Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1910-09-01
BUREAU OF Mines
CONTINUED from Last Weekly

The mine accident investigations,
which have been transferred from the
geological survey to the bureau of
mines, were first authorized in the legis
lative appropriation act of May %,
1908, carrying for this purpose an ap-
preparation of $15O,oOO. This was fol-
lowed by similar appropriation car
ried in the act for the sundry civil ex-
penses of the government for 1910. A
mine experiment station was established
in Pittsburg during 1908, at which,
since that time, investigations of ex-
plosives, coal gas, dust, electricity and
other possible causes of mine explosions
have been continually under way. The
mining engineering field force of the
geological survey has already made de-
cided progress in the study of under
ground mining conditions and methods.
Practically all of the coal mines in
which mine explosions have occurred
during the last two years have been
carefully examined, the gases, coke and
dust have been analysed at the labora-
tory at Pittsburg and every effort has
been made to determine the explosibil-
ity of various mixtures of gas and air
in the presence of shots of different
types of explosives. Considerable prog
ress has also been made in the investi-
cation of explosives used in coal min
ing, and the conditions under which
they may be used with least risk. Manu-
facturers have submitted many explo-
sives for test at the station, and con-
siderable portion of them passed and
have been classified among the permits
sible explosives The investigations
and educational work in connection
with the use of artificial breathing and
other types of mine rescue equipment
the so-called oxygen helmets, have mo-
only been useful in developing more
satisfactory use of such equipment il
the examination of mine explosions, bu
also better methods for using this equip
ment in mine rescue work. The fuel in
vestigations under the geological sur
vey and which are transferred to tn
: bureau of mines have already resulted
. in better realization throughout tn
country as to the value of fuels. On
p result of this work is that nearly all o
= the fuel now purchased by the feders
government is bought on specification
. and subject to test by the fuel division
= or purchased after examination made G
4 the coal supplied by the mines frol
o which coal is delivered to the govern
! ment.
= The publications of the survey rela
= ing to mine and fuel investigation
!, those prepared by the technolog
branch will, in the future, be distribute
Il by the bureau of mines. The public'
= lions relating to structural materia
It will continue to be distributed by tt
d geological survey. The last of the bu
= letins of the technologic branch to
. published by the survey were issue
. from the government printing Off
y August 1. This bullerIn relates to Il
- explosibility of coal dust, and was pr
y pared by G. S. Rice, with chapters
!. ]. C. Frazer, Axel Larsen, Frank Ha
e. and Carl Scholz.
z. The first of the bureau of mines br
:" letins, the "Volatile Matter of Coal,
by H. G. Porter and F. K. Ovitz, W
y be published in the next few month
70 Then will follow "Coal Analyses"
10 N. w. Lord and J. S. Burrows; "Fin
- Data Regarding Steam Tests" by L.
=, Breckenridge; "North Dakota Ligni
as Boiler Fuel" by D. T. Rand;
II and Henry Kreisinger; "Producer-G
Tests in 19O5-19O7,' by R. Fernal
n "The Coke Industry as Related to t
Sc Foundry" by Richard Moldenk
,e. "Coals for Illuminating Cas-" by A.
IT. White and Perry Barker, and "Petl
ng leum for Combustion Under Steam Be
Oh ers,' by 1. c. Allen.
&c These publications, when issued, C
- be obtained by addressing the direct
of the bureau of mines, Washingtt
or D. G.