The bee., 1912-03-19
DR.. JOSEPH HOLMES
CONTINUED from Page ~

vent the destruction of the fans,
they should be placed where they
will not be in line of force of any
explosion in the mine.
Safety lamps ana permissible
or quick flame explosives each con-
tribute to safety. The keeping OF
electricity out of gaseous mines is a
further wise precaution. There are
a number of other minor precautions
that are important, but all will agree
that the first essential is adequate
ventilation. An unexpected out
burst of gas from breaking into an
old gas well or from the smaller hid
den reservoirs In the coal itself, each
contributes a danger which it has
been found difficult to provide
against in many cases, but against
which every precaution should be
taken. In quite number of mines
the danger from gas has been re-
duced by an extension of the entries
far in edvance of ordinary working
operations, and taking the gas from
the coal In advance of the ordinary
mining work without overlooking
with it the ordinary return air cur
rents.
"The'lessons taught in the recent
study of dust explosions are that the
dust from practically all of the BIZ
luminous Goals will explode under
favorable conditions without any
gas being present. They have also
shown that a small gas explosion
is one of the easiest ways OF starting
dust explosion, which, If the mine
is wet, will be q local explosion,
from which many miners may es-
cape; or If the dust is dry and
abundant, there will be a general
explosion, extending to every part
of the mine, and killing by it's own
violence or it's poisonous gases all
the men In the mine.
One of the important lessons
taught by certain recent mine ex-
plosions is that the coal dust, while
thoroughly wet, will not explode,
but that with modern ventilation,
and especially during cold weather,
wet coal dust often becomes dry and
dangerous within few hours, and
that therefore the sprinkling of coal
dust once a month or once week
only gives us safer conditions for
few hours Immediately following
the sprinkling. Indeed, sprinkling
occasionally is often q useless and
dangerous practice, as 1t does little
or no good unless done thoroughly
and frequently and 1t often tends to |
make us less careful In dealing with |
this half-dry or dry coal dust In be-
tween the periods of sprinkling and |
it never reaches the other unused |
portions of the mines. Il
"Wetting coal dust through the |
Of steam along with the
air current is by all means the most
effective and cheapest way OF moIs-
tening the coal dust during the cold |
weather. This steam warns the |
inflowing air and saturates it with |
moisture, which moisture is in turn
on and vets the coal dust
in all parts of the mine where this
air penetrates. This method con-
tinues through the winter season,
the natural sweating process which
keeps the dust wet and helps to pre-
vent dust explosions during the
summer season.
LAS far as possible the coal dust
should be kept out of the mine. And
what canno be removed should be
kept wet, either by liberal sprInk-
ling or turning exhaust steam into
the mine, or keeping the coal dust
mixed with fine soil dust, ashes, or
stone dust.
"The influence of stone dust in
or checking coal dust
explosions is being carefully consid-
cred in France and other European
In many mines the stone
dust is considered more effective
than water. In this country stone
dust has not passed beyond the ex-
perimental stage, dut Is worthy of
serious consideration and q thor
ough trialp