Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-22
A SERIES on HORRORS.

Reports Of deadly explosions In
mines. 10 different pnrih Of the coun-
try. have come with such terrible FREE
auency during The last few weeks,
that almost one woe doth tread upon
nnuthor's heels, 80 fast they follow"
The AWFUL consequences attending
these explosions have attracted world
wide attention, and humane people
everywhere nre inqnirinE what can be
done e guarantee the safety OF the
mines, ana protect the miner against
such fatal consequences. And now
Gomez d aoieniific writer who has
made this subject the stud uf a llfn-
timc. and answers the question by tell.
ing us that science Nv poNerless 10
bring about better conditions, be-
cause the miners. themselves. cannot
he made 10 observe the simple pre-
cnutione necessary TO render their
business comparatively Rafe In the
course Or an exhaustive statement Of.
The situation. lr says.
Mining engineers and chemists
recognize thrco sorts Of mine gases
Thoy d%enorninate thcHc gasea firc-
damp, nfterdamp and whitednmp
New and then miners call the two lat
ter chokcdainp
"Firedamp is the only one Of the
trio that Is explosive. II Ia a gas
Riven of By coal under the Influence
% the heat OF the earth. Chemical
analysis shows that IL ~ never tho
snmc IN any TWO mines ~ h lighter
than atmospheric air aud gathers
near the roofs Of chambers. drifts and
entrica Sometimes II 81 found IN
pockets that is cavities Ia coal
veins. II consists largely OF carburct.
ed hydrogen. or what Is known com
monty ~ marsh gns. familiar to those
who live nrar marshes aud swnmps |
Fircdanp Is not explosive until u a.
mixed with air and brought into con
tact with flame,
When Davy invented tho miners
safety lamp Il was thought that all
danger of mine explosions was over
This lamp has q metallic screen, which
does moi permit the exit OF the flame
Hut The screens burn out after Ions
usage and miners become careless
They viii smoke In the mines II is
against the rules. yet on the dead
bodies Of nine ont OF ton victims OF a
min disaster win be found the old
pipe. the half-flllcd sack az tobacco
and the fcw matches.
Sometimes. too. the careless miner
VIII lamp his shot or blast. with pa
pei Instead oi clay The result is that
the force of the exploded powder ~
upward, not downward. q flame shoots
up. ana if there be- nn! gas around anil
explosion Is inevitab e.
such IN explosion above ground
would not bee attended With serious
consequences Hut in the narrow.
eramprd confines OF "a mine. hundreds
% feat under ground. the result Is ap.
pailinr The gases released BY the
explosion moving along the lines oil
the least resistance. tearing. twisting
and disrupting. reach the air vents
aud main shafts and wreck them
This imprisons those miners not killed
hy he explosion and cuts of their air
supply.
A. soon a. nrcdamp cxpiodcs Ger.
tain chemical changes take place Tho
sas which results IL called afterdamp
This Is a uon-eNpiosiyc. irresplrable
ras composed chiefly OF carbonic acid
g@s aus t@roEen A%ftofdnmp is oil
about the asmc specific gravity a. at
m%paphsric afr. The explosion has de.
stfoyod nl the oxsee in the dir. ga
only the a~fferdamp remains. Il com.
rleies the awful work BY choking to
death The burned aud manried Wa
tims WHO have no been killed hY the
explosion.
sometime Va addition 10 after
damp thef. Is found the third deadly
ras, nhiisiamp THIS is heavy and
white. plainly visible n seeks the
ground and heycrs there llke the MAS
matte sapors one SEES where malaria
abounda II - arbonic oxide and Is
non-sxplosive. hot iss fumes are dead
~. and he who breathes IA perlshcs In.
aa-asis
There Is no preventive even In the
safest mines Only eternal caution
VII avail and men ~ho eat. sleep aud