The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-09-02

I nous loss OF life. Back in 1907, for ex-
ample. there were four great mine ex-
plosions In rapid succession, which
killed 800 men. and none of them could
pc adequately explained on the ground
that explosive gases had accumulated
IN the mine. II was this series OF
holocausts which led to the creation OF
the. bureau Of mines, Congress real
ICED that unless something was done
coal Mining would become such q haz-
ardous occupation that men would not
enter 1t. So, after three years OF cogi-
tation and debate, a bill was passed
creating the bureau OF mines.
The bureau experts demonstrated
that coal dust Is an explosive by ex-
ploding some dust in a steel tube at the
Pittsburgh laboratory. But the hard
headed mining man was still skeptical.
He said that such an explosion could
be produced In steel tube. but not In
a mine.
All Right, Say Scientists.
All right" said the scientists, I'VE
will build a>little mine Of our own and
show you."
So the experimental mine was brought
into being. and coal dust explosions
were staged. which convinced the most
skeptical of mine operators that he was
killing men by not controlling the dust
Ever since then the bureau has been
pulling off explosions from time to time
SO that the miners will not forget that
coal dust explodes. This work has led
incidentally to the establishment of the
fact that the dust in flour mills and in
product mills Is also explosive, and
has resulted in measures being taken
to prevent explosions of this kind.
which had before been regarded as mys-
teries.
The new mines laboratory includes
an alright room. which can be flooded
with any of the poisonous gases which
endanger life in mines, so that gas
masks and oxygen tanks can be dem
onstrated. This room is fitted up Just
like a mine. with track, car and
other distractions found in real mines.
Many Lose Lives.
After an explosion or cave-in. It is
o1ten the poisonous gases which en-
danger the miners lives. Many have
lost their lives when trying to find their
way out. The bureau now advises
miners to barricade themselves into
corners and so to keep the poisonous
gases away until help reaches them.
Recently four men thus lived entombed
for four days, surrounded by poisonous
gases, which could not reach them,
When they were finally reached by a
rescue crew they were able to walk
out or the mine, very weak but other
wise uninjured.
AT tmS ded1catlon ceremony will be
told the story of Safety First" The
bureau of mines claims credit for this
phrase. which has now become an idiom
OF the language. Slogans such as
Safety ahead of production" were used
by q steel company before the bureau |
came into existence. but Safety First |
was coined by the bureau officials and |
by them advertised until it has become |
one OF the most WIDELY known slogans
Of American industry.
The safety of miners is, of course,
not the only subject which is investi-
gated In this laboratory. The bureau
Is carrying on number of technical |
mining experiments all the time. Two
Of the most important lines of work
have to do with the burning of coal
and the extraction of oil from the
ground. The economical use of coal,
both in factories and in homes. by
proper firing and by using the right
Kinds of CRATES. has been preached by
he bureau TO yeais, and it is still
making experiments in thai line.
With only enough oil in sight to last
few years, its work in connection
With the oil wells is even more impor-
ant. A large amount of oil Is left in
he ground by reason of faulty boring
md pumping, and the bureau is expert
nenting in better methods of doing
10Th these things.
Subject of tomorrow's letter. "Ro-
nance of Helium"l