The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-09-24
]. S..:LAGS BEHIND IN
MINER RESCUE WORK
WASHINGTON. D, c.. Sept. "a

WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. "a
u. S. Consul Augustus E. Ingram.
Of: ;; Bradford, England, this week
transmits in the daily consular and
trade reports the following informa-,
of colliery rescue work in several
countries.
Experimental work conducted in a
Yorkshire eolliery, with. view to
solving the problem of rescue work,
where it was sought to produce such
conditions as prevail in a mine after
"a disaster, by the construction of a.
large gallery filled with deadly fumes
and obstacles to initiate fallen roof,
sides. etc. placed In the way of. the
Srescue corps; into which Golfers, web
equipped with breathing apparatus,
safely entered, gave such. a stimulus
ito: Inventors to devise, improvedJ ap-
paratus that, as result: six rescue
stations have been established in
England, one in: Wales, one in Scot
land, and a dozen more in project
in various parts of the United King
DOM .''
turning to other countries, we find
that even in the United States four
rescue stations have been establis,' %
and nine more projected, and that
there is a. well-appointed station in
Nova Scotia. These, like the, British
concerns, have been set UP volun-
tarily.
In Austria the law requires a
pneumataphore to he kept In order
and readiness for every 100 miners
employed. The government permits
the coal owners the choice of four
approved types of breathing appara-
tus, but the mining office may au=
thcrize the use Of any new appliance
approved in future. :
In the different states and districts
of Germany the regulations vary ac-
cording to the natural conditions of
the nsines,~ but as evidence of the
stringency Of the law it may be men,
toned that no fewer than 700 sets
of breathing appliances are kept
ready fcr use in the Dortmund dis
trict alone, and in the Breslau dis
trict no mine has less than two sets,
the government mining engineer be-
ing empowered to- order any number
ne deems fit.
In France all mines employing
more than 100 persons underground
upon one shift, must be furnished
with breathing; apparatus, the num-
her ranging from two to six per mine
according to- the size, gassy nature,
number: of workers, etc, and double
J. rigadesl Of notless than eight trained
men must be ekept for every set of
rescue. appliances. Some interesting
experiments in the utility of safety
chambers have been conducted re-
certify in France, and as result
some CT the les!ling- colliery compan-
les are putting 'blind" galleries, sup
piled with. compressed air, water
fool, etc.",H and, signal arrangements,
il their pits:
In Holland a number Of mine
workers must be trained to rescu"
work, and sets of apparatus must
equal. one: for every fifty miners en-
ployed.:%; II"
In sr.EBelgium there must be
breathing. appliance for every twenty
underground workers in fiery mines
of the second and third degree, with
trained. rescue brigades Of not less
than four men per set Of apparatus.
! A leading company is organizing q
well-equipped rescue station, stated
with twenty-five picked and trained
men, who know every inch of the
company's mine. ,'> .& !
Consul Charles N. Daniels reports
that an; English engineer in charge
Of experiments in Sheffield for the
prevention Of coal dust explosions es-
Inmates that the; cost OF, laying coal
and stone dust TO- make the former
non-explosive would be about 1882
per = 900, 900 tons Of coal raised. 55 Al
Three cities are now In the hands
Of union labor men officially. II Mi.