The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-25

PREVENTING MINE DISASTERS
BY FREDERIC ]. IlAsKIN.

/, explosive discharged in 1t. II the coal
dust tgnitod with roar, then the ex-
plostye used was deemed unfit Tor use
In dangerous mines. The investiga-
ton Of explosives was continued until
q number were found that would
stand both tests without fgniting ths
gas or the coal dust These explosives
were termed "permissib ie.v and their
use urged In mines where there was
gas or coal dust In dangerous Quanti-
ties Two lists OF permissible ex-.
ploDives have so far been pubiished
and recommended to the State mining
bureaua
A queer phase OF the situation has
been the fncredulity of the miners and
operators alike as TO the expiosivencss
Of coal dust When the government
began its tests hardly q miner In the
country believed that coal dust would
explode. They went to the Pittsburg
station in special trains to see it be-
fore they would believe the statements
made. In this connection the atten-
ton of the miners was called to the
fact that there was violent expIo-
sion OF -four dust In Minneapolis
mill q number Of years ago. They
were also told TO remember that some
Of the greatest explosions in the coal
\
Monongah in particular. were caused
by coal dust
- This has opened still another ro.-
hlen which The oxcials- ara working
on--how to render harmless the coal
dust Ia the mines. One experiment
was to rush to a certain mine. after
there had been a sudden drop In
the temperature, and investigate the
condition of the air. The officials cali
culated the amount OF moisture enter
Ing the mine and the amount going
out and found, to their amazement.
that the mine was losing nifty tons or
moisture every twenty-four hours. Il
was readily seen that a few days OF
such conditions would leave the coal
dust in a very dry state and render
II more liable to explode II X came
in contact with fame. This h the
cause OF the great coal dust explo-
sions that have COST so many hundred
lives. 1t also explains why most Of
these disasters occur in the winters
time.
At the Pittsburg station there Is a
room known as the rescue ROOM.
where miners are taught the use OF
the oxygen helmet. an apparatus that
permits breathing artifcfaliy In dead
Iy gases, Part OF the rescue room"
contains an air-tight compartment.
fitted up to resemble the interior Of
a mine. This place IL filfed with dead
IL gases. aud the experts. clad In their
oxygen helmets. can remain there Tor
two hours without returning to the
fresh air. These helmets have proved
valuable Immediately after explosions.
permitting rescuers To enter the mines
at once and bring out men who were
slowly being asphyxiated.
The government now has a crew OF
trained rescuers who respond to every
accident call within a reasonable ra-
tttus OF the station, These heroes.
although arriving late at the Cherry
disaster, brought twenty men alive
from the burning mine This work
has been 20 successful that gub-sfa-
tons have been established In the
coal fields of Tennessee. Oklahoma,
Illinois and Washington. and rceoEa-
mendations for six more have been
made. The governments sole pur-
pose in this Is to teach the miners
the use OF the oxygen helmets so that
each mine viii be encouraged 10
maintain iss own rescue corps Ten OF
the big mining companies of the eoun-
try have already established such sta
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