Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-12-21
MINE DISASTERS
ROUSE OFFICIAL
DIRECTOR Balm SAYS ExptO,
siONs INCREASE IN NUMBER
AND VIOLENCE.
WORST PERIOD SINCE STRIKE
Iessenino Of Morale and Lack OF Dis
cipiine In the Coal industry Blamed
In Part for the Shocking Accidents
OF the Year.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK


the bureau OF mines OF the United
States, II. Foster Balm. comes re-
port which seemingly should make
men stop to think. Here is the open
ing paragraph OF Mr.. Baln's commune
cation:
Goal has been mined for three
months since the resumption OF min
ing following the five months strike,
and In that time six explosions killing
about lSo men and injurIng more than
$50 others have occurred In bituml-
nous mines. The number and vio-
fence of these explosions is Increasing,
the record OF the past month being
the worst of all. The coal industry
has not In years suffered as many big
disasters, and the entire country prop
erly Is aroused"
IL should be remembered that this
communication of Mr.. Balm consti-
tutes government and official report.
II gives the viewpoint of men whose
business II is to study situations and
without fear or favor TO comment
thereon.
The director asks these questions:
"Why did these explosions occurf'
"Were they entirely accidental or
could they have been prevented?"
! "Will similar explosions followf" Then
Mr.. Balm adds: investigations now
under way will determine the cause of
past accidents and what, If anything,
might have been done TO prevent
them, but Investigations alone will
give no assurance that similar acct
dents will not again occur. The les
sons learned must be applied and
every possible protection taken il this
killing Is 10 be stopped
Due Partly to Strikes Results.
The country Is told in the course of
the directors report that while the
seasonal hazards, which are greater
In the coal industry during the winter
months, probably have influenced the
result, there has been a lessening of
morale throughout the coal industry
as a result of the strike, which tends
toward a less careful attitude of mind.
Another probable factor, he says. is
changing in personnel at the mines
following the strike and the shifting
Of miners to camps where they were
not familiar with the dangers. In
places, he says, there is a lack of that
discipline (which is essential TO pre-
ventiOn of disaster whether in fight
ing battle or in fighting the hazards
of nature"
This government official tells the
country, which has been shocked by
recent terrible disasters in the mining
Industry, that in the face of these in
creased hazards it is the instant duty
Of operators and mine workers to con.
tentrate their attention on the pre-
vention of accidents. Unless this is
done, Mr.. Balm says warnipgly, there
will be more accidents and more lives
lost however much the research men
may do TO solve the causes Qf acct
dents and to provide methods for
avoiding them.
Until the present series of dis
astrous explosions the record Of de-
crease in accidents had led the bureau
of mines to feel that dangers from
certain sources were being eliminated.
After the demonstrations in the min
ing bureaus experimental mine, be-
ginning In 1911, the number of btumi-
nous mine explosions declined as a re
sult of the educational campaign in
augurated by the bureau OF mines and
carried on with the cooperation of
miners and operators. During a ten
years period the number of deaths re-
sulting from explosions was decreased
by onehalf from the number killed
during the previous ten years.
Coal Dust Certainly Explosive.
Ii may be interesting to know that
practical mining men of the country
were still incredulous a few years ago
as to the explosibility of coal dust.
They were invited to the experimental
mine TO witness the tests. In one of
the tests mine car was shot from the
entry OF the mine with such force that
1t was carried 800 feet through the air
before II landed on a hillside. Little
doubt remained after that in anyb0dy's
mind that coal dust was itself explo-
sive and was also the cause OF initial
explosions which later extended their
force through the mine.
II seems TO be believed In Washing
ton that II the mining industry can be
stabilized and troubles of various
kinds which have beset 1t in the past
can be minimized, the future may be
fairly free from disaster. During the
ten years when there were compare
lively few upsets In the Industry, ex-
plosions were cut down materially.
Director Balm. says explosions can
end must be prevented and that there
Is no reason, with the present knowl-
edge, why local explosions in mines
should spread throughout the entire
underground workings. Then he adds
that miners and operators, as well as
official inspectors, must take hold Of
the situation promptly and vigorously