The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-01-13
CHIEF MINE
INSPECTOR

CONTINUED From Page one.)
report was good in every particular.
The same-report was made for No. 8.
No recommendation were made. The
law requires the inspector to go
through the mines four times'a year.
The last inspection was very minute
one. Some mines in his district he
found mines that were dangerous and
one he stopped working because 1t
was dusty. He was due at No. on
his inspection trip the day of the ex-
plosion but was a day late. He was in
the mine at New England when the
disaster came. He made an examina.
ton of the trip about thirty minutes
after he got there. He said that the
trip was wrecked before the explosion
and that force was inward. Dust of
compact nature he found in great
quantities. Under the existing con.
ditions the witness said general ex-
plosion could not have been prevent
ed. No. 6 slope was saved by the de-
struction Of flame caused by the aft
erdamp which came out the heading
through void of flame. He said that
all the evidence in the mines pointed
toward the runaway trip as the cause
and that all the natural laws indicate
that the broken trip theory is the cor
rect one. He saw evidence Of short
circuiting. The wire was of blush
color such as powder would make and
there was roughness of it. The wit
ness said that his orders and the law
had been violated but the company it.
self was not responsible. 1t had done
all that 1t could but some of the men
in charge of the mine were negligent.
The witness said that IL the same con-
ditions we're present again and there
was broken trip there would be a
general explosion. Mr.. Alexander
said that the company was as anxious
as the coroner or the State depart.
ment of mining to ascertain the cause
and they would produce the same con-
ditlons for the benefit of the jury. The
Jurors did not express themselves as
caring to have demonstration OF the
explosion under existing cIrcums-
tances. Mr.. LaRue thought that Tom
Donlin was responsible for the negIl-.
gence that caused the disaster. His
orders to Leonard who had charge of
the fan and derailing switch at No. s
were directly opposed to the orders
given by the witness.
David Victor was recalled and ask
ed ii there is any better method of
preventing dust explosions than water
ing haulways and air courses. He re-
piled that there is a better way and
that is the use of flameless explo-
sives. This in his opinion would elm
mate 80 per cent of the danger of
explosions from dust. He would rec
ommend the use of fame1ess powder
In the mines after they are reopened.
Frank Haas was recalled. He gave
demonstration showing that water
has little effect upon dust. Less than
pound of dust was used in the ex-
pertinent. Part of the dust was not
/ even damp when the water was pour
ed of of IT.
Testimony Saturday Afternoon.
Prof. Henry NJ. Paine, of the 'Univer-
sity of West Virginia, was examined.
He, by careful mathematical demon
STATIONS. proved that the broken trip
had nothing to do with the explosion:
that 1t merely occurred near the time.
The report at No. 8 was heard before
the trip reached the bottom of No. 81
slope.
VIII. Bailey said that 1t might have
been the result of boys practical
Joke.
e. v. Byrne. assistant superintend-
emit of the fourth district, formerly Of
the first district. He visited the mines
In the. Fairmont fields. He had in
spected Monongah mines Nos. 8 and
8 in April, 1907 The witness was hand
ed report of No. that he made. He
identified the report and read It to the
Jury. A like report Of No. on April
"a, 1907. The reports were good and
the inspector recommended nothing. A
letter was handed the witness which
he wrote to Mr.. paul. The witness
Identified the letter and read 4 TO The
jury: tie letter laid the mines Ii the
Fairmont held were - better ccnlli