The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-12-21
Too Many Mine Disasters.

Too Many Mine Disasters.
From the director of the bureau Of
mines ~ the United States, u. Foster
Balm, comes report which seemingly
should make men stop to think. Here
In the opening paragraph Of MIR. Bans
communication
Coal 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 lSj men and injuring more than
$50 others have occurred in hitumI
nous mines. The number and yio-
fence of these explosions II increasing.
the record ~ The past month being
the worst of all. The coal industry
has not in years suffered us many big
disasters. and the entire country prop
erly Is aroused" -
II should be remembered that this
communication Of Mr.. u. in consti-
tutes n government and official report.
| II gives the viewpoint II 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 Occurr
Were they entirely accidental or
could they have been prevrntedr
"Will similar explosions follow7" Then
Mr. Balm adds: 'Investigations u0~
under WAY will determine The cause Of
i I,.t Sf onai,IaptO .b..t unvehtn0
might have been done to prevent
them. but investigations aione will
| give no assurance that similar acci-
dents will not again occur. The les
sons learned must be applied and
every possible protection taken II this
killing is To be stopped"
Due Partly to Strikes Sesuita
The country is told In the course OF
the directors report that willie the
seasonal hazards, which are greater
in the coal industry during the winter
months. probably have influenced the
| result, there has been u lessening Of
morale throughout the coal Industry
us n result Of the strike. which ENDS
|
Another probable factor, he says, Is
Il 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
| TO-. -, ia E.,ls hn l,a1 r<ta
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 IL Is the instant duty
of operators and mine workers to con
centrate their attention on the pre-
vention Of accidents. Unless this Ii
done. Mr.. Balm saws waningly. there
| will he more accidents and more lives
lost, however much the research men
may do to solve the causes Of Get
dents and to provide methods for
avoiding them.
| Until the present series 0f dis
astrous explosions the record Of d.
| 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. ~
ginning In 1911. the number Of bitumi-
nous mine explosions declined M q 70
suit of the educational campaign 10
uu2urated by the bureau Of mines and
carried on with the cooperation Of
miners and operators. During q ten
years period the number NJ deaths 70
sulting from explosions was decreased
by One-half 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
we're still increduIous few years ago
as 10 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
Il was carried 800 feet through the air
before II landed on hillside. Little
doubt remained after that In ANYBODY
mind that coal dust was Itself expio-
sive and was also the cause Of Initial
explosions which later extended heir
force through the mine.
II seems to be believed In Washing
ton that IL the mining industry can be
stabilized and troubles OF various
kinds which have Deset II In the past
can be minlmized, the future may be
fairly free from disaster. During the
ten years when there were cOmpara-
lively few upsets In the Industry. "a
plosions were cut down materially.
Director BUN says explosions can
and must be prevented and that there
IL no reason. Will. the present knowI-
edge, why local explosions In mines
should spread throughout the eniirs
underground workings. Then he adds
that minors and onerutOra m well A