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40 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
ing, and these should be posted on tne shaft bulle­
tin board for the education of the miners. The
explosion that occurred at the United National
colliery at Wattstown July 11, 1905. cost the lives
of 119 men and boys. The percentage oi fatalities
was possibly the highest on record, for only
one man employed in the seam where the explosion
occurred was rescued. He owes his life to
his rare presence of mina, for when he heard the
explosion he poured his tea on his jacket and
stuffed it in his mouth to prevent suffocation by
the after damp. He was unconscious when found,
but the moistened gag had served its purpose, for
he recovered quickly after being brought up. Of
those killed. 55 were lads under 20 years, and 14
were only 14 years old or under. When found.
many of them lay as if sleeping. The explosion
occurred in the lowest seam worked, which is
about 450 yards deep and 9 feet thick. The longwall
system of working is employed, the most
modern lamps were in use and the Schiel type of
fans furnished 250.0110 cubic feet of air per min
ute. The coroner's inquest enaed August 2, the
unanimous verdict of the jury being as follows:
"The explosion of gas was caused by shot firing
in the barrier of coal between the sinking pit and
the upcast pit."
The jury also agreed upon the following recom­
mendations:
1. That shot firing should be absolutely pro­
hibited except between shifts, and only shot men
should be in the pit at the time.
2. That a thorough system of watering roadways,
sides and roof should be compulsory.
Notwithstanding these great tragedies, which
shock the world, the number of mine fatalities
in the Linked Kingdom is comparatively small.
The entire number of persons employed in mining
in Great Britain and Ireland during the year 1904
was 877,057, of whom 5.4S7 were females. The
number of fatalities in the same time was 1,055,
a decrease of 19 compared with 1903. The rate of
fatalities per thousand among the underground
workers has been as follows for the last three
years: 1902, 1.37: 1903, 1.35; i90., l.o4.
The rate per thousand among all those employed
in mining has been lower, as indicated by
the following comparison compiled by the British
home office for the whole world for the year 1903:
United Kingdom.. 1.24 Holland 1.27
British Empire.... 1.46 Japan 1.71
Austria 1.60 Russia 2.53
Belgium 1.07 United States 3.26
France 1.09 All foreign cottntr's 2.20
Germany 1.93 Average for world. 1.93
The safeguarding of the lives of miners, whose
industry has done much toward ameliorating the
conditions of human existence and has made possi­
ble our manufacturing system and the conquests
of commerce, is now engaging the attention of
many experts. Following are a number of recom­
mendations practically agreed upon:
Improved ventilation, especially at the face of
the coal, sufficient to carry off all the gas from
ordinary blowers.
Improved lamps to detect the presence of less
than one per cent, of gas.
Watering enough to prevent the accumulation
of dust.
Shot firing between shifts, with only the trained
shot men present.
Rigid inspection of the use of explosives.
Strict enforcement of all mining regulations.
Introduction of cutting machines to reduce the
number of men needed per mine.
Observations of the barometer and aquameter
daily, and oftener if necessary, especially wdien
shot firing is to be done.
The furnishing of a room near the shait head
suplied with all the latest appliances for first aid.
The training of a rescue corps at each snaft.
fi CONSTRUCTION and DEVELOPMENT. «
A $1,000,000 blast furnace, the development of a
large coal field in southern Indiana county, Pa.,
and the building of a new industrial town at Bells
Mills, Blacklick township, that county, are some
of the benefits to result from a real estate deal
closed recently, when Corrigan, McKinnie & Co.,
of Cleveland, bought the entire town of Bells Mills
and nearly 100 acres additional land.
The Louisiana-Alabama Coal Co., capitalized at
$20,000, has been incorporated in Alabama and has
purchased 3340 acres of coal lands in Franklin
county, about 12 miles south of Russellville. The
lands are to be fully developed and the initial
output will be at least 400 tons daily. W. S.
Douglass of Russellville wdll be superintendent and
in charge of the construction.
The Coal Belt railway, wdiich is to bring coal
from fields 20 miles northeast of Price, Utah, into
Utah and Salt Lake valley, filed its articles of incorporation
with the secretary of state of Utah recently.
This road is to be S9 miles long. Ar­
rangements are made for financing the project and
construction work is to start shortly. The estimated
cost is $1,400,000.
A Chicago syndicate represented by William P.
Nixon has contracted to purchase 60,000 acres in
Tuscaloosa county, Ala. Millions will be expended
in developing the property and exporting
the product via the Gulf of Mexico.