The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-19

in large numbers in all our mines, and
/ think the state mine inspector Will
back me up in the statement that in
this respect we are getting our mines
about as safe as they can be made. l
have with me one of these sprays which
I will pass among you and by screwlng
off the cap you can see the construc-
tion of it. 1t seems to split the wa
ter up and disintergate it into mist
which seems to thoroughly saturate
the atmosphere and is carried and de-
posted for a considerable distance.
The advantage of this over sprinkling
is that it moistens thedustas 1t is car
ried in the air, and instead of deposit
ing dry dust it deposits moist dust
The operation of this device being
practically continuous, there is no
chance for the dust to dry and seems
to settle the dry dust carried in the air.
You will notice that on this device
where the spray issues, there is a re-
movable copper bushing which can be
easily renewed If the water cuts it.
Tamping with coal dust is a dan
gerous practice, but one which Is In
dulged in too frequently by miners and
in many places is a common practice
Clay should be provided and its use
insisted upon.
After all the precautions which are
panies throughout the country these
same companies seem to have OCCASION
ally disastrous explosions resulting
in the death of a large number of
men and great damage to property
And, as these explosions seemingly
must occur the next step, after using
all preventatives possible, Is to fire
the shots If practicable after every one
has left the mine. This has been done
successfully for a year or two by
electricity by the Utah Fuel company
in their mines in Utah, a description of
which will be found in the Engineering
and Mining Journal of January 28 and
30, 1909. This plan is now being ex-
perimented on by the Tennessee Coal,
Iron and Railroad company at their
No. Pratt mine. I have with me
today a map of this mine, sh owing the
installation of the shot-firing system
together with the sprinkling and spray
ing systems. On this map the heavy
black lines represent each entry and
air course, that is one line represents
an entry and air course together. The
heavy red lines represent the shot-fir-
ing wire which starts at the power
house with No. insulated wire run
ming from there to the CHI eek office and
continuing across the surface to the
air shaft, down the air shaft to the
bottom from which the No. wire
extends to the thirtieth east entry.
From there to the head of the slope
and in the various side entries a No.
10 wire is used, and from the entry
to the face of each room a No. Ia
wire Is used. This wiring system is
double throughout, being continuous
positive and negative wire all the way.
There is a switch in the powerhouse
and one in the check office, both of
which are in a box securely locked,
the switches being kept open at all
times, Their being only one key to
the box kept in the hands of the shot
firer. There is also a switch which
is kept locked, where each entry
branches off so that any one entry
can be cut off at will from the rest
of the system.
The method of handling this is as
follows: There are two men in the
daytime and one at night called shot
inspectors or "shot f1rers." In the
daytime each one takes a certain part
of the mine. In the morning their
time is spent in inspecting the wiring
and making the necessary extensions,
and at noon they commence their in
spection, going to the working faces
and carrying with them sufficient ex-
ploders to fire all the shots and CIV
ing to each miner as many exploders
as he has shots to fire which meet
with the inspectors approval. After tn e
inspector has finished his rounds.
which is about quitting time, he comes
to the surface closing the switch at
each entry as he comes out. He then
goes to the check office where the
timekeeper is stationed, this time
keepers duty being to carefully check
every man in and out of the mine.
When he has. ascertained to a certainty
that all the men are out, and not until
then he goes to the powerhouse and
requests the engineer to close the
switch at that point, watching him to
see that 1t is done. He then goes to
the check office. unlocks his box there
and closes the final switch which fires
the shots leaving 1t closed only a few
seconds, it is then opened and left
open and the box locked again. He
then goes to the powerhouse to see
that that switch is opened.
AS the night inspector comes In the
mine he opens all the switches along the
slope leading into the various entries 30
that there Is no possible danger OF any
accident by the power accidently being
turned on the line. He then performs the
same duties as day men.
The proper tamping of the holes and
connection of the exploders to the wire
in the room is left to the miner. instruc-
lions being given to him by tho shot
firer. This system has just been Installed
and was tested for the first time Monday
and while not entirely satisfactory, like
all new things in any place, 1t VIII prob
ably take time to get it In perfect work.
ing order The main trouble is with
the improper connecting of the exploder
wire to the line wire at the face Of the
room and the possible cutting or breaking
of the exploder wire in the tamping OF the
hole.
The expense of installing this in this
mine. which you will see covers large
amount Of territory, the map being made
on scale of 100 feet to the inch. was
about $500, including all labor and ma
terial. and the cost of operation, as well
as we have been able to figure at the
present time. will be as follows Two
inspectors or firers in daytime at 500 or
IS .20 one inspector at night, $3.50; wire
and insulator for extensions n.60-total
On this map I have also shown our pipe
lines for sprinkling and fire protection
showing also the hose connections. pumps
and sprays, the pumps In all cases being
our regular mining pumps for unwatering
the mine The first line starts from the
reservoir on top of the mine extending
down the slope distance of 1900 feet with
a valve hose, and connection every 100
feet. ~
The next line starts at the pump located
near the bottom of the slope and extends
down the mine distance of about 800
feet, where there is spray to dampen the
slope which is dusty at that point. From