Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-28

plOSlOn IN the Darr mime IN PennSyl-
vania. where 100 were killed. Another
at the Naomi mine in Pennsylvania
killed thirtyfour, and still another at
Yolande, Ala. killed siXty-one. After
this the United States government be-
gan a series of Investigations into the
causes of disasters in coal mines. The
United States geological survey, which
was intrusted with this work, estab-
lished at Pittsburg a station patterned
after the best scientific stations in
Europe.
1t was said before these investiga-
tions commenced that miner took his
life in his hands every time he touched
off a charge of powder in the mines,
the various explosives being so variable
in strength that no one knew just
what they would do. The great fear of
the coal miner is what is known as the
"blown-out' shot. This means shot
that, instead of exploding and breaking
the coal, blows out into the mine. This
occurs when the powder has not been
properly tamped, or When it is not
strong enough to break the coal. A
"blown-out" shot sends a tongue of
flame leaping through the mine and
if there is gas nearby or fine coal dust
floating in the air an explosion fol-
lows that kills or mains everyone near
The officials of the survey therefore
determined to standardize explosives
and to test them in the presence of gas
or coal dust. The explosives are being
tested in a huge steel cylinder 100 feet
long and six feet in diameter This
cylinder was filled with natural gas,
which corresponds with fire damp, and
a "blown-ou shot was reproduced, the
explosive being fired by electricity
from a cannon in one end of the cylin-
der. If an explosion followed, this
IOnmhar M NnnGidaTA6 for
use in mines where there was gas.
The cylinder would then be filed with
coal dust and the explosive discharged
in it, If the coal dust ignited with
roar then the explosive used was
deemed unfit for use in dangerous
mines. The investigation of explosives
was continued until a number were
found that would stand both tests
without igniting the gas or the coal
dust. These explosives were termed
permissible" and their use urged in
mines where there was gas or coal
dust in dangerous quantities. Two lists
of permissible explosives have so far
been published and recommended to
the state mining bureaus.
A queer phase of the situation has
been the incredulity of the miners and
operators alike as to the explosiveness
of coal dust. When the government
began its tests hardly a miner in the
country believed that coal dust would
explode. They went to the Pittsburg
station in special trains to see it be-
fore they would believe the state
ments made. In this connection the
attention OF the miners was called to
the fact that there was a violent ex-
plosion of flour dust in a Minneapolis
mill a number of years ago. They were
also told to remember that some of
49, I.,-s
mines of the United States, that at
Monongah in particular, were caused
by coal dust.
This has opened still another prob
lem which the officials are working on
how to render harmless the coal dust
in the mines. One experiment was to
rush to a certain mine, after there had
been a sudden drop in the tempera-
ture, and investigate the condition OF
the air. The officials calculated the
amount of moisture entering the mine
and the amount going out, and found
to their amazement that the mine was
losing fifty tons of moisture every
twenty-four hours. 1t was readily seen
that a few days of such conditions
would leave the coal dust in very dry
state and render it more liable to ex-
plode if it came into contact with a.
flame. This is the cause of the great
coal dust explosions that have cost so
many hundred lives. 1t also explains
why most of these disasters occur in
the winter time.
At the Pittsburg station there is a
room known as the rescue ROOM"
where miners are taught the use of the
oxygen helmet, an apparatus that per-
mits breathing artficially in deadly
gases. Part of the rescue room" con-
tains an alright compartment, fitted
up to resemble the interior of mine.
This place is filled with deadly gases
and the experts, clad in their oxygen
helmets can remain there for two
hours without returning to the fresh
air. These helmets have proved valu-
able Immediately after explosions, per-
mitting rescuers to enter the mines at
once and bring out men who were
slowly being asphyxiated.
The government now has a crew of
trained rescuers who respond to every
accident call within a reasonable radius
of the station. These heroes, although
arriving late at the Cherry disaster.
brought twenty men alive from the
burning mine. This work has been so
successful that sub-stations have been
established in the coal fields of Ten
nessee Oklahoma, Illinois and Wash
ington, and recommendations for six
more have been made. The govern
ment's sole purpose in this is to teach
the miners the use of the oxygen he'll
NETS So that each mine will be en-
couraged to maintain it's own rescue
corps. Ten of the big mining COM
panies of the country have already
established such stations.
preston to painting. According TO