Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-06
CAUSES MORE DISASTERS IN
MINES THAN MUCH-FEARED
FIRE DAMP.
CALAMlTIES
CAUSE GOVERNMENT ACTION
Prove That Many Disas-
tiers Arc Due to Cause Heretofore
suspected-FederaI Experts Seek
and Find Several Observation-Disclosures
Slow to Accept Federal Theory.


Of bituminous coal is an explosive more
insidious, threatening and deadly to the
miner than fire damp, is the assertion
of George S. Rice, chief mining engi-
neer of the bureau of mines. This is
contrary to what has been the general
belief, nevertheless 1t has been proved
beyond doubt by the experiments OF
the last two years at the Pittsburg
testing station of the United States
geological survey, which is now part
of the bureau of mines. While many
mine operators and miners have be-
lieved that coal dust would ignite from
an explosion of fire damp in a mine,
nearly all of them contended that the
dust in a mine free from gas could not
explode Consequently. in many mines
where no fire damp could be detected,
miners have paid little attention to the
accumulation of dust from the cutting
of the coal, and it is in these mines,
Mr.. Rice declares, some of the great
disasters have taken place.
Some Appalling Disasters.
In bulletin which has just been is
sued by the bureau, Mr.. Rice refers
especially to the appalling series of
great, widesweeping disasters that oc-
Cured in the United States in 1907, as
evidence of the terrible havoc wrought
by dust explosions. On Jan. %, at the
Primero mine, Colorado, there were
twenty-four deaths; on Jan. &c, at the
Pence mine, West Virginia, twelve
deaths; on Jan. 20, at the Stuart mine,
near Fayetteville. w. Va, ninety
deaths; on Feb. 4, at the Thomas mine,
Thomas, w. Va, twenty-five deaths;
on Dec. 1 at the Naomi mine, Penn
sylvania, thirty-five deaths; on Dec. 6.
at the Monongah mine. West Virginia.
occurred the greatest disaster DIN the
history of coal mining in the United
States, 35S lives having been lost; on
Dec. 49, al the Yolande mine, Alabama,
fifty-six men We're killed: and on Dec.
10. at the Darr mine, 230 men were
Killed. In this black month of Decem-
Der alone says Mr.. Rice, 64S men were
sacrificed, chiefly from the effects Of
Goa! dust, which if not the initial cause.
in all cases was the agency CARRYING
death.
Government Starts Action.
1t was after these explosions that the
federal government took up an inquiry
into the causes of the disasters and es-
taollshed the testing station at Pitts
burg. The very first work was to
prlVe TO the mine operators and min
ers that coal dust alone would explode.
Inc dust was placed in cylinder 100
feet long and six feet in diameter. with
a cannon imbedded in one end. This
cannon was filled with black powder
and discharged by electricity into the
coal dust In practically every instance
there was a terrific explosion. even
more violent than that caused by fire
damp Each succeeding experiment
went further to prove that coal dust
is the real great danger of the mines.
Firedamp, according to Mr. Rice. car
ries its own warning. Whenever gas is
present in mine in dangerous o1an-
titles, blue flame rises from the safe
" lamp to notify the miner. but coal
dust, tho visible does not attract at
tention unless present in large olanti-
ties. Firedamp is generally found in
certain parts of the mine. and EXCEPT
in notable and very exceptional cases
is comfortable by means of the venti-
lating currents. If by mischance a
body of firedamp is ignited in a mine. |
the force of the explosion is terrific.
but the effect is localized unless dry
coal dust is present. or unless Gas rare
~ happens) an eXplosible mixture of
air and gas extends thru large areas
of the mine. In a mine that is dry
dust accumulates everywhere, and the
blast from the ignition and combustion
of the bituminous dust NAV traverse
miles Of rooms and entries and even
wreck structures at the entrance of the
mine.
Miners Slow to Believe.
One of the unaccountable phases of
the coal dust problem has been the dis
inclination of operators and miners to
believe that the dust would explode |
without the presence of gas. The
United States was not alone in this |
for the French engineers refused to
believe in this until the great dis
aster occurred at Courreres in 1906. in |
which 1000 men lost their lives. Since |
that terrible catastrophe testing |
station has been established in France. |
and now the French engineers are fully
convinced of the dangers of coal dust. |
Now since it is generally accented |
that bituminius coal dust is explosive.
the federal investigators have been
looking for the remedy. Various ex-
periments. in sprinkling the roadwavs
Of the mines. in saturating the air en-
tering the mine with steam so as to
produce a humid effect, in placing
zones Of stone dust in the mines, have