The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-09
WATER For STING

from the journal Oh the American Medical
Association.
Mining accidents are unusually fire.
quent among us We kill every year more
than all the rest of the world besides.'
There are 100000 coal miners at work in
the United States; upward of $4,000 have
been killed and $4,000 injured in the past
score of years. This trade is, indeed, Pc
cuiarly dangerous, and herein no doubt
lies one among sundry reasons for the
strikes of miners-strikes rather more fire.
quent than in other occupations. and
which prove unfortunate, and even disas-
trous, for many thousands besides the
miners and mine owners Immediately con-
cerned, For fire is essential to civiliza-
ton. and most of our fire Is obtained from
the coal which the miners dig out of the
earth. 1t Is said that under normal con-
ditions the mining industry adds every
yeax- s., COG, 100000 to the United States.
"Of course, all possible means should be
employed to prevent mining accidents and
to render mines as safe as possible. To
this end the bureau of mines. under the
dictatorship of DR.. Joseph A. Holmes. is
doing yeoman work. Yet despite all the
safeguards now known and practiced,
dreadful accidents do occur. For exam
pie just as Pennsylvania state inspect
or stepped from the shaft of mine after
giving it a clean bill of health, an ex-
ploson took place in that very mine
which killed 1876 men.
MANY mine accidents are caused by the
explosion of fire damp, a substance also
known as methane and as marsh gas.
which produces the wil-o -the-wisp. Any
unprotected flame or spark may ignite this
gas. Blasting powder used in mines may
be tamped too lightly; 1t may then flare
back, becomes windy shot'-a long,
white flame leaping out straight FROM the
face This is fire damp ignited and an
explosion is produced Another cause of
explosions is the ignition of blasting pow
der through sparks dropped by careless
miners or produced by defective electric
Insulation.
1T would perhaps be difficult to prevent
such accidents so long as powder is used.
but it is said that an assured remedy is
forthcoming in the substitution of water
for power in mine blasting. Herr Carl
Meissner, German mining official know
Ing of explosions In mines where there
were no gas pockets became convinced
that while the gas might not be a part of
the coal, 1t was, nevertheless, i'll the local
seam or perhaps in the pores of the coal
He believed that If the water could be
forced into the pores of the coal it would
drive out the gas. To this end he had
built long nozzle that would fit exactly
into the hole bored by the miners for the
insertion of their powder. A very small
quantity of water-but few quarts--hav-
ing been injected, the gas was driven out
with a kissing sound. 1t was then found
that by the use of Just little more water
the coal would be sufficiently cracked or
broken for a blow Of the pick to bring
1t tumbling down.
Germany, it is reported, is gradually
excluding powder from its mines, and is
now mining coal by water on a large
scale. Carl Scholz, president of the Rock
Island Mining company. is planning to
use this method for his mines in In
diana, Illinois and Oklahoma. The mines
in Alabama and West Virginia, ana in
British Columbia. are being extensively
worked by water instead of powder. 1t
would be gratifying. indeed, to know of
the universal extension of this method OF
mining