The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-01-08
~ 49, ~
Say slVV| arm Air
VIII r De1at
4 Them d Alt ( ! get her ! I
- u y n Is y WI IN y IA
Points Z Out Clearly.
Reasons For His
ory B

| Theory I (: or
~ N
R. s. 1.aRue. deputy State mine In,
spector for the First district Of West
Virginia, has written another article
on how 10 eliminate dust explosions.
He still presents the argument that;
warm cir pumped Into mines Is the
remedy to do away WITH the fearful,
disasters that. have wrecked many
mines and carried death Into hundreds
OF homes. y;
r.sLaRue feels gratltled taat many
mine operators have taken to his idea
land in this district several mines are
using the. warm air ventilation with
the result that the mines are moist
us in the summer time when dust ex.8
plosIons are unknown. Mr.. LaRue has
given the subject mica consideration
and he, is sure that his ideas are COR
rect The conditions that exist in
mines that are practicing his plan
levince the fact that ho is right He
has demonstrated that he knows what
h6 is talking about. 3
Governor Dawson,real lth keen. in
terest Mr.. LaRue's :otnerS article on (
/ - - D.
dust explosions and asked him to con-.
tribute another, Mr.. 1.aRue Will ap-si
pear before the mining legislative come,
mittee to discuss matters and before.
going to Charleston he has given, out
his second article. s.. a q
Mr. 3LaRue's article reads Il ;3;;S
Wnen God breathed into man the !
breath OF life. He gave him good
pure air 10 breathe. Itiwas not given
grudgingly, sparingly, nor scantily.
but'given r,entlfully and in abundance
II was given TO sustain. to nourish !
and to support him. md the more we 4
know Of Its properties, the more We :
shall estimate Its value and Its worth.
for 1t is one Of tho greatest blessings
God ever bestowed upon man. because
| It is useful for many things. The air3 I
we. breathe maintains the clouds in !,
the heavens, and glyes rbuoyancyS to /;
the feathered tribes as they fly
throush.it, It raises smoke and vapot
and all noxious gases to the heavens.
II is evident that NO live at the bot.
tom of a very deep sea, a sea forty
five miles deen-not Of water. but a.
deep sea Of air. and at the bottom OF
this deep sea there Ii always q great
weight always pressing on the earth
The average weight OF air on tho
earths surface is fifteen pounds to I
the square Inch, or 2,160 pounds to the
square foot On the entire earth'e I
surface It's entire weight Is five thou
sand billions Of tons. The atmosphere
In this altitude has a pressure OF about
| " - . p =" 49,
14:7 pounds to the square inch. This
pressure enters our mines and 70
duces what We call natural conditions.
Under natural conditions we find tho
temperature of the mines ranging from
50 to 60 degrees Of heat. We also flnd
a moist condition throughout the mime.
But in order to successfully operate;
the minesland KEEP lthemifree from the
accumulation OF smoke, lust and ALL
gases Il becomes necessary to change
this natural condition. and large orr
high speed fans are erected for this
purpose, and large volumes Of air ares
forced throughout the entire mine;
with varying results, according To- tho!
temperature Of the air introduced. n;
II the air Introduced into the mine;
Is colder than the natural Temperature
Of the mine. It at once begins to rob
the mine Of whatever moisture II may
have at that time. and the colder the
atmosphere before entering, the more
rapidly is the mine robbed Of Us NAT
ural moisture
Dust being much lignteF than water.
1t can be readily seen that the colder
the air is when passing through tan
mine. the more dust will be In SUE
pension, Under these conditions the;
mine quickly becomes very dry and
the persons in charge OF the mine will
frequently spray and wash different
sections Of the mine with cold water.
hoping to take care OF the dust by 40 !
sr5siis !. ~ Y -, -, .;.lss3 ~