The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-01
One of First line Safety
Lamps in 2 ait1n1OntR eqion
ResurYected After SO Years
Interesting Histry Of Develop
rneDt Of Safety Lamps in
Mines Recalled.

one Of the first mine safety
slaInps which came TO this section
81 tho country. and which was used
here In the old West -Fairmont
mjne Al early as 1863. came TO
ightta few days ago when james
Renule, who possessed 1t, present
e1s Il 70 Harry P. Robinson. 1t IL
4, tire boss Dayy and the Wolf lamp
Iot today Is practically the same
construction plus the improved
details which have been added as
tho outsrowth OF mining extension.
White working as pit boss in the
old West Fairmont mine william
Rennis, Mr.. RennIGs father, who
VAS tho first man to- find gas IL
tho mines In this section Of the
country. discovered gas In the
mine and the safety lamps were
ordered AT that times Mfr. Dayil-
son vas superintendent OF the
mine. The mine Is this side Of the
shaft at Evansville and Is directiE
acfoss from the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad roundhouse.
The lamp Itself Is nine inches
nigh and It's chimney is OF very
fine wire gauze. The brass oil
vessel Is 8, liz inches across the
base and the top OF the Ghlmner
measures l-2' inches across anil
is covered with Gauze cap TO az.
Sford greater protection ut tho tor
4ot the chimney. A brass mood pro-
teets the top OF tho chimney from
falling dust and dirt, or water.
The baT6, or handle OF tho lamp
IS attached to the hood. AS shown
In the picture three standards or
tlpright rods, unite the upper and
hover rings which support the
gauze. Attached 10 tho hood is
small key, with which tho LAMP
muBt be locked by the mine super
iIitendent or foreman before it
could DO taken into the mine. Ia
Is constructed to burn sperm or
lard oil and has u cotton w.ck.
The lamp weights Une pound and
eleven ounces and Is considerably
lighter than the more modern ones.
In contrast 10 the Davy lamp
the Wolf is made Of heavy cold
rolled steel, carefully timed, and
mas brass trimmings. Il Is very
eistrone and will stand a. great deaf
OF rough usage. Wind currents do
not come directly In contact with
The gauze which Is mndA trnm
copper. Naptha Is used as the fuel,
and the lamp will give n clear light
for ton hours. The burner is
round and there Is nn lighting
tape. whilo the lock is magnetic
The lamp Is. eleven inches high AMI
Weighs three pounds and fou:
ounces; II will show a presence Of
perscent gas.
\! History Of Safety Lamps
The principle Of all safety lamps
to9ay IS thrs e.fold, formed respoc-
4 tiybly from the chief characterls-
.Jt4cs7ot 'tfe original Clanny. Davy
and Stephenson lamps. Tho inclos-
ing of the lamp flame is case
forming combustion chamber
tClanny); the extension u Tie
flame-by the cooling Gfris. of wire
gatlze :tsavy) and the extinction
OF the flame In the upNe" portion
ofthe flame (StophGnsol.l
Previous 10 the early part OF the
eighteenth century. to which time
the history OF the lighting ~
I mines date shack, common way
OF Kidding mine OF gas was by
firing It. This was done by some
one dressed in suit OF dampencd
leather who would lie on the floor
I. OF the. passage and light the gas
above him by raising a candle, on
a long pole, until II came In con.
tact with the gas. After the flame
had passed over him he would
withdraw to the fresh air. provid-
! ing OF course he survived. These
ttremen" as they were called
were often selected for their ne :,
rather than for their caution. One
authority says that they were paid
the equivalent of $500 in GU
money.
Until recently what wee called
eternal lamps were used in the
mines Of Belgium. These were
kcpt burning constantly III the
cavities OF the mine where sis
congregated. and they consumed
tho gas.
In 1850 Carlisle Speeding. an en-.
terprislng young miner Of Culnher-
land. England improved the
8 method Of Sventilating the mines
by coursing the air and then m
yentedEthe steel mill'' for giving
i4liEht 1.-The mill was a thin steel
! disk mounted in an iron frame
that was. turned by hand cranI;
and spur.gear. BY holding place
OF flint against the rim OF the
wheel as It revolved a bright
shower OF sparks was made w;mch
gave light. as long as Il lasted.
While these devices were used
more ot. less successfully the
honor DEMONSTRATING the first
safety lamp belongs to DR.. VIII
liam Reid 5Clanny, F. Il. s., Of
Sunderland, England. who describ-
y ed and ptesented the lamp the
Royal Society OF Arts. May 20.
1873. In a Slightly modified form
L was; FIRST used in the Herring
Mn colliery. October 16, 1915.
This laInp consisted Of a metdilic
ease, which was alright and fitted
With a semicircular glass froHt. a
candle: awater seal. a pair o! boz.
lows and':a tube. The. air ne.cs-
sary for the combustion OF the
candle was forced into the case
throughsthe water seal. in tho bot
tom, BY means OF the belloWs and