The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-02

1t should have had, III the necessary
precautions had been exercised to pre-.
vent them. 10. l.
In All the Explosions
OF any magnitude, which have occur.
red in recent years, the cause has
been attributed to the!ignition OF coal
dust, caused by the promIscous use
OF high flaming powder, or being ig-
nited by gas explosion.
By referring to the accompanying
table one can see the number of lives
that have been sacrificed by explo.
sions during the five years In the
state.
Total number OF fatal accidents
June 30, 1905. 1874; June 20 1906; 26S;
June 80, 1907. 365; June 30, 1908
625: June 30. 1909. 1854; June 80, 1910
TO present time 264,
Fatal accidents due to explosions
OF coal dust-June 80, 1906, "a; June
30, 1906, 43; June 30, 1907, 1O1; gas
and dust; June 80. 1908, 1858 (gas and
DUST; June 30, 1909, ZIG, tgas and
DUST. &. ~,
Fatal accidents due to explosions
OF gas-June 80, 1905 l; June 30, 1906,
4; June 30, 1907, 20; June 80 1898,
L. June 80, 1903 8.
Total number Of men employed at
mines in the state-Jne 30. 1909,
1880; June 80 80, 1906, 331 ,76S;. June
so, 1907, 5G.2G5; June 3d. 1905, 1897;
June 80, 1909, $685. June 30, 1909,
$1,000. }it ~
Number OF persons. killed per thou
sand from explosions of gas and coal
dust-June &c. 1905, 0.50O; June 80,
1906, 0.907; June 80, 1907, .2.31O; June
90, 1908, CLOS; June 80, 1909, 1.752.
The explosion at the Lick Branch,
mine in December, 1908, and January,
1909, were the last resulting from
these errors. and since that time, not
man has been killed either from a
gas or dust explosion in the state.
To prevent gas explosions from oc.
curing, the essential requisite is the
introduction of abundant ventilation
into the. mine along with exercising
proper vigilance IN Its distribution to
dilute, carry of and<render harmless
as we'll as preventing the accumula-
ton of the explosive gases.
The Prevention Of Dust Explosions
was. not found SO easy a task. for
wherever 1t is present in any quanti-
ty, great care must be exercised to
prevent the extension OF any fame In.
to 1t, either from blown out shot
with black powder, or small gas
explosion.
There have been in the state, men
in charge of mines, who did not be-
lieve that coal dust was explosive, or
that the permissible explosives in use
we're more safe to. be fired in the pres
ence Of coal dust, than the high fam
Ing black powder which was in use;
nor did they see the necessity OF regu-
lating the use Of black powder so, that
the least danger would result from 1t.
There is law in the state, which
says, that all Accommodations of dust
must be prevented as far as practical
and any accumulations in the mines
must be kept watered down This Jaw
has been on our statute books for a
number OF years, and dust explosions
have continued to, occur.
After the Lick Branch explosions,
the chief of the department OF mines
ordered the district mine inspectors OF
the state to send to the United States
testing station at Pittsburg, coal dust
from mines in their districts, which
they considered the most dangerous.
When the dust reached Pittsburg, a
series Of demonstrations were ar.
ranged for with the technilogical d.
vision OF the United States Geological
Survey, to which mine operators,
mine officials and mine workers were
invited to attend.
The demonstrations were largely at.
I tended by mining men from all parts
OF the state, and among those who ut.
tended were many who hitherto did
not believed that coal dust was explo.
sive in the complete.
i Absence Of lnfiamabIe Gas.
AT those tests It was demonstrated
to me what given quantity OF black
powder would do when fired into the
very same coal dust which they had
In the mines Of the state. They could
see before them In the testing gal
4 lery, the explosion that took place
when such shot was fired, and some
OF them realized for the first time the
dangers they would have to contend
with in the presence OF coal dust with
In their mines. Shots were fired into
the dust in the gallery with the low
flaming, or what is now called permits.
sible explosives, and when no explo
sion tok place 1t was proven to them
that there were other powders than
black powder. which furnished high
degree OF safety and It was also
proven that coal dust saturated with
moisture could not be exploded
AS result of these demonstrations
the ones that attended returned to the
state moro fully convinced than ever
and to convince others OF the dangers
TO be encountered in the mines in tho
presence OF coal dust. In arranging
for these tests which were so largely
attended the chief of the department
OF the mines Of the state did more
than was ever done before to convince
the mining fraternity of the dangers
they would have TO combat with ant
, overcome in order to prevent the hor
: rible catastrophics which were takin,
place in the state.
The department OF mines is great,
= indnhfhA n h4