The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-26
THE BRUCETON MINE EXPLOSION
By ETHEL ARMIES, Author of "sThe Story and In Alabama"

Author of ssThe Story Of Cs
 That an entire mine should be blown up in the cause of science was one of tho "incidents' in the programme of the recent Pittsburg meet. It was coal dust explosion, at Bruceton mine, set off by black powder, and it proved conclusively that coal dust will explode. Furthermore the fact developed that an explosion may follow the return air way.
 Speaking of these interesting and re- markable tests in behalf of the mining world, one of the spectators, Edward Il. Coxe, manager of coal mines of the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad com pany, said:
 This Bruceton mine is located between F and B miles south of .Pittsburg, on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. It is purely an experimental mine and is owned by the government bureau of mines.
 Tt is on the Pittsburg seam ardyis a non gaseous mine. Just a little over zoo feet slope shas been driven so far.s Three cross cuts connect the main head
 ing with a paralled air way on the left. The main portal is of reinforced concyete and concrete lining extends about 240 feet down. sS1f .a
 
 yet, but every condition of actual works Is represented. For instance the coal dust spread on narrow wooden shelves all down the main heading represented dry dust in the gob. And, in fact, all of the general conditions of dry, dusty mine were faithfully reproduced. One pound of coal dust to the running foot of each leading was scattered through the mine. A hole was drilled in the face of the coal ana charged with two pounds of blasting powder with a tamping of six inches of fire clay, the whole being set within an inch and a half pipe to in- sure blown out shot. It was then set off by electricity from on top"
 An Impressive Spectacle
 A triple cloud of flame, according to the Pittsburg Gazette Times, laden with scores of burst bags of sand, blazing l timbers and sections of solid concrete work, was shot from the three exits of l the mine. This was followed by con- l tinued roar of detonations and was thus | given proof to a thousand coal producers | from 90 states. miners from every quar- ter of the country and experts from Mexico, France and other foreign lands that coal dust is one of the chief factors .responsible4for the death toll gathered in I mine explosions. Indeed, no more awe l inspiring demonstration could have been devised than that carried to a superbly successful consummation as part of the ceremonies scheduled by the first national mine safety demonstration under the auspices of the United States Bureau of Mines American National Red Cross and | the Pittsburg Coal Operators association l Fifteen hundred persons, including D1- rector J. A. Holmes of the United States Bureau of Mines, and the foremost coal producers of the country. explosive au- thorities, the foreign delegates and sev- | r-.. 1.@.I tx.D | ton by a special train of 15 coaches over l the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. There | they got out in a pelting rainstorm. After l muddy walk of one-half mile and a l two-hour delay under the most discourag- | ing conditions they were rewarded With l prearranged explosion as realistic as any that ever occurred with the exception of resultant loss of life.
 Explosion Comes Late
 l The blowing up of the mine was l scheduled for the early afternoon. but il l was long after dark before the third ief- fort was successful. At that time the throng scattered in a soft field and or hills round about. was thoroughly chilled by the steady drizzle. but determined to await the outcome of the experiment 1 Finally the warning triple blast of the
 whistle was sounded. This was followed l by d double alarm to take stations of l safety and then three pistol shots rang out. The latter. by previous announce ment, was the final warning. s | Twice before the crowd had heard the | same series of warnings and twice had 1 been disappointed. But extra precau- l tions had been taken to prevent failure. | Just as all were about to seek the wait 1 ing train there shot simultaneously through the gloom the long expected, but nevertheless fearsome explosion. No one 1 could discern at that hour the concrete mouth of the mine the opening or the air shaft or the iron gallery at the third l entrance But to those familiar with the dread preliminary tremors connected with mine disasters, the f1utter of ground un- derfoot and the tremble of delicate in- struments, it was known before the eye caught the flash that an explosion would l take place.
 | From the mouth of the main gallery rushed monster cloud of smoke, fol-
 lowed by tongue of flame 200 feet long. 1 Seemingly simultaneously another can 1 non-shot flare came from the parallel air
 shaft while from the iron gallery third | angry glare belched into the darkness. | Skyward from the whole, great banks of sparks spread, while in all directions l sputtering timbers and small blazing par | ticles shot in streaks through the trees
 and scattered in streaks of red across an S00-foot gully. m 1 Event Complete Success F So intense was the heat that trees ground and illuminated the mouth of
 which had been at the mouth of the