Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-26
FAILURE TO OBSERVE
MINE RULES COST 5
MINERS THEIR LIVES

,sv MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED ~iREI
Santa Fe, April 25.--Jo l.. Sher.
lidan state mine Inspector has
made a preliminary report to the
governor on the Dawson mine dis
aster on the night Of April IA. Five
men Were killed at that time and
mine No badly wrecked. 1t will
require at least a week before It
viii be possible to get iuJo the
workings of the mine itself,
The coroner's inquest will not be
finished until such time as the
mine can be entered and explored.
1t will be its purpose 10 determine
what caused the explosion as far
as possible. The purpose of the
state mine inspection is to learn
everything possible about every
disaster that precautions may be
taken to prevent similar disasters sin
the future.
Every possible known precaution
has been taken in the operation of
the mines at Dawson, An eNpeu-
sive electric firing system has been
installed with the idea o. prevent
ing all loss of life when tn, shots
in the mine are fired. The mines
are wired. At the south is a cut
off box and a second cut-oft box
IL located further in, The electric
curren1 Is cut off here as wen as
ut the firer's cabin some distance
from the mouth of the mines.
During the day the miners drill
their holes and place beside them
one and half pounds of approved
powder and adope tamping. AT
night every miner must check out.
should any miner fail to cheek OUT,
search is made for him at his
working place in the mine and his
boarding house is located. In other
words, the board must show that
every miner is out of the mine.
The mine firers thereupon go on
duty. They proceed into the mine
and load every hole that is properly
drilled and connect up the firing
wires. Imperfect holes are con-
demned. This done, the mine fir
ers open the lower cutoff box and
throw the switch. and next the box
at the mouth of the mine. They
proceed TO the mine firer's cabin
whore they register their names
and hour. When all have reported
the man at the cabin throws the
| switch and fires the mines. THIS
| done, the switch is turned off,
When the mines have been eX-
ploded the mine firers again go tC
Z, h. 4 ~ 10
trio boxes, removing the wires IN
the mine. This process is a nightly
| proceeding.
ON this particular night mine No
6 exploded and it was wrecked
The upper part OF mine No. ! was
also affected where it was con-
nected with No. 6. Two mine firers
were killed in mine No | and two
others In the connecting tunnel
with No. 6. A laborer was also sup
posed TO have been killed though
al the time Mr. sheridan left, his
body had not been located.
Mine firers, according to testi-
mony at the coroners inquest, had
gotten into the habit of starting
| into the mine before the SHOOTING
! was completed to save q little more
time and be able to return home a
! few minutes sooner. The men
killed had evidently left their quar-
ters ahead of time and were on
their way into the pine when the
disaster occurred. 1t would appear
from the regulations in force at the
mine for the protection of the men,
in this case were disregarded.
The cause of the explosion is not
known at this time and it may
never be fully determined. 1t will
he at least a week before the mine
can be explored. Mine No. 6 ex-
tends more than a mile and quar-
ter. After the mine has been ex-
plored Mr.. Sheridan will make a
full report to the governors