Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-23
NINE ACCIDENTS WILL
Be FEATURE OF BUREAU
Mining and Metailureical Problems 10
he Taken ~ When Appropriation
For Work IL Increased.

| | A'"'NN -A"9 10 AtlVt beCdlue tUeC
tive July /. As originally approved
the law contemplated the transfer o
the entire tcchnologic branch of th
United states geological survey. tn
mine accident Investigations, fuel in
Nestigations, structural materials in
Vestlgations, the entire personnel
property and equipment to IN,
bureau of mines, but the sundry civil
appropriation act approved June 25
amended the law to such an extern
lhAt the structural materials invest.
cations. including the personnel anc
equipment for these Investigation,
went 10 the bureau Of standards. de.
par ment of commerce and labor
carrying out the spirit and intent
| OF me law so amended, the secre-
u"ry mas transferred TO the bureau OF
mines the investigation Of mine ac-
cidents and fuels, together with the
| personnel and equipment OF these in
| Nesugations and has transferred to
| the bureau OF standards the struc-
tural materials Investigations and tho
employees Of the technologlc branch
or the survey engaged In these in
| designations. The fully equipped test
Ing station at Pittsburg also goes to
| the bureau OF mines
The bureau OF mines therefore in
| ciudes tho mine accidents and fuel
| Investigations for which an approprla-
ton OF $4,000 was made by Con-
| gress The total appropriations
| for the Bureau, including salaries
| rent and expenses Of removal amount
to 100000.
| ACTIVITIES DEFERRED.
The work Of the bureau Of mines
tor the first year win be continue
a. "a. -
tled on by the technologic branch of
the geological survey. The law in it.
self provides for a variety OF other
problems that properly belong to the
bureau OF mines and which should
eventually be undertaken, such az
methods OF mining and metallurgical
processes, hut these activities will be
deferred for the most part until
Congress gives additional auth oriza-
tion In the shape Of adequate apPro-
priations. The spirit Of the debates
In Congress both on the bureau OF
mines legislation and on the appro-
priaton items emphasized the desire
to regard the mine accidents investi-
cations as urgent and this will be the
feature Of the work
In all. $40. 900 was appropriated
for mine accident investigations or
this sum under the general Ulans APP
proved by the secretary Of the In
terror. $4,000 Is 10 be spent on the
rescue stations. s86 600 for housing
nine stations: $4,000 for equipping
eight new stations: and $40 900 for
additional equipment for five existing
stations The allotment FOR the in
vestiCatlou OF explosives Is 100000:
for electricity In mining, $4,000: APP
pliances FOR preventing mine acct
dgnts, SIS 900: examination and codi-
hcation OF mining laws, s. 900 and
other technologiC investigations. ore
treatment etc, $4,000. For the
analvzlng and testing Of the Goals.
llgnites ores. and other mineral fuel
substances belonging to or for the
use OF the United states. 500 600 was
appropriated OF this amount. $4,000
will be spent IN tho chemical and
physical Investigation OF fuels S25.-
900 I'm the Inspection Of government
fuel purchase; $4,000 In frel ef-
fciorcy Investigations. $500 i'm
Ignite and peat Investigations: and
50 600 In hrquettng Investigations
FOR INVESTIGATIONS.
The mine accident Investigations.
which have been transferred from the |
geological survey 10 the bureau of |
mines were FIRST authorized In the leg |
islotivc appropriation act OF May %, |
1905 carrying for this purpose an APP |
preparation Of $4,000. This was fol- /
lowed by a similar appropriation car /
ried In the act for the sundry civil ex- /
penses Of the government for 1910 4 |
mine experiment station was cstab- /
lished IN PittshurF during 1905, at
which since that time, Investigations
OF explosives, coal gas. dust. cleCtriCi-
" and other possible causes of mine
explosions have been continually un-
der way. The mining engineering field
force OF the geological survey has al
ready made decided progress In the
study Of underground mining condi-
> Hg.t.
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 laborat tory at Pitts
burg. and every effort Ia. bocn made !
To determine the eXplosibility Of varl-
Gus mixtures Of gas and air in the
presence of shots Of different types of
explosives. Considerable progress has
also been made iu the investigation Of
explosives used in coal mining, and the
conditions under which they NAV bo
used with least risk Manufacturers
have submitted many explosives for
test at the station ana u cons ldcrahle !
portion NJ them p1ssed and have been |
classified among the permissible eNplo-
,ivos. The Investigations and educa-
ional work in connection with the use ,
" artificial breathing and other types |
" mino rescue equipment, the so-callcd !
lXyReu helmets, have not only been /
iseful I'm developing more satisfac-
ory use NJ such equipment in the eN-
animation Of mine explosions. but also
,ettor methods for using this equip
ncnt I'm mine rescue work.
EXAMINING FUELS.
The fuel Investigations under the
-cologiral survey and which are trans
erred TO the bureau of mines have al
eady resulted I'm q better realization
throughout the country as 20 the value
4 fuels one result Of this work Is
hat nearly All Of the fuel now pur-
h1Sed by the federal government is
ought on specifications and subject to
est by the fuel division or purchased :
fter examination made Of the coal q
applied by the mines from which coal
delivered 20 tho government
The publications of the survey relat- I
lg 10 mine and fuel Investigations, Z
hose prepared by the technologic ]
ranch viii In the future be distrihu- /
'd by the bureau OF mines. The pub
cations relating 10 structural mate Z
ais viii continue 20 be distributed by- =
De- geological survey The last OF J
10 bulletins OF the technologic branch ! )
be published 10y tho survey viii be '