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KENTUCKY MINING INSTITUTE HOLDS
INTERESTING MID-WINTER SESSION.
The mid-winter meeting of the Kentucky Mining
Institute was held Dec. 8 at the College of Mines
and Metallurgy of State University at Lexington,
Ky., and closed with a smoker at the Phcenix
hotel. The Institute voted to hold the annual
meeting in June in Lexington and to determine at
that time where the next mid-winter meeting shall
be held. Felicitations were exchanged between
the West Virginia Mining Institute which met
Dec. 8 at Charleston, W. Va., and the Kentucky
Institute.
The following resolution was adopted by the Institute
in regard to the Foster mining bills, which
will come up at the present session of Congress:
"Whereas, the problems of mining involve the
safety to life, limb and health of employes, and
"Whereas, the work of mining involves problems
of conservation of mineral resources, and
"Whereas, the solution of these problems largely
depends on a more complete local knowledge supplementary
to the general investigations of the
bureau of mines, and
"Whereas, the greatest local knowledge can be
best disseminated through state mining schools,
state mining institutes and local miners' institutes
in the way of extension work.
"Resolved, that the State Mining Institute of
Kentucky, in its mid-winter meeting, respectfully
petitions the United States senators and representatives
of Kentucky to use their influence to secure
the passage of the Foster mining bill that proposes
to render federal aid to mining schools and
institutes on the same principle that agricultural
colleges and agricultural extension work are nowassisted
locally as well as naturally."
The program was opened with an address of welcome
by President H. S. Barker, who spoke briefly
on the value to the employer of investments in
mine improvements and social, civic and religious
advantages for the employe.
R. D. Quickel, fuel agent of the Cincinnati Southern
railway, read an instructive paper on "The
Clinkering of Mixed Coals Under High Temperature."
"Problems Encountered in Mining Coals in the
Western Coal Fields of Kentucky," was discussed
in a paper by Newell G. Alford, assistant engineer
of the St. Bernard Mining Co., Earlington, Ky.
The most important problems in the Western Kentucky
field discussed in this paper were dealt with
in the following order: Robbing pillars, air passing
through old works, ignition of No. 11 coal in
old workings, prevention and oxidation, coal dust,
shooting off the solid, fatalities, roof, wastes.
"The Use of Gasoline Motors in Coal Mines," a
paper written by W. C. Whitcomb, general man­
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 37
ager of the George D. Whitcomb Co., Rochelle, Ills,,
was read by Prof. C. J. Norwood.
A paper on "The Oil Fields of Northeastern Kentucky,"
which was written by Dr. S. R. Collier, of
West Liberty, Ky., was read by Tom Robinson,
a senior in the department of mining engineering.
"Safeguards in the Use of Electricity in Mines"
was the subject of an interesting paper by Prof.
XV. E. Freeman, of State University.
Otto A. Rothbert, of Louisville, gave an interesting
paper on "The Bearing of Coal Mining on
Local History," beginning with the use of wood
as a fuel prior to the discovery that coal would
burn and continuing down thiough the development
of one of the most useful and valuable minerals
known.
The program of the afternoon was closed with
an illustrated lecture on "The Old and the New
Way" of mining by Prof. E. R. Wilson. Sixty
interesting slides were shown by Mr, Wilson, who
kindly consented to give his talk, although he was
not on the program and it was greatly enjoyed and
appreciated by the members of the Institute.
At the conclusion of the program a short business
session was held in which a committee on
amendments to the constitution was proposed and
it was decided to hold the next meeting in June
in Lexington. The matter of holding the next
mid-winter meeting at some place other than Lexington
was taken up and the desire was expressed
by several of the members that the mid-winter
meeting should be held at some mining town where
the members would have an opportunity to visit
other mines. Other members thought the change
would be beneficial in that it would reach a greater
number. The matter will be acted upon in June.
The following members were piesent: E. Dissinger,
G. C. Rogers, F. M. Powell. Ivan P. Tashof,
H. J. Jakobe, E. R. Hutchcraft. H. D. Saston, Hywell
Davies, H. L. Noel, William C. Eyl, R. D.
Quickel, Thomas Robinson, J. C. Bosworth, J. W.
Atkins, T. J. Barr, C. J. Norwood, Kenneth U.
Meguire, Louisville; H. S. Sizemore, Earlington:
R. H. Barry, Chicago; W. A. Miller, Cincinnati;
G. T. Sears, Central City; R. T. Hamilton, Mansfield;
XV. J. Von Borries, Louisville; H. C. Johnson,
Wilton; H. C. Thompson, Winchester; E. B
Wilson. Scranton, Pa.; G. M. Tillett, Jenkins; M.
M. Bardwell, Beaver Dam; I. B. Abbot. J. E. Reed,
Jenkins; A. Trost, Wilton; O. I. Neild, Wilton:
S. M. Casterbus, Fairmont, W. Va.; R. Wippler,
Earlington; N. G. Alford, Phcenix; R, D. Clere,
Ashland; W. M. Cox, West Liberty; C. M. Simpson,
Cincinnati; J. B. Allan, Hazard; E. B. Fox,
Louisville; 0. M. Smith, Covington: F. S. Wash,
Midway; W. W. Affleck, Cincinnati; XV. S. Hutchinson,
Knoxville; C. A. Beatty, Springfield; 0. W.
McC. Johnson, Bell Jellieon; W. F. Hanly, Mays-