The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-12
SUGGESTIONS ON
MINE EXPLOSIONS
Two interpretations to the Air
Factor
NEED BETTER BRATTICES
Compel Use of safety Lamps or He-
quire Sufficient AIR To Keep
Gas Driven From the
NEED BETTER BRATTICES
To the Editor of The Age-Herald:

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
have read with a great deal of in
terest several articles that have appeared
III your valuable columns during the
past few days regarding the recent mine
explosions. In these articles many val
liable suggestions have been made with
a view to lessen the frequency with
which these dreadful disasters are oc-
curing within our state, and 1t is only
through intelligent and friendly discus
SIGN on the cause and prevention OF same
that we can hope to bring about con-
ditions that will afford better protection
to the lives of men who go deep down
into the bowels of the earth to earn
living for their families, and also Tor
the better protection of the property or
the mine owners.
trust, therefore, that what | have to
say will not be considered as criticism
of what others have said but simply as
Part of a discussion that may lead to
betterment of our mining conditions
which, I regret to say, are in many
respects the most wretched of any state
in the union. Going back to the article
on Mine Explosions in America which
appeared in your issue of the 1th lnst.'
particular attention was called to what
is termed the "retreating system OF min
ing" I agree with the author that the
plan is an excellent one and worthy Oh
much consideration on the part OF our
mine owners and mine workers. 1t mas,
however. much in it that is objection
No G.
try is in its infancy, as in our own case.
I shall not attempt to discuss In detail
the various points for or against IT. Sur
fee it to say, that it would practically
prohibit all except the larger corpora
tons from mining coal in Alabama on
account of the very great expense or
first cost of driving headings to the boun-
csry lines of property before the actual
mining of coal could begin; to my mind,
this feature alone. would make II I'M
practicable in Alabama at the present
time. I heartily indorse all that is SAID
in the article with reference to the THOR
o,5eh sprinkling of mines with water TO
iay the dust, by which means much dan
ger from dust explosion is eliminated.
Taking up now the points discussed In
an article Need of More Air, which
appeared in yesterdays paper on some
noints 7 am in full accord with the writ
or of If particularly better ventilation.
There are too many mines in which the
ventilation is sadly neglected, especially
at points adjacent to abandoned work.
ings These old workings cannot be 100
carefully guarded against as much OF the
firedamp or gas met with in mines ac-
cumulates there, and unless tlghtiy pratt
ticed off with substantial walls of con-
crete or brick and cement-canvas and
wood brattices to be strictly prohibited
they are source of great danger. This
is particularly true under rapid atmos-
phere changes. In addition to bratticing
off these old workings a sufficient cur
rent of pure air should be sent around
between said brattices and the nearest
working places to render harmless all
noxious gases I cannot agree with the
author of the article that the blame of
windy shots would never be heard of II
there were a proper amount of air. If
we take the history of coal mining In the
oldest countries, as well as in our own
country, we find that greater number of
destructive explosions have occurred in
mines where a strong current of air was
flowing than in mines poorly ventilated
Indeed in the early days of mining there
were few great explosions of gas, and
rarely any of dust, simply because the
methods of ventilation were such thai
not enough pure air was passing into the
mine to bring the mixture of air and fire.
damp up to an explosive point. and the
heavier gases. such as carbonic acid, etc,
tended to moisten the dust. rendering it
less dangerous.
] do not want to be understood as op-
posing the proper ventilation Of mines;
far from 1t, for claim that the only
way to prevent flre-damp explosions In
mines is to supply sufficient fresh air
to render 1t harmless. do claim, how
over. that our improved methods of san
| itation of mines has not lessened. but in
creased the danger from dust explosion
inasmuch as the stronger currents OF
| fresh air forced through the workings
| have a tendency to dry the dust and
keep much of 1t in suspension, SO that
when windy shot occurs or light ex-
plosion of fire-damp takes place there
| is greater liability of a destructive dust
| explosion. Government reports In this az
we'll as in foreign countries show that
| In a large majority of the most disas-
| trous explosions of late years coal dust
was the destructive agent. say. there
fore, eliminate the possibility of gar
explosion by compelling the use Of safety
| lamps in gaseous mines. or by sending
through the mine sufficient pure air to
render 1t absolutely harmless. preferably
| the latter That accomplished, there IL
only the dust explosion to be feared
and guarded against. and as the only
remaining cause of such Is windy shots
nnG naked lights, the latter not to be
| cor sidered too seriously, / suggest as a
partial remedy at least. the following
| Thorough watering Of the mine. better
methods Of mining. l. e.. systematic m
dercutting or shearing Of all coal before
shooting; inspection by competent per
son of all shots prepared and the fr1ns
of same by regular shot-firers. after al
other persons are out of the mine. thus
reducing the loss OF life to minimum
IN case of an explosion Of dust; and
last. but not least, more general use
of skilled or practical miners. and the
employment of competent mining mer
only as superintendents. mine foremer