Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-06-28
PLAN TO REDUCE
THE FR|GHTFUL
MORTALITY



Washington, u. G.. June 26.-rh"
United States government within the
next few weeks, viii begin series OF
scientific Investigations into the causes
Of disasters in American coal mines
in the hope that the present irightIul
mortality may be reduced to a mini
mum. BY August l, in accordance
with plans approved by Secretary of
the Interior Garfield the interior de
partment win have "A complete expert
mental station in operation on the
grounds of the arsenal in PlttShurgt
Pa.
For some time before the Hemen
way amendment to the legislative APP
preparation bill. making an appropria-
ton Of 100000 FOR this work, became
a law and the money available, GOV
eminent officials were busy making
tentative plans for the station in order
that there might be no decay. rms
advanced the project to such an eN-
tent that the materlia for the station
tent that the material for the station
II is expected the station will be in
operation "A month later
This prompt action was consider
ed necessary because of the lact that
the terrible mortality record of last
year is being continued into this year
although 1907 was considered an un-
usual one. 5000 being killed in the
coal mines as against 2,06l the year
before. From unofficial estimates it
appears that sixteen men have been
killed or injured each work day of
the wear. just the other week. TWEEN
ty-threp miners were killed ana thirty
injured in and about Wilkes Barre,
Pa.
At the Putsburg experimental sta
ton. tests Of the various dYnamites
and powders used in blasting coal VIII
be made with a view to accurately de
termining their safety in the presence
of the deadly nredamp 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 previously beeh
filled with gas. and the effects VIII be
carefully noted. If ignition tails al
ter severe tests. the use Of these rN-
plosives will be urged upon the mine
owners of the country.
That part Of the governmental sta
ton in which the explosives are to be
tested will he in the form Of cyln-
der. 100 feet long and six feet in dla-
meter living on the ground An eN-
pI"S'na aus, u',,'' nr cnaI dust and air in
another. will be pumped into the
~, ,,'iI, tn s,nt INTO If from one end
by a big steel mortar 50 that the hamc
and products of combustion Will go
rje,bt into the explosives
Pittsburg was selected as the site
for the station because the govern
ment is already in possession of avaii
abIn land and buildings there, but this
sita is asnprialIv favorable because it
is in the heart Of the eastern coal
F,I5. and In the state where 1,514
,,,d,, ioot tbnir Iil,,s in fine coal mines
~, too- NEARLY half the total for the
nntira Tinted Statesr II is also an
,d,,ortooe ia have natural gas easily
at,tainntla &C mis- gas corresponds
,carar IN dredamp than any other.
trba cylinder i'm which the rXplo-
ei,,o', ara IN occu,. are to be- made Of
,c.,,-,.,, hoiler Mate. Safety valves will
hc r1acea all along the TOP and viii
no iaft nnfastened i'm such a manner
tbat whenever there is an exposion
tha valves win Hy open upon their
t-i,,,,, so,io, of mort holes on
No sfdas covered with onp-half inch
t,iaes win enable those conducting
10 avrerirnents to witness the eX-
nIostons from the observation house,
gi,t,, raat away The steel mortar
,,,hict, win hurI the explosives into
~. l,li,,der win he fired 'bv electric
~, from tho observation house which
ie 60 no naroIIl with the cylinder it
ear
y,t1,uo tboea tpste are being CON
ductad onerators and miners viii be
In,,ttad f. ne nrespnt In order that
t,a,, win ne ahle TO see clearly the
a,nioetone of ras or dust, a piece Of
oil papcr will be placed across the
Taco Of one Of the safety valves with
,,ieco If eun cotton suspended about
civ inches away When an explosion
,oo,,,g tho aamns will burn the oil
.none,, ana ignite the gun cotton.
T., connection with the experimental
station there viii be miniature min"
.,,,itt, drtrte headings. rooms ana lad
.derg This place win be filled with
ar,oIfn ar GAS ana experiments will be
n,oda vim auporatug capable Of sus-
AMINO 1ire in hose vanors Miners
.u,ilI no tnupht now TO wear this mp
,,ar,tre and boq. 20 save their com
r,dne u,hv NAV % unconscious n the
nine foIlowing an explosion II is BE-
ii',,o,1 tbo+ ,,itb a,r,c guch apDaratue
tr ,,ea laet december when 500 mcn
wore l,illea in Cour mine explosions, a
n,,r,bar Of tbe Victims Of thass lis
,s+,re MIGHT have been saved had
Nc, hoer reached in time As it is
o,,, rolIowing an ryplOsiOn. with the
,I,ina 0llod vim noiqonous vapore. no
,,,l, o,iI, venture I'm thp mine for some
ti,,,, artor thn accident. A sad illus
. 80. g.. ,,o,, In tln .ynlosi0n