The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-01-08
II1ITST EXPLOSION CAUSED BY BLOWN OUT
SHOT, SAYS Mr.. JOHN 6. RALLAM

vious to the explosion tne aust ~
the mine was fired by runaway trip.
The fire occurred at the bottom of the
slope. The runaway trip caused
short circuit but the witness was not
sure that the short circuit caused the
fire.
Inspector LaRue asked the witness
in his opinion what caused the absence
of general explosion of the mines at
that time. The witness said that there
was not enough dust in the mines to
keep 1T going.
Cal Tarlton was the next witness.
He is employed as mine inspector for
the Fairmont Coal Company. Begin
ming at Pennois mines all the mines
up the river to Riverdale mines and
the mines at Berryburg came under
his inspection. He was in mine No.
6 in September and found the general
conditions of the mine good. The ven
tilation was good. no trace OF gas nor
He was at Enterprise the morning of
the explosion and reached the scene
that day about three o'clock. He
worked with Chief Inspector Victor in
re-establishing the ventilation of mine
No. c. When he arrived the ventila-
tion had been established about half
way from the opening to the face.
He was over a good part of the mine
in the rescue work. He saw num-
ber of dead bodies, death having oc-
cured by violence, effected by mine
explosion. After the explosion there
was much dust. The witness never
tried to account for the accumulation
of the dust after the explosion. The
force of the explosion Travelled was
not observed by the witnessed. The
rescuing parties went in advance of
the current of ventilation to find men.
They did not find any explosive gases.
After damp was present. Several men
were incapacitated by the presence
Of after damp. A man could not be
able to live more than half hour in
that part of the mine. He went to
the E face entry. Here men were
badly mutilated. With one exception
all were mutilated. A trapper boy
was the exception. He was present at
CASTOR mine after IN explosion and
was at Pennington after an explosion
there CASTOR mine was a gas eXplo-
sion. The conditions at these two
mines after the explosion was the
same as In the Monongah mines, but
not nearly so extensive. The witness
thought that dust was the prevailing
factor in the. Monongah disaster. The
presence of gas in mine when cleo
trical haulage has been installed is
not necessarily dangerous. Inspector
L.aRue asked the witness If he consid-
cred 1t safe to fire shot in room
where there was dust without the room
being dampened The witness thought
1t would be safe. The witness was
mine foreman at Castor before his ap-
pointment to inspector. The first duN.
of the inspector is to lookout for the
safety condition OF the mines, then The
operation of the mine, The iuspec-
tton is made IN company with the Su.
perinUudent Of the mines and tlie
mire icroutan 4 report is made to
The general superintendent. The wit,
ness found uuch more dust iii The
mine alter the axpluslon than when
Ithe witness VAS there IN September
Much or the dust IN the mines had
lac appearance Of crushed coke and
this dust IN the opinion Of the witness
was a product Of the explosion. Mo
I1ongah mines Nos. G and were mod.
81 mines. He did not notice that any
force had come out Of the robbed
workings. The witness considered
] Nos. C,and s the safest mines operated