The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-05-31
A NATIONAL
NINE BUREAU
Great Opportunity In Front Of
New Department.
SAFEGUARDS FOR WORKERS.

United States Authorities to Investi-
gate All Possible Causes of Mine
Accidents and Methods Best Adapted
to Meet Shaft Danyers-Shot Firer
That Eliminates Risk of Lives.
The machinery for the investigation
and prevention of great coal mine dis
asters like the Cherry fire in Illinois
at last has been provided by congress-
President Taft has signed the law
passed recently by both houses of con-
gress to establish national bureau of
mines In the interior department. and
the work of organization of the bureau
will be begun soon.
Officials of the geological survey de-
clare that no branch of the United
States government will have opportu-
nifty for greater work In the preserva-
ton of human life and the protection
Of property from waste than the new
bureau.
u NguiCdEo
paper Immediately after the Cherry
disaster and called for by Senator
Cullom of Illinois In resolution he
introduced In the senate In December.
1909 showed that the government
mine rescue stations covered only Il
portion of the mining region of the
country and that federal experts had
no authority to investigate any mine
disasters except those caused by ex-
piosions
What New Bureau Will Do.
The great work that has been done
In this line by the geological survey
has proved the need for money and
authority for the government to un-
dertake further Investigations and ex.
periments to supply absolute data and
adequate safeguards for workers IN
every branch Of the mining industry.
Mine explosions which the government
now investigates constitute only IL
per cent of the accidents that happen.
The new bureau of mines will take
over from the geological survey the
work of testing explosives. Investigate
ing explosions. experimenting with
fuels and the testing of structural mi.
terials, in which work the government
has been spending S350,O00~ annually
for two years.
1t will, add to this the Investigation
of all possible~eauses of mine acci.
dents dissemination of causes of fires
and like disasters. investigation OF
character and action of gas, dust, damp
and other dangers existing in coal and
metal mines and methods best ADAPTED
to meeting these dangers and protect
Ing mine workers against them.
No interference With State.
State mine authorities have raised
objections in the past to the establish
ment of national bureau of mines on
the ground that 1t would result In
conflict between state and federal au-
thorities. It is made clear under the
new law that there is to be no at
tempt on the part of the government
to regulate mining operations or to
Interfere In any way with state inspec-
ton.
Thousands of lives are lost In Amer
lean mines because of lack of uniform
systems of signals, standard methods
OF using fuses and explosives and Ell
cient methods of mine rescue work.
This lack viii be supplied, It is be-
iieved, through the investigations and
of the new bureau
of mines. Mine rescue stations III |
Pittsburg, Urbana, ILL.,, and other |
points have demonstrated their great |
value in the protection of life and |
property.
The most hazardous work of the
hazardous occupation of coal miners is
the firing of the blasting powder. or
rs it Is known to miners, ''shot firing.
The men who do this work are SINH |
Iarly called ''shot firers." They enter
The mine after the miners have com
pleted their days work and gone home
invariably the shot firer rushes his
work. firing shots rapidly. creating
arge quantities of gases caused by
he ignition Of large charges of pow
Ter. Then comes an Ill placed shot
,r badly judged shot, causing what
g known in mining parlance as
windy shot," thus providing all the
elements for an explosion, which in
occurs, causing loss of life
md damage to property.
Recently there was patented an auto
matte electric ''shot firer" by Charles
. Dodson of Kansas City, which. after
,eing put to the practical test of a
hirty days trial In a large mine near
Kan. has been recon-
nended by the United States geolog.
cal survey. The apparatus takes the
,lace Of the "shot tirer" aud renders
Unnecessary his services In a coal
nine, thus eliminating one of the
.reatest dangers to life and property
n the mining industry.
The machine is complete electric
liant and has no outside assistance.
t consists Of specially constructed
lock and self exciting direct current J,
ynamo, with specially constructed
aechanical parts. The machine Is |