as guidance to future state laws governing the safety of miners
 Shoots Wife By Mistake.