Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-12-04
NINE CONGRESS
MAKES GAS TEST
Proves That Coal Nine Dust Ii
Highly Explosive Under
Favorable Conditions.


PITTsBUR0. Pa. .Dac. a-coal
operators. mine owners engInesrn.
practical miners. scientists ana n
tional stats omelals. All hsre tos -
meeting Of the minlRs congress. par
tleipated In the formal dedication Of
the governments laboratory ana tsut-
lng station established recently u
this city. 4 series 81 tests In - a.
tihclAl mine. II which conditions 81
real mining are repressntea. - fAF
IS possible. showing The results frem
various explosives and from so-cailea
safety agencies. Was The NEST inter-
estln9 featnre % the casemony.
The nrst test ives 4 safety powaeF.
dry IRE clay and hituminons coal
dust, the latter placed On shelves rep
Fssenting levels n mines. The Pow.
der vas ignitsd Tor ne blast end did
not explode the dnst.
There was = terrible eKplcai0n dur
Ing the fourth test. when IL pounds
o. back powder and 50 pounds ~
road dust (eatnal nina dustl were
used. The roooil was stFeng. ard
the flames covered the full lenglh a.
the ARTIFICIAL nine. The tee proved
the combination y " exeesdlngly
dangerous.
Gases Have 70 RHees.
AZ this point experss az the nta.
ton appeared wearing the Draewer
oxygen apparatus. lnciaains metal
and glass hoods. chemical ehnmber
and air BAG deagned 70 rundzw
breathing normal o. nearly no while
the operator y mEroandsa " ths
most deadly gases and vapoFs. rae
men hurried into the gallery eth mll-
ed with fumos 81 TIE ezplonien and
apparently were not aReeted ~ any
Of the gassea. Thls device ls deuignsa
especially for Fnseue work and was
used with good Feanlts ae MaFinnna.
Greater safety n mining conserve
tlsEn IN the coal mtning Industry. an
election OF thFee dlrectogs, addresses
BY James n. 0arneld. secretary %
the interior. and Or. J. A. Holmea.
chief Of the technologie hFanch of
the United States geological aarvay.
the annual address Of president n.
J. Richards Of Idaho. speeches by
welI-known mine owners and mine
ohlclals and a reception to ths dsle-
gates By the eitiSens Of PittsburR.
were some Of the features whsn the
second days session Of the 1ith an
nual convention began today.
Apparently the whole eOnvsntion
has concentrated its Efforts on im-
proyement Of The coal mining inAas-
try.
In an address former Governor A.
D. Fleming Of West Virginia. dlrec-
tor Of the Mononsahala minas. said:
II wonder some times e there h
such . thing a. too much vsntilatioa
in the mlnsa."
TIE American congress las recall
ed that In all the FsesnG mine eKplo-
aioDa the mines we're tie bsae yea
tiiated In tbs world.
One Of the most important aetiona
was tbs intsOdpetion o. a Fesoimkloa
providiag for 3 tax Of one-half cent
. ton on al coal mlnea 70 provide
for pensions and othas geaiaf In nine
accidents.
John AlitShsIi eeeAka.
John Mitchell former president Of
the United Nine workers Of Amsrlca.
vas given close attentioa when he
spoke On conditions h ne mlnsa
here and abroad. o. he sablact 81
fatalities IN The mines Mr.. lGtt1Aalf
said that provision aAouid - made
70 pay every vtaow e = miner Who
vas killed IN . mine u .oeo. ana a.
injured miner ssoo. This msasy. Ne
said. could BE secured khfouEh :
small tar % ne zeal that rs taksn
out and tie Tax weaia he saeh tAaf
it would not bear ksavlly % any