The weekly Alaska citizen., 1917-10-29
BUREAU 0F MINES EXPERIMENT STATION Series of Articles Explaining Its Origin and Purpose

Bureau O. Mines Experiment. Station .- Fairbanks uauy inquiries have been received as 70 cA. nAlusa ana pa.po-. 70. .1. Station and the work %. .ae HaI.au a. Mines in -aa.raL
 Many people hay, asked. What is ,a.s new Bur,au of Mnes2" What .s .r A.-r ..- and Wa. .u.s T, ror Tn, present short aor.os of aruclcs is designed 10 ansao- few .. these question. !. th... .'c -nl ...sa eaas. aad ...-. NH an4o"o, ...y be many. ra, ao,. -- \ ra,r.- oHc citizen. interested .a. work a. you- Go,rrnm,nt both a. h1m' and abroad. drop n al inc Bureau office at Fifth and CusAmHn streets. where Mr Davis and his u-"-'an.- will be just a- pleased a7 can be t' answer any further questions that they know how. and 10 show you the ysry complete H,ue metaIlurztcaI and chemical plant that they are now busy installing. In very few weeks Mr. Davis hopes 10 have the wheels turning over. and thing, in good running shape A, that time you, Mir Reader and every citizen of Fairbanks. or friend Of the mining industry m the entire district, are invited to come and inspect the plant and get acquainted with its work. John A. Davis put it up to Us good and strong that he wants all Of the miners in the territory to understand that this Station was put here to an swcr their questions and solve their problems. if the thing can be done. The station is here to serve the mining industries of the territory, and every prospector miner and ope- rasor in Alaska is an active partner in this concern.
 The work now being done by the Bureau of Mines throughout the Unit ed States had is beginning in the testing and analyzing of fuels at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis .n 1901. The work there, at first under a committee from the Geological Survey, early in 1905 vas placed under the direction of Joseph \. Holmes. Analyses Of coaIs, and steam. gas-producer, washing, coking and br.quo,tng tests were made of various coaIs from different fields in the United States; and after 1905 she testing of structural materials such as cement. building stone, and clay products for buildings was un- daH;aEen. Early in 1907 all the fuel testing equipment, except that for .ok.ns and washing tests, was nov ed to the Jamestown Exposition buildings at Norfolk. Va, where -.eamtng and briquettlag tests of coal- from the Appalachian fields wara made to~ the use of the navy. The coking and washing equipment was moved to Denver where tests were conducted to determine the possibility of making htgh-grade met aImrgical coke from western Coals
 In 1907 these two groups of in >.sjiaaUous testing fuels and test .7- structural materials-w were creat- ed the Technologic Branch of the United States Geological Survey with Joseph A Holmes in charge. As a' result of a series of disastrous coal ne explosions in 1907, in 1908 con gress authorized an investigation as to the causes of mine explosions, with view to increasing safety in mining. Authority to occupy part of the old Arsenal at Pittsburg, Pa, having been obtained from the Sec rctary Of War, a Station for study ing mine explosives was opened there in November, 1908. The first list of permissible explosives" those ap- proved for use in dastry, and gaseous coal mines, was published in 1909.
 Other causes of mine explosions, as mine gases, coal dust, miners lamps, and electrical equipment, were investigated at this Station, as were the merits of various types of mine rescue apparatus. After the close of the Jamestown Exposition the need of a temporary home for the fuels and structural materials invesuga- tions was manifest, and this equip ment was also moved to the Arsena. grounds at Pittsburg. The larg
 number of coal mines within rad. us of 150 miles of Pittsburg and tn great industries of the district mad the location particularly desirable.
 In order to facilitate Investigations of mine explosions and to render prompt aid after mine disaster,