coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 27
THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF MINES
The work of the bureau during the three years
from its establishment, July 1, 1910, to June 30,
1913, has been mainly the investigation of problems
that have to do with the causes and prevention
of coal-mine explosions and the safeguarding
of the lives of coal miners. In addition, considerable
work has been done in the way of
analyzing and testing coal and other mineral fuels
belonging to or for the use of the Government
of the I'nited States, and during the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1913, certain investigations looking
to greater safety and the prevention of waste
in the metal niining and miscellaneous mineral
industries have been begun on a small scale.
In connection with the investigations concerning
coal-mine explosions much has been done towai
d determining the differences in explosibility
of the different types of coal dust found in mines
of the various coal fields, and this investigation
is still under way. A much larger amount of
work has been done in connection with the investigations
into the causes of coal-dust and gas
explosions, the conditions under which these explosions
occur, and the possible means of preventing
them.
An extended investigation has been made into
the nature of the explosives used in coal-mining operations
and the possibilities of so changing the
character of these explosives as to diminish the
hazards connected with their use, and especially
with a view to lessening the possibilities of coalmine
disasters through the use of improper explosives
or the improper use of explosives in
niining.
Another extensive series of investigations has
been carried on to determine the extent to which
electricity used in coal mines may cause dust or
gas explosions, and the possibility of better safeguarding
the use of
ELECTRICITY IN COAL-MINING
Joseph A. Holmes Director
operations with a view to reducing the possibility
of its causing such explosions or of injuring
miners, by shock and otherwise.
Another line of investigations has related to
safety lamps for use in gaseous coal mines. A
number of tests have been made to determine
the relative merits of different types of safety
lamps with a view to improving their utility as
a means of furnishing light to miners, and also
their relative value and safety as a means of determining
the presence or absence of explosive
gases in the mines. This investigation has been
extended to cover portable electric lamps as well
as safety lamps using illuminating oils.
Still another series of investigations has been
conducted in connection with an endeavor to determine
the relative merits of, and the possibility
of improving, the types of apparatus used byminers
in rescue and first-aid work in times of
mine disasters. In connection with these investigations
the bureau has established six minerescue
stations, and has purchased, equipped, and
operated eight mine-rescue cars and one rescue
motor-truck, in all of which the purpose has
been not only to conduct certain practical experiments
with a view to developing better methods
and better equipment in mine-rescue and first-aid
work, but also to train the miners at a number
of different points in the different coal fields in
the proper use of the best equipment and methods.
This is done so that in case of a disaster at any
mine a sufficient number of trained men can be
found at or near such mine for immediate rescue
and first-aid work in the mine with which they
are personally familiar.
One beneficial result from the work of the
bureau is that it encourages research and inspection,
the purchase of mine rescue and first-aid
equipment, and the maintenance of mine rescue
corps by the private mining companies. it is
sometimes claimed that investigations and other
activities on the part of the National Government
discourage similar activities on the part of
mining companies. But such has not been the
case. On the contrary, the activities of the
Bureau of Mines have increased the work of private
laboratories and of engineers in private
practice or employed by private
MINING COMPANIES,
and in the various mining camps where our
rescue cars have done training and demonstration
work, mine-rescue and first-aid corps or
squads have been organized quite generally among
the miners and have been equipped and maintained
at the expense of the mine owners.
At the time the bureau first undertook the development
of modern protective methods, both as
regards rescue work at mine disasters and recovery
work at mine fires, there were in the United
States, as far as known, only a few sets of breathing
apparatus, and these were in use in the metal
mines at Anaconda, Mont. There are now owned
and in use by 170 private mining companies 76
rescue stations and about 1,200 sets of such apparatus,
besides auxiliary equipment for fire fighting,
in addition to the large number of such apparatus
owned by the bureau and widely distributed
among its various cars and stations.