The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-12-15

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mine explosions and mine lres that
have extensively destroyed both life
and property
The improper use Of explosives
and the use OF Improper explosives
have directly or indirectly caused a
large share Of the fatal accidents and
serious injuries to the men. But
fully as serious as the killing or in
juring Of several thousand men from
this cause during the past five years
has the injury to the health OF the
miners from poisonous gases given
on by the improper explosives used. y
Poor Ventilation.
Each day poor. ventilation and re-
sulting bad air injure the health OF
thousands Of mines. In most of the
lmetal-nining states the statutory
provisions are incomplete and mad
Iequate. and there is the greatest
disparity between them as to what
constitutes sufficient ventilation to
keep mine air pure. In fact. no
adequate system Of ventilation is
generally In force today in the metal
mines OF the country"
The bureau. in addition to at
tempting to prevent the explosion OF
coal dust in mines, which has result
ed In great lost of life. has been in
lpestigating methods that would stop
such explosions after they had start
ed. During the year. four such de-
vices were perfected by George s.
Rice, the chief mining engineer Of
the bureau, and patented for the
benefit of the mining industry.
Director Holmes refers to the de-
velopment of these devices as pro-
badly the most important part OF
the years work. The devices con-
sist Of barriers placed in the mines
and loaded with stone dust The
explosion striking these barriers,
the stone dust is thrown in to the air
and stops the further propagation of
the explosion. 1t is felt that such
devices would localize an explosion
to the portion OF the mine in which
1t started. and thus save the men
working in other parts Of the mine.
In the accomplishments Of the
year. DR.. Holmes calls attention to
the statement Of his engineers that.
with an expenditure OF $4,000.
they have brought about saving
OF natural gas worth $4,000. 900. a
sum many times greater than the
total cost of all the work done by
the bureau during the four years of
Its existence. This, was done by In
PRODUCING better methods in the drill
ling for petroleum and gas. This
waste of gas stopped totaled $780,
100000 cubic feet per day. equival-
ent in heating value to 1900 tons
of coal per day. In preventing the
escape Of this enormous quantity of
gas" says Director Holmes. :. an
other saving was made, the value OF
which cannot be estimated-the
elimination of danger to human life
from the escape, Of this gas into the
atmosphere DR.. Holmes esti-
mates the loss to this country each
year in the development of the oil
fields to be not less than $50, 000,-
600, and tnat large part Of this
loss is preventable. The fact that
the principal oil-producing areas OF
land the fact that the next few
years will see a constantly dimin-
fishing instead OF an increasing pro-
the country are now believed to be
vel defined. {" says DR.. Holmes,
ductio, unite in making imperative
the need Of extended inquiries
Radiilm is Cheaper.
Director Holmes also calls atten-
tion to the discovery of a process by
the chemists of the bureau whereby
radfum, which is much sought for
its supposed curative Qualities. can
be produced at one-third of its pre-
sent cost. With radium now selling
at $4,000 gram, its reduction in
price to $4,000 will. 1t is said. re-
suit in many hospitals throughout
the country being able to purchase
a supply. The process devised by
the bureaus chemists has already
been tested with success in the plant
Of the National ,Radium Institute,
which Is under the supervision of
the technical staff Of the Bureau of
Mines.
The bureau also claims that
through its scientific method OF pur-
chasing coal by measuring the heat
units the federal government has
saved during the year 100000 and
that the various cities Of the coun-
try that have taken up this plan of
buying coal have reported a saving
last year of thousands of dollars.
Director Holmes places the present
waste of mineral resources OF the
country at the! sum of one million
dollars a day and declares that in 4
large measure this waste is unneces-
sary. I'm one respect at least"
says the director. the consideration
of mineral waste has a basis quite
different from the consideration OF
agricultural wastes. Our crops rep
resent an annual production from q
reasonably permanent soil; our for
ests may grow again, though much
longer period of time Is required;
and the soils themselves may be re-
produced from the subsoil and the
rock beneath. But Of our mineral
resources we have only the ona sup
ply. This supply Is to consider
abba extent destroyed by use. and at
the present increasing rate at which
we are using and wasting it our one
supply of a member OF these re-
source will be entirely exhausted or
largely depleted while the nation is
yet in its youth.
Waste Is Preventable.
Referring to coal. DR.. Holmes says:
"a careful estimate indicates that
in the mining ofi.600 .000. 900 tons
Of coal during the last calendar year
there was wasted or was left under