The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-12
MINE ACCIDENTS
 WILL BE REDUCED
Geological Survey Issues
 Primer for Use of Miners
HANDLING OF EXPLOSIVES
Director George Otis Smith of the Sur vey Says Use of Explosives Is Increasing and Miners Should
 Know Their Business.

l Washington, December 11.-(Specfal. l. In furtherance of its efforts to reduce the number of fatalities in American coal has just issued a primer on explosives for the benefit of miners and all others who have anything to do with explosives. The primer, which is written in plain. non-technical language. describes how and of what explosives are made, the dan gers in their use and how these may be avoided or reduced to minimum.
 The assertion Is made by Director George Otis Smith of the United States geological survey that the improper use of explosives and the use of improper explosives are responsible for consid- erabie number of the deaths in the coal mines, many of which are often credited to other causes.
 Vigorous objection is made to the use of black powder in any mine where there is danger of gas or coal dust expio- sion. In such mines the operators and miners are urged to use the explosives that have been tested at the mine acci- dents station at Pittsburg. Pa, as being much less dangerous in their action. In- vestgations at this station have proved that the flame from the explosion of black powder lasts from 1000 to 900 times as long as the flame from the newer ex- plosives and is. therefore, more likely to ignite the gas or dust in these mines.
 ''The use of explosives Is increasing both in quantity and in the variety of purposes to which they are applied" says AF- 1rn plants in different parts of the country and the product of a single year now approaches 50o.ooo. 900 pounds. Of all this material there Is no such thing as a safe or safety explosive wben in the aands of careless or ignorant person. This statement Is true. whether considered in connection with the transportation or use of these explosives in mining. In nddi- ton to the large losses of life and prop erty resulting from an improper use of explosives in mining, the recent stltis- tics of the railway bureau for the safe transportation of explosives have shown more than 400 persons killed and Injured and over Sss000.0Oo worth of property de-. stroyed from accidents from this source. The fact that through oo-operattvs effort under the wise supervision of th,s bureau during the three years of it's existence these losses have been reduced to almost nothing should encourage the hope that similar cooperative effort may likewise greatly reduce losses of life and property from the use of explosives in mining.
 The large death ron of American mines IS oft-reourring appeal to the miner and the management tha. they CO., operate in every possible effort for great CT safety. It may never bc possible under conditions such as exist today to prevent mine accidents. Little may be accom- plished in that direction by tithe- tho operators or miners working alone but experience in all countries shows that through hearty, determined cooperation of the two, these accidents may be greatly reduced. This will require wise laws and regulations, based ,on fact and experi- ence, and the strictsst possible discipline"
 The authors of the bulletin are Charles E. Munroe, explosives expert and Clar- ence Hall. explosives engineer of the technologic branch of the United States geological survey.