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THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 25
NATIONAL MINE SAFETY DEMONSTRATIONS,
OCTOBER 30 AND 31.
During the past two days, October 30 and 31,
Pittsburgh has been the scene of one of the most
notable and interesting gatherings of operating
and mining men in theh history of the country's
coal industry. The occasion was the National
Mine Safety Demonstration under the auspices of
the United States Bureau of Mines, the American
National Red Cross Society and the Pittsburgh
Coal Operators' Association. Some of the most
prominent figures in the affairs of our national
and state governments, and representatives of
large and influential coal companies in all sections
of the United States and foreign countries where
"Coal is King," were in attendance. They witnessed
a splendid exhibition of what the United
States Bureau of Mines is doing to bring about
safer and saner methods in extracting the black
diamonds from the bowels of the earth and placing
them within reach of the producer.
The big event of the two days' meet was held
yesterday at Forbes Field, the magnificent Stadium
of the Pittsburgh Baseball Club. The program
consisted of first aid exhibitions and explosion
rescue and first aid work in an experimental
steel gallery. Among the notables present
were President William Howard Taft, who presented
the badges of efficiency and Red Cross first
aid cases to the miners who participated. Secretary
of the Interior Walter L. Fisher, Governor
John K. Tener of Pennsylvania, Director Joseph
A. Holmes of the Bureau of Mines, and other
prominent men. Probably 15,000 spectators were
in attendance.
Teams of trained miners, representing mining
companies from all sections of the United States,
participated in the following demonstrations: —
1. Treating a lacerated wound of the right side
of head (temple) and a lacerated wound on top
of the right shoulder; one man event.
2. Treating a punctured wound over the left
eye and lacerated wound of palm of right hand;
one man event.
3. Treating a simple fracture of left collar
bone and simple fracture of jaw; two men event.
4. Treating a dislocated right shoulder and simple
fracture of right leg; two men event.
5. Treating conditions of a man who has fallen
on an electric wire back down, clothing burning;
rescue, extinguish fire, treat back and upper arms:
team event.
(1. Treating conditions of a man who has
fallen on an electric wire, face down; rescue and
extinguish fire, treat chest and upper arms; team
event.
PITTSBURGH,
7. Treating gas burns of face, neck, ears and
hands; team event.
8. Treating gas burns of hands, right arm and
shoulder; team event.
9. Treating a broken back and simple fracture
of right fore arm; team event.
10. Treating a dislocated hip and simple fracture
of collar-bone; team event.
Even more interesting from the spectator's
standpoin were the exhibitions given in the large
steel explosion gallery, representing an ordinary
coal mine. This gallery was cylindrical in shape
and was 133 feet long.
A test of a permissible explosive was first made,
such explosive being equal in disruptive force to
one-half pound of 40 per cent, nitroglycerine,
tamped with one pound of dry fire clay. The
explosion was fired at the end of the gallery
within which was 133 pounds of fine coal dust
from the Pittsburgh seam, distributed uniformly
throughout, and 20 pounds on a wooden bench
20 feet long near the mouth of the cannon, making
a total of 153 pounds. The coal dust was not
exploded by this test.
An experiment of bow birds are used in exploring
mines was one of the most unique on the
program. It is known that birds are more sensitive
to the effects of poisonous gases than are
men, and this principle has been used to advantage
in mine rescue work. A few birds can be
taken into mines which are known to be gaseous,
and when they show distress the party can retreat
in safety. To bring this forcibly before the minds
of the spectators, G. A. Burrell, a representative
of the Bureau of Mines, entered a glass case containing
.25 of one per cent, carbon monoxide gas
(the miner's "white damp"), taking several canary
birds with him. The birds were soon unable to
withstand the gases and collapsed, although Mr.
Burrell apparently was not affected. The birds,
on being removed from the chamber, were resuscitated
by the use of oxygen.
The effect of black powder exploding in the
presence of coal dust was shown when a charge
of "FFP" black powder equal in disruptive force
to one-half pound of 40 per cent, nitroglycerine
was fired in the gallery containing 153 pounds of
coal dust, being the same kind of dust used in
the permissible explosive experiment. An explosion
of great impact, which blew clouds of
smoke and flame in the air, resulted. Rescue
parties of mine foremen of the Bureau of Mines,
aided by squads representing the Illinois Mine
Rescue Station Commission, the Philadelphia and
Reading Coal & Iron Co., and several local com-