The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-02-06
THE HAS KIN LETTER
SAFE ~ IN MINES.

4 lss Z. 6 81 4 IS
Coal mining is, and probably must
always remain, one OF the hazardous
occupations. The public hears only
of the occasional great disasters, In
(which a number Of men lose their
Lives: but more miners are killed III
tie long run by rock or coal falling
from the roof Of mines, usually one al
time. than in any other way. Every
miner who goes underground takes O
decided risk, and some Of the work
ors are in immediate danger every
Gay, as for example the shot firers' 2
who remain inside the mines to touch
oil charges Of powder or dynamite
after all OF the others have left. in
| the better equipped mines, the blast.
ling charges are now! exploded by an
electrical apparatus operated frosi
Outside the mine; but the shot
Ifrer" is still employed in some Of the
smaller mines, and none but tho
imost courageous men will accept the
position.
Generally speaking. however, the
operators Of mines are doing all in
their power to promote. the safety OF
their employees. in accordance with
lthe advice and recommendations Of
the United States Bureau of Mines.
Nearly all Of the larger operators now
have rescue apparatus and corps. OF
trained men, equipped with helmets
and oxygen tanks. similar to those
carried by the rescue cars of the bu-
jreau Of mines, SO that they are fully
able to cope with any accident. Small
Ter operators are usually not SO welt
,equiped, but are willing to cooperate
with the bureau Of mines, and to have
tits assistance in rescue work, and in
promoting safety. State govern
ments are also cooperating with the
bureau Of mines, and In Illinois, es-
pecially, valuable studies are being
made, with the assistance. of the
Illinois geological survey, OF the oc-
laurence OF gas In mines. ss
1t Is the prevention Of mine acct
dents, however. that the most notable
advances have recently been made,
and especially in the prevention of ex-
pIosions. OF 81 accidents that were
investigated by the bureau of mines
le"AshAth LIN fHesSb ySaA, ~ WoIe CduSeNi
by explosions, which, was twice as
many as were caused by any other
enc agency, fire coming next as the
cause of 13 accidents. A typical coal
lmine explosion of the worst sort was
that at Dawson. New Mexico. las.
October. in which 263 men were en-
tombed, and persisted. A rescue car
of the bureau of mines was rushed tc
1.-THE spot from Kansas, and meI
Equipped with breathing helmets and
lcxygen tanks sent into the mine; hui
\ rescue was for the most part impossi-
tble. Two of the helmet men los
liheir lives in the effort to save some
of the miners.
Owing to the suddenness and ter.
rife force Of these explosions, and the
formation Of poisonous gases, dealt
for many miners is inevitable when,
lever they occur, and rescue WORT
hazardous and uncertain. 1t Is in thu
prevention of explosions that work /.
lneeded and is being done.
The discovery that coal-dust. IL
suspension, Is highly explosive sub
stance, an dthe cause of most of tn,
great explosions in coal mines is thu
most important in this line that ha.
been made in many years. The bu
Eau of mines has Just completed ;
WIRES Of remarkable experiments will
the explosibility of coal dust, the re
sults of which will soon be publishe,
lin full.
1t has been found that the ga
called fire damp" upon which mos
of the explosions have hitherto beel
blamed, could not be the cause OF an,
but purely local explosions, while ex
splosions of coal dust will send wal
!. Iof fame into every open part of tn
ln:ine.
81 Coal dust is inevitably formed Il
. the process Of mining, both in cuttini
: out the coal. and in loading it upcl
: cars. The dust accumulates upol
Z the floors, roof timbers. cars, and al
-tother. stationary surfaces. When {
$ charge of blasting powder is set Of
t this dust Is thrown into the air, an
iiif the flame from the blasting charg
I reaches It, will explode with gren
{ force, and the flame will be carried Al
J, indefinite distance. as more and NOR
4 dust Is thrown into the air.
The exact workings Of this terrifi
: explosive force were discovered b
the experiments conducted by the BID
reau Of mines at the government ex
detrimental mine at Pittsburg. Arti
ficially-made coal dust was distribut
ed about the mine. The explosion
was started by small cannot loade,
with four pounds Of black powde
tamped with clay. This cannon nat
urally threw out stream OF fame t,
distance of from ten to fifteen feet